368 



OCCUPATIONS OF WOMEN. 



warriors ; l and that this custom was not altogether unknown 

 in some parts of Europe at a later period than that of the 

 Viking age is shown by the appearance of Joan of Arc. 



" Svafa, the daughter of Bjartmar jarl, gave birth to a girl ; 

 most people thought she ought to be exposed, and said she 

 would not have the character of a woman if she became like 

 the kinsmen of her father. 2 The jarl had her besprinkled 

 with water, and brought up and called her Hervor, and said 



Fig. 1344 Fig. 1345. 



Whorle of spindle of burnt clay, real size, found by the side of a clay urn 

 containing burnt bones in' an oblong mound Greby, Bohuslan. From a 

 neighbouring hill one can count about 160 tumuli, sixty of which are oblong 

 varying from 25 to 36 feet in length, and In to 20 feet in width several 

 have memorial stones upon them, the highest being 14 feet. Earlier iron age. 



Fig. 1346. Specimen of a .peculiar weaving shuttle formed in the shape of a short 

 double-edged blade the back being formed for putting on a handle. Speci- 

 mens found in several women's graves. About \ real size. Norway. 



the kin of Arngrim's son was not quite dead while she was 

 alive. When she grew up she was fair ; she practised more 

 shooting and the handling of sword and shield than sewing 

 and embroidering ; she was tall and strong, and as soon as 

 she was able she oftener did evil than good ; when she was 

 hindered from that she ran into the woods and slew men in 

 order to take their property. When the jarl knew this he 

 took her home, and there she stayed for a while " (Hervarar 

 Saga, ch. 6 ; also Herraud and Bosi's Saga, c. 2, and Atlakvida.) 



1 In the famous Bravalia and Dunheath 

 battles, and in other cases, Amazons are 

 mentioned ; they are called Shield-maidens 



(Skjald-mier, pi. Skjald-meyjar). 



2 Angantyr and his brothers were all 

 very fierce tempered. 



