Jet and Related Materials in Viking Scotland

Abstract

Viking jewellery of polished black stone is too readily labelled as jet, implying E-coast contacts to North Yorkshire. Analysis of Scottish material (predominantly bangles) shows that here jet was rarely used. Instead a range of more readily available materials, primarily lignite and cannel coal, was favoured. These suggest contacts to Sutherland and down the western seaways to the Firth of Clyde and perhaps Ireland. The ornamental habit itself was not a Viking one in origin, and they probably acquired it from contacts with indigenous groups in the source areas.

Viking jewellery of polished black stone is too readily labelled as jet, implying E-coast contacts to North Yorkshire. Analysis of Scottish material (predominantly bangles) shows that here jet was rarely used. Instead a range of more readily available materials, primarily lignite and cannel coal, was favoured. These suggest contacts to Sutherland and down the western seaways to the Firth of Clyde and perhaps Ireland. The ornamental habit itself was not a Viking one in origin, and they probably acquired it from contacts with indigenous groups in the source areas.

Le jais et les matériaux similaires en Écosse viking

On a trop facilement tendance à dire que les bijoux vikings en pierre noire polie sont en jais, en laissant supposer des contacts avec la côte est du nord du Yorkshire. L'analyse d'artefacts écossais (surtout des bracelets) montre qu'ici le jais était rarement utilisé. On lui préférait plutôt divers matériaux facilement disponibles, principalement le lignite et le sapropèle. Ces matériaux indiquent la possibilité de contacts avec le Sutherland et, par le biais des voies maritimes occidentales, avec le Firth of Clyde et peut-être l'Irlande. L'habitude ornementale proprement dite, qui n'est pas d'origine viking, a probablement été acquise au contact de groupes indigènes dans les zones sources.

Gagat und ähnliche Materialien im Wikinger-Schottland

Wikingerschmuck aus polierten schwarzen Steinen wird zu leicht als Gagat bezeichnet, was Kontakt mit Nord-Yorkshire voraussetzt. Die Analyse des schottischen Materials (hauptsächlich Armreifen) zeigt, dass Gagat hier kaum verwendet wurde. In Wirklichkeit wurden andere, einfacher verfügbare Materialien bevorzugt, hauptsächlich Braunkohle und Sapropelit. Das lässt vermuten, dass Kontakte mit Sutherland und die westlichen Wasserwege hinunter zum Firth of Clyde und vielleicht sogar Irland bestanden. Die Verwendung als Schmuckstein stammte ursprünglich nicht von den Wikingern, sondern sie lernten dies wahrscheinlich durch den Kontakt mit einheimischen Gruppen des Ursprungsgebiets.

Giaietto e materie collegate nella Scozia vichinga

Si fa troppo presto a definire giaietto il materiale di cui sono fatti i gioielli vichinghi di pietra nera lucidata, suggerendo contatti della costa orientale con lo Yorkshire del nord. L'analisi del materiale scozzese (prevalentemente bracciali a cerchio) dimostra che qui il giaietto veniva utilizzato raramente. Si preferivano invece materiali più facilmente disponibili, principalmente lignite e sapropelite, che rimandano a contatti con il Sutherland e lungo i canali navigabili occidentali fino al Firth of Clyde e forse fino all'Irlanda. L'utilizzo a scopo ornamentale in sé non era un'abitudine vichinga all'origine e probabilmente i gioielli furono acquistati in seguito a contatti con i gruppi indigeni nelle aree di reperimento dei materiali.