Grave goods

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This picture shows some of the grave goods buried with a wealthy Scandinavian woman at Westness on Rousay in Orkney. Along with valuable jewellery, she was also buried with a range of tools, including those illustrated here.

The iron tools pictured here were used for making textiles. They include a long weaving sword used to push the weft together when weaving, remains of two heckles for combing plant fibres, a set of shears and a small sickle or reaping hook.

Objects associated with the production of textiles are often found in Viking women's graves. Some are specific to linen, such as heckles (large iron 'combs'). This woman was buried many items associated with textiles.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-000-099-671-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: Kiloran Bay Viking Burial (multimedia essay)
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.IL 736
• Date: Between 850 and 900
  
• Material: Iron
  Iron; retains part of wooden handle
  Iron; rusted together
  Iron; slightly expanded end to handle; incomplete
  Iron; tip missing
  Probably broken from X.IL 732 A; remains of wood in the socket
  Heckle
  Knife / portion
  Shears
  Sickle
  Sword socket
  Sword, weaving / portion
  
• Dimensions: 24.30" L x 1.35" W
  3.00" L x 0.70" W
  5.00" W / 6.30" W; teeth 5.00" L
  6.30" L x 1.40" across open end
  7.65" across; blade 0.80" W
  8.20" L; blades 0.55" W
  
• What: Heckle
  Knife / portion
  Shears
  Sickle
  Sword socket
  Sword, weaving / portion
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Orkney, Rousay, Westness
  Scotland, Orkney, Rousay, Westness
  Scotland, Orkney, Rousay, Westness
  Scotland, Orkney, Rousay, Westness
  Scotland, Orkney, Rousay, Westness
  Scotland, Orkney, Rousay, Westness
  
• Event:
• Description: Iron weaving sword in several pieces, from the grave of a rich Viking woman at Westness, Orkney
  Socket, probably broken from sword X.IL 732 A, showing remains of wood, from Westness, Orkney
  Part of an iron knife retaining part of wooden handle, from Westness, Orkney
  Incomplete pair of iron shears with slightly expanded end to handle, from Westness, Orkney
  Two iron heckles rusted together, with corroded textile remains, from Westness, Orkney
  Iron sickle with missing tip, from Westness, Orkney
  
• References:
  • Graham-Campbell, James and Batey, Colleen E. Vikings in Scotland. An Archaeological Survey. Edinburgh: University Press, 1998, p 136. 
  • Ritchie, Anna. Viking Scotland London: B.T. Batsford Ltd/Historic Scotland, 1993, p 50.
• Translations:
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