Boats from bogs in Arctic Norway: depositional contexts and explanatory frameworks in the Late Iron Age and Mediaeval period

Abstract

A comprehensive assessment of boat-related bog finds from the collection of the Arctic University Museum of Norway (Norges Arktiske Universitetsmuseum, NAU) materialises the entanglement of boat technology and cultural meaning in northern Norway during the Iron Age. Nineteen boat parts and related equipment made of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) from 17 bog locations have been documented. As the Early Iron Age and pre-Iron Age bog finds have been discussed in an earlier publication (Wickler 2019), this chapter focusses on bog boat finds from the Late Iron Age. The documentation of bog boats has emphasised absolute dating using radiocarbon and dendrochronology, in addition to detailed descriptions and graphic documentation of the objects. Some finds are related to ritual activities which include votive bog offerings and a boat grave. Most of the Late Iron Age boats have sewn planking, a construction technique which predates the use of iron rivets first documented in the Roman Iron Age and which is also associated with indigenous Sámi boats. Hybrid vessels combining sewing with treenails and rivets are also represented. Bog boat remains are discussed in the context of relevant explanatory frameworks in order to evaluate their significance for the development of boat technology and as expressions of northern Norwegian maritime culture.