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.
Mullutu
Penannular brooch with rolled terminals and flat rectangular cross-section of the ring, bronze. Similar brooches have been found e.g. the Karja cemetery in Saaremaa. A similar one has been found in När, Gotland.
Photo: Jaana Ratas.
Penannular brooch with rolled terminals and flat rectangular cross-section of the ring, bronze. Similar brooches have been found e.g. the Karja cemetery in Saaremaa. A similar one has been found in När, Gotland.
Literature:
Mägi, M. 2002. At the Crossroads of Space and Time. Graves, Changing Society and Ideology on Saaremaa (Ösel), 9th–13th centuries AD. Tallinn: Ajaloo Instituut, Tallinn/Center of Baltic Studies, Gotland. Read the book: here. Look at the drawings of the archaeological excavations: here.
Thunmark-Nylén, L. 1998. Die Wikingerzeit Gotlands, II. Typentafeln. Stockholm.
Mullutu
Triangel-headed dress pins, 2, with two semi-oval chain holders and chain arrangement wrapped around the pins. The heads of the pins are made of silver and decorated with Animal-style ornament. mushroom-shaped knobs. Other parts of bronze.
Photos: Jaana Ratas.
Triangel-headed dress pins, 2, with two semi-oval chain holders and chain arrangement wrapped around the pins. The heads of the pins are made of silver and decorated with Animal-style ornament. mushroom-shaped knobs. Other parts of bronze.
Literature:
Mägi, M. 1997. Eesti merovingi- ja viikingiaegsed rinnanõelad – võõrapärased ja omad. – Estonian Journal of Archaeology 1, 26−83. Read the article (ENG p. 58-73): here.
Jets, I., Mägi, M. 2015. Local shape, foreign decoration. Shared cultural values in dress pins from the Viidumäe sacrificial site on Saaremaa. – Fornvännen. Journal of Swedish antiquarian research, 110 (4), 257−266. Read the article: here.
Mullutu
Penannular brooch with irregularly funnel-shaped terminals, bronze. Similar ones have been found e g at Pöide and Valjala hill-forts, Karja and Valjala early Christian graveyards, and in the earliest layers of medieval Tallinn.
Photo: Jaana Ratas.
Penannular brooch with irregularly funnel-shaped terminals, bronze. Similar ones have been found e g at Pöide and Valjala hill-forts, Karja and Valjala early Christian graveyards, and in the earliest layers of medieval Tallinn.
Literature
Mägi, M.; Malve, M. & Toome, T. 2019. Early Christian burials at Valjala churchyard, Saaremaa. – Archaeological Fieldwork in Estonia 2018, 93−118. Read the article: here.
Mullutu
Tanged arrow-head, iron. The blade cross-cut is shaped as a rhomb with four pointed ends, the cross-cut of the neck is rectangular. Analogues are known e g from Hedeby, Germany.
Photo: Jaana Ratas.
Tanged arrow-head, iron. The blade’s cross-cut is shaped as a rhomb with four pointed ends, the cross-cut of the neck is rectangular. Analogues are known e g from Hedeby, Germany.
Literature:
Schiezel, K. 2014. Spurensuche Haithabu. Dokumentation und Chronik 1963-2013. Schleswig, Wachholtz, 569.
Mullutu
Fragment of a bronze ring-headed pin with a cross-shaped extension.
Photo: Jaana Ratas.
Fragment of a ring-headed pin with a cross-shaped extension, bronze.
Literature:
Mägi, M. 1997. Eesti merovingi- ja viikingiaegsed rinnanõelad – võõrapärased ja omad. – Estonian Journal of Archaeology 1, 26−83. Read the article (ENG p. 58-73): here.
Mullutu
Bronze ring-headed dress pin. A similar pin was e g in Keila deposit find. The pin type was widespread in coastal Estonia, coastal Finland and coastal Latvia.
First photo: Jaana Ratas.
Ring-headed dress pin, bronze. A similar pin was e g in Keila deposit find. The pin type was widespread in coastal Estonia, coastal Finland and coastal Latvia.
Literature:
Mägi, M. 1997. Eesti merovingi- ja viikingiaegsed rinnanõelad – võõrapärased ja omad. – Estonian Journal of Archaeology 1, 26−83. Read the article (ENG p. 58-73): here.
Sakla
Fragment of symmetrical brooch (figure of an animal). Such brooches have been found e. g. in Birka burials and in Adelsö in Sweden.
Additional last picture: Symmetrical brooch from Adelsö near Birka, Sweden.
Fragment of symmetrical brooch (figure of an animal). Such brooches have been found e. g. in Birka burials and in Adelsö in Sweden.
Literature:
Arbman, H. 1940. Birka I. Die Gräber. Tafeln. Stockholm, Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien, Taf. 82: 7-9.
Upa
Spearhead, iron. With socket and rhombic blade.
Spearhead, iron. With socket and rhombic blade. Such spearheads are dated in Latvia to the 13th-14th centuries, especially to the period after the mid-13th century, although similar spearheads spread in Europe as early as the late 12th century (Brūzis 2012, 74-75). Similar ones have been found in Saaremaa, for example in the Rahu cemetery, where they are previously dated to the 11th century (Mägi 2002, Pl. XII, XV), but are probably later. Late 12th century – ca 1300.
Literature:
Brūzis, R. 2012.14.-16. gadsimta tuvcīņas ieroči Rīgā. – Sēna Rīga, 7. Pētījumi pilsētas arheoloģijā un vēsturē. Latvijas vēstures institūta apgāds: Rīga, 64-94.
Mägi, M. 2002. At the Crossroads of Space and Time. Graves, Changing Society and Ideology on Saaremaa (Ösel), 9th–13th centuries AD. CCC papers: 6. Gotland University College, Centre for Baltic Studies; Institute of History, Department of Archaeology. Tallinn, 2002. Read the book: here. Look at the drawings of the archaeological excavations: here.
Valjala hillfort
Bracelet, bronze. Bracelets made of multiple twisted wires have been dated to the 12th and 13th centuries and are mainly found in mainland Estonia, especially in Northern Estonia.
Bracelet, bronze. Bracelets made of multiple twisted wires have been dated to the 12th and 13th centuries and are mainly found in mainland Estonia, especially in Northern Estonia (Valk & Laul 2014, 118). Bracelets of this type were also widespread in the territories of the Votes and Izhorians as well as in Novgorod (Mägi 2002, 106). Since such bracelets occur mainly in inhumation graves and only seldom in cremations, they were probably taken into use in the very end of the 12th century.
Literature:
Mägi, M. 2002. At the Crossroads of Space and Time. Graves, Changing Society and Ideology on Saaremaa (Ösel), 9th–13th centuries AD. CCC papers: 6. Gotland University College, Centre for Baltic Studies; Institute of History, Department of Archaeology. Tallinn, 2002. Read the book: here. Look at the drawings of the archaeological excavations: here.
Laul, S., Valk, H. 2014. Siksälä kalme, I. Muistis ja ajalugu. Tartu ülikool: Tartu.
