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.
Photo: Jaana Ratas.
Octagonal weight, bronze. Such weights can mainly be dated to 850-1000 AD.
Literature:
Gustin, I. 2004. Mellan gåva och marknad. Handel, tillit och materiell Kultur under vikingatid. – Lund Studies in Medieval Archaeology, 34. Malmö, Almqvist & Wiksell, 100-107.
Last photo: Jaana Ratas.
Spherical weight, iron and bronze. Marks on faces have not survived.
Read more:
Berga, T. 2017. The distribution and chronology of traiding equipment in present-day Latvia in the tenth to thirteenth centuries. – Archaeologia Baltica, 24, 59-77.
Mullutu
Penannular brooch with thickening terminals, copper alloy. The pin is narrow-based, broken.
Photos: Jaana Ratas.
Penannular brooch with thickening terminals, copper alloy. The pin is narrow-based, broken. Possibly imported from Couronia, where such brooches have been found in 11th-13th-century burials (Griciuvienė 2009, 317, 339).
Literature:
Griciuvienė, E. (prepared by) 2009. Kuršiai. Genties kultūra laidosenos duomenimis. Baltų archeologijos paroda. Katalogas. The Curonians. Tribe Culture According to the Burial Data. Baltic Archaeological Exhibition. Catalogue. Lietuvos nacionalis muziejus, Latvijas Nacionālais vēstures muzejs, Vilnius – Riga.
Photo: Jaana Ratas.
Spherical weight, iron and bronze. Seven circles on the faces. Such weights are dated to the late 11th century and to the 12th century in Latvia (Berga 2017).
Literature:
Berga, T. 2017. The distribution and chronology of traiding equipment in present-day Latvia in the tenth to thirteenth centuries. – Archaeologia Baltica, 24, 59-77.
Photo: Jaana Ratas.
Spherical weight, iron and bronze. Probably from the 10th-11th century (Berga 2017).
Literature:
Berga, T. 2017. The distribution and chronology of traiding equipment in present-day Latvia in the tenth to thirteenth centuries. – Archaeologia Baltica, 24, 59-77.
Cubic chain distributer, bronze.
Mullutu
Fragment of a silver finger-ring with widening middle part (?). Parallels mainly in Scandinavia.
Fragment of a silver finger-ring with widening middle part (?). Parallels mainly in Scandinavia.
Literature:
Arbman, H. 1940. Birka I. Die Gräber. Tafeln. Stockholm, Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien, Taf. 111: 6, 8-11.
Thunmark-Nylén, L. 1998. Die Wikingerzeit Gotlands, II. Typentafeln. Stockholm, Taf. 143: 27 a-b.
First photo: Jaana Ratas.
Iron crossbow head. Such heads have been found in several medieval castles and in 2012 also from Haapsalu.
Literature:
Griciuvienė, E. (prepared by) 2005. Žiemgaliai. Baltų archeologijos paroda. Katalogas. The Semigallians. Baltic Archaeological Exhibition. Catalogue. Vilnius – Riga, Lietuvos nacionalis muziejus; Latvijas Vēstures muzejs, 202.
Russow, E. & Allmäe, R. 2013. From a suburban pasture to the urban cemetery – recent fieldwork in north-western corner of medieval Haapsalu. – Archaeological Fieldwork in Estonia 2012, 217-232, fig. 7.
Mullutu
Tanged arrow-head, iron, with sharp oval blade.
Tanged arrow-head, iron, with sharp oval blade.
Literature:
Schiezel, K. 2014. Spurensuche Haithabu. Dokumentation und Chronik 1963-2013. Schlwswig, Wachholtz, 569.
Mägi, M.; Jets, I.; Riiel, R.; Allmäe, R.; Limbo-Simovart, J. 2015. Pre-Viking and early Viking Age sacrifical place at Viidumäe, eastern Saaremaa. – Arheoloogilised välitööd Eestis = Archeological fieldwork in Estonia 2014, 153−162. Read the article: here.
