Database
Our database is free to use for all history and archaeology enthusiasts. If you use our database, please do not forget to cite correctly:
Mägi, Marika; Palm, Piia Sandra. Archaeological Artefacts of Saaremaa. Foundation Osiliana / Tallinn University. Accessed: date.
The Osiliana Archaeological Database presents artefacts from Saaremaa and the surrounding small islands.
The database contains mainly Iron Age and Medieval finds that can be classified.
Undated metal or other pieces were generally excluded from the database.
Ceramics are represented by isolated examples.
The database is a work in progress and is constantly being updated.
Ure
Knife blade, iron, with a triangular cross-section.
Knife blade, iron, with a triangular cross-section.
Ure
Fire striking stone, oval shaped, with sharpening ends. Light beige stone. Oval fire striking stones have been found in several mainly Roman Period deposits, burial places as well as stray finds in Estonia and surrounding countries. In Estonian and Finnish archaeology, such stones have normally been considered as rituaal items, in Scandinavia also as items indicating status.
Last photo: Jaana Ratas.
Fire striking stone, oval shaped, with sharpening ends. Light beige stone. Oval fire striking stones have been found in several mainly Roman Period deposits, burial places as well as stray finds in Estonia and surrounding countries. In Estonian and Finnish archaeology, such stones have normally been considered as rituaal items, in Scandinavia also as items indicating status (Oras et al 2018; Monikander 2015).
Literature:
Monikander, A. 2015. Negotiating Fire and Water: Strike-a-lights from the Early Iron Age in Scandinavian Wetlands. – Journal of Wetland Archaeology, 15:1, 57-71. Read the article: here.
Oras, E., Kriiska, A., Kimber, A., Paavel, K. & Juus, T. 2018. Kohtla-Vanaküla weapons and tools deposit: an Iron Age sacrificial site In North-East Estonia. – Estonian Journal of Archaeology 2018, 22, 1, 5–31. https://doi.org/10.3176/arch.2018.1.02.
Ure
Melted piece of silver.
Ure
Arrowhead (?), iron.
Ure
Crossbow brooch, bronze and iron. Only a small part of the spiral axis has been preserved. The arc has a flat cross-section and the needle store has been cast.
Last picture: Jaana Ratas
Crossbow brooch, bronze and iron. Only a small part of the spiral axis has been preserved. The arc has a flat cross-section and the needle store has been cast. Although brooches with casted foot became common in Estonia already in the 3rd century AD, this particular brooch may be from the period at the end of the 4th century up until the 6th century. (Rohtla 2005, 127 jj).
Literature:
Rohtla, M.-L. 2005. Crossbow fibula as a reflection of social status and relations. – Culture and Material Culture. – Interarchaeologia, 1. Ed. by V. Lang. Tartu – Riga – Vilnius, 121–145.
Ure
Iron rod, one tip is sharp. Perhaps the shaft of a pin?
Photo: Jaana Ratas.
Iron rod, one tip is sharp. Perhaps the shaft of a pin?
Photo: Jaana Ratas.
Bead. Blue glass and spherically shaped.
Photo: Jaana Ratas.
Bead. Blue glass and spherically shaped.
Ure
Fragment of bronze plate.
