Latest news with #StateHistoricalMuseum
The Independent
21-05-2025
- The Independent
Archaeologists find medieval ‘testicle dagger' that could even damage armour
A strange dagger with testicle-shaped orbs unearthed at a medieval Swedish fortress likely offered additional force for its wielder to damage opponents' armour, archaeologists say. The 15th-century weapon dubbed the 'testicle dagger' was discovered during excavation work at the medieval Gullberg fortress in Gothenburg, along with several other artefacts, including crossbow arrows, cannonballs, and cookware. Archaeological surveys have been underway at the fortress – renamed Westgötha Leijon – since 2014 due to the need for a new train station along Sweden 's Västlänken line. Until now, excavations at the site have unearthed remnants of medieval houses, walls, a fortress gate, a well as a tower basement dating to between the 14th and 17th centuries. Some parts of the construction used stone and brick, while others appear to be built of earthen ramparts and timber, researchers say. The early fortresses were likely built as a counter defence against the nearby Danish-Norwegian castles on Hisingen, and when the Danes controlled Älvsborg Castle, they say. 'We didn't think there would be as much left as there was,' said archaeologist Anders Altner from the State Historical Museum. Several new artefacts uncovered so far include cannons, pistols, a limestone sundial, beer taps, a soup spoon, as well as a unique palm-sized perforated 'sand spreader' canister used to sprinkle sand over new documents to soak up excess ink. One of the most unique objects found at the site was what researchers are calling a 'testicle dagger' due to its overall phallic design with a penis-shaped pommel and two decorative orbs above the grip. While the dagger's iron blade is broken, its wooden hilt made of curly birch remains in excellent condition. Experts suggest it was worn by its owner 'in a manner befitting its suggestive shape'. They suspect the unique pommel would have offered a better grip and additional force to damage the opponent's armour. The latest report reveals insights into life inside the fortresses, including what was consumed on Gullberg via analyses of ceramics, some imported, and others manufactured in Sweden. Artefacts unearthed at the site help tell the story of Gullberg, which originally functioned as a border fortress. Then, further defensive installations have been made on the site right up until the 19th century, and preserved sections of the wall can still be seen along the mountain, researchers say. Some of the objects, such as crossbow arrows dating to the 15th century and cannonballs from the 17th century, 'testify to troubled times,' they say.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Medieval ‘testicle dagger' lives up to its name
Nearly eight years of excavation work at a medieval fortress in Gothenburg, Sweden has yielded a number of revealing archeological finds. But one item stands out among the crossbow arrows, beer taps, and cookware—a 15th century 'testicle dagger' whose name makes sense once you see its design. Sweden's Gullberg hill served as a strategic military outpost for hundreds of years and is one of the country's most important historical defensive compounds. Overlooking Göta River, the area long functioned as the nation's sole direct access point for the North Sea while the rest of the western coast remained under the domain of Denmark-Norway. The very first structures were erected under the direction of King Birger in 1285, but by 1455 'Gullbergs hus' (literally 'Gullberg's house') had fallen deep enough into disrepair to warrant a rebuild. Gullberg Castle was sacked twice, once by the Danes in 1523 during the Swedish War of Liberation and again in 1612 amid the Kalmar War. The fortress was reconstructed a final time in 1692 and formally renamed Westgötha Leijon, or the Westrogothic Lion. Only in 1822 was the compound finally decommissioned. In present-day Gothenburg, the need for a new train station along Sweden's Västlänken line necessitated renewed archeological surveys at Westgötha Leijon between 2014 and 2023. Despite previous examinations around the site, the most recent outings still surprised researchers. 'We didn't think there would be as much left as there was,' Anders Altner, an archeologist at the State Historical Museum, explained in a statement. Architectural finds included remnants of houses, earthworks, and walls, as well as a fortress gate and a tower basement. According to Alter, the buildings were erected using a mixture of components like stone, brick, earthen ramparts, and timber. While the first building dates back as early as the 14th century, many of the individual objects discovered by archeologists ranged between the 15th and 17th centuries. These included weaponry like light cannons and pistols, along with artifacts from daily life such as a limestone sundial, beer taps, a soup spoon, and a sand spreader—a palm-sized perforated canister used for sprinkling fine sand over newly written documents to soak up excess ink. Then there's the testicle dagger. Although its iron blade is broken and significantly chipped, the wooden hilt crafted from curly birch remains in surprisingly excellent condition. Its decorative designwork leaves little to the imagination and answers any lingering questions about how the weapon earned its nickname. Even for a knife, the overall shape is particularly phallic, with a penis-like pommel and two decorative, testicle-like orbs above the grip. As Arkeonews explains, many experts believe its wielder wore their dagger 'in a manner befitting its suggestive shape.' But aside from its explicit imagery, the testicle dagger likely served its owner beyond pure ornamentation. The handle's design, while 'Not Safe For Work' by today's standards, would have offered a better grip and additional force when attempting to damage an opponent's armor. Combined with the other, less-phallic weapon artifacts, the testicle dagger helps to better contextualize life at the frequently besieged Gullberg Castle and later Westrogothic Lion redoubt. With excavations largely complete, the fortress artifacts (yes, including the dagger) are currently on display at the Historical Museum in Stockholm through January 2026. For those who can't get over to Sweden in time, there's also an exhibition booklet available online.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Found a 700-Year-Old Dagger Symbolically Shaped Like Testicles
A discovery of a testicle-shaped dagger at an ancient fortress was likely a bold statement and a useful weapon. Archaeologists working at the Gullberg fortress in Sweden uncovered a trove of weapons, including the Medieval dagger worn on the belt. Finds at the fortress also featured beer barrel stoppers, cannonballs, crossbow arrows, and a sand spreader to help dry ink. Archaeologists uncovered a testicle-shaped dagger buried at the ancient Gullberg fortress, and experts believe the dagger, with two round testicle-like decorations on the hilt, was worn, well, where you'd think it would be worn. Arkeologerna announced the find—via a translated statement—that occurred at the Gothenburg-area fortress, which was built in the 14th century A.D., initially as a simple blockhouse surrounded by a palisade wall. The fortified site on a cliff overlooking the Göta River was likely in response to the nearby Danish-Norwegian castles on Hisingen. The site continued to expand and was used as a fortress for centuries until eventually being replaced by the Skansen Lejonet fort. The ruins, though, offer plenty of insight into life from the 14th through 17th centuries. While the testicle dagger—the two rounded spheres on the hilt may have helped the user get a good grip when delivering a death blow through armor—was likely a Tudor-era flex for a warrior, the site featured plenty of other examples of life behind the fortifications. 'We did not think there would be as much left as there was,' said Anders Altner, archaeologist at the State Historical Museum. 'They combined different construction components when building the fortification, in some parts they were built of stone and brick, other parts seem to be built of earthworks and timber. The basement room was particularly exciting, with a well-preserved staircase, floor, and parts of walls and the roof still intact.' Originally a border fortress when King Birger Magnusson ruled, the site was in use, thanks to the two forts, until the 19thcentury, and demolished stone walls include ramparts and tower rooms from the early construction. The site consists of remains of houses, walls, and earthworks extending into the 17th century. The team found a sundial, beer taps and stoppers, a drinking cup, a spoon, and even a sand spreader to help ink dry on written pages. Crossbow arrows were dated to the 15th century, and cannonballs to the 17th century. The testicle-shaped dagger was common in Northern Europe from the 1300s until the 1800s, according to the Daily Mail, used both in war and in everyday life when swords were restricted and knives were common forms of cutlery. Analyzing the remnants of material from the fortress help tell a broader story, experts said. Details on the ceramics showed that some pieces were imported and others manufactured in Sweden, while the wood used in a bridge was from the 1460s, and wood in some of the buildings dated to around 1570. That dagger, though... it must have had folks talking. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A Passerby Went for a Casual Stroll—and Stumbled Upon a 1,000-Year-Old Viking Artifact
A passerby discovered a rare Viking-era iron bracelet in a wetland on the Swedish island of Öland. The open-ended bracelet style is rare in large part because of the use of iron. Officials plan to undergo a deeper search of the area to see if the find was a one-off or if there is a hoard stashed nearby. In a new discovery announced by the County Administrative Board of Kalmar County in Sweden on a translated Facebook post, someone who officials are calling 'an attentive person' discovered what first appeared to be an unremarkable, rusted-out bracelet. Instead, the find turned out to be a rare example of an iron arm brace from the Viking era. Karl-Oskar Erlandsson (an archaeologist from Kalmar) said that from the over 1,000 Viking-era bracelets in the country's State Historical Museum, only three of the ancient objects are made of iron. This is in part because iron is a highly corrosive material, and experts believe that the oxygen-poor environment of the wetland helped preserve the bracelet better than others like it. That preservation also allowed for the fine craftsmanship of the piece to shine through after 1,000 years. 'The newly found armband is beautifully ornate with rows of points and has animal heads at the ends,' the statement read, regarding the C-shaped bracelet and the raised dots on the exterior. 'Similar findings have been made on Gotland, but this particular variant we have not yet found an exact equivalent to.' Öland was once a key trading post for Sweden, especially during the Viking age. The country's second-largest island sits off the southeast coast of the mainland, surrounded by the Baltic Sea. It was at one time known for the Borgholm Castle, and is also home to Solliden Palace—a royal family summer retreat. Officials have plans to search for more information about the origins of the bracelet, hoping they can find a marking from a workshop or blacksmith once they preserve the armband. Maybe there's even more rare treasure to find, although the fact that the bracelet was discovered in a wetland makes it less likely that it came from a lost settlement or gravesite, the statement read. Still, once the weather allows, officials plan to scour the area with metal detectors to see if they can discover more lost Viking-age treasure. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Bahrain News Gazette
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Bahrain News Gazette
Treasures of Bahrain: Art of Gold Crafting Through Ages Exhibition Concludes in Moscow
Moscow: After more than three months of highlighting Bahrain's rich gold craftsmanship, the Treasures of Bahrain: The Art of Gold Crafting Through the Ages exhibition has concluded at the State Historical Museum in Moscow. According to Bahrain News Agency, the exhibition was inaugurated in November last year in the presence of Bahraini and Russian officials as part of Bahrain's Cultural Days in Moscow. This initiative was held under the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and the Russian Ministry of Culture during the historic visit of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, to the Russian Federation. Through a curated selection of artefacts, the exhibition offered insight into the history of gold craftsmanship in Bahrain, tracing its evolution from the Tylos period over 2000 years ago, through the Islamic era, and into the modern age. It provided an opportunity to explore the artistry of Bahraini goldsmiths. The exhibition also featured items from the Al Mannai Jewellery collection, as well as tools and documents showcasing Bahrain's efforts to preserve this craft and its role in the local economy. As part of the Memorandum of Understanding, Bahrain is also hosting the Russian Seasons, an initiative that coincides with the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Russian Federation. The programme has already presented a series of cultural highlights, including a concert by the Mariinsky Orchestra at the Bahrain National Theatre and a dance performance by the State Academic Honored Dance Ensemble of Dagestan, Lezginka. The Russian Seasons will continue throughout 2025 with two major cultural performances. The ballet The Nutcracker will grace the stage of the Bahrain National Theatre, while the Ossipov National Academic Folk Instruments Orchestra of Russia will perform at the Cultural Hall, accompanied by a Bahraini folk band.
