1906] 



The cruciform brooches of Norway. 



6a 



will be found in the fourth series of the description, p. 71 ss. — -I have 

 got at least a personal impression that in this district the primitive 

 arrangement of the knobs and of the catch-plate of the pin are oftener 

 found in brooches of an advanced transformation than is the case 

 in Eastern Norway. I am consequently inclined to suppose that the 

 transformation of the shape of the brooches has in Western Norway 

 tåken place more rapidly than elsewhere. Certainly this is not the 

 most important diiference between the two districts, but I think 

 it a fact worthy of mention, as this greater disposition for varying 

 the form has probably been 

 the origin of the very far- 

 going transformation of the 

 later brooches in Western 

 Norway. 



In the middle stage of 

 the development the Western 

 brooches are found in cha- 

 racteristic and fine varieties, 

 well distinguished from 

 those belonging to other 

 districts. In flg. 80 r ) there 

 is given a good specimen 

 of this sort, well executed 

 and of good proportions, 

 in all worth being com- 

 pared with the best East- 

 ern brooches of a corre- 

 sponding development, as 

 seen in flg. 55. But from 

 a comparison it will soon 

 be found that nearly all the 



details are here treated in a different manner. The ornaments 

 are reduced to some slight lines following the edges of the facets 

 and along the middle of the bow — in the last place now nearly 

 totally effaced by use, - - while the mouldings and the facets are 

 evidently executed with the intention to produce alone the ornamental 

 effect of the brooch. For this purpose the knobs have got a more 



Fi>. li 



l /i- 



a ) Stedje, Sogndal pgd. Sogn. B. 4640. Ab. 1890, p. 111. — Respecting 

 the form of the animal-head seen here I refer to Salin: Thierornamentik, p. 185. 



