1906] The cruciform broo.ches of Noi-way. \\7 



has given to the periods better express the archaeological character 

 of each period — at least respecting Norway - - than is the case 

 with the terms of the Danish system. Especially when one is 

 working in Norwegian archaeology and with the later parts of the 

 Iron-Age the Swedish system gives the impression of being founded 

 upon more detailed researches, due to the fact that the Danish 

 material from the 6th cent. and downwards is very scanty, while 

 the Norwegian, and Swedish collections are very rich in antiquities 

 from that time. From the Danish material only, the finds from 

 Bornholm being excepted, it seems to me quite impossible to get 

 a clear impression of the very remarkable development which took 

 place during the Migration-Period of Montelids (the Middle-Iron- 

 Ag.e of dr. Muller). 



When one is going to deal with the important questions about 

 the absolute chronology, the differences seem greater and more 

 difficult to settle. But even upon this point T am inclined to follow 

 the Swedish opinions, especially after the recent researches by dr. 

 Salin, 1 ) and it will perhaps be seen by a closer examination of 

 the antiquities, that even respecting the specification of absolute 

 dates the opinions are not so different as it appears from the 

 systematic indications stated above. As a matter of fact it shoulcl 

 be always remembered that the following dates are given approxim- 

 atively and that they never claim an exactness of the same sort as 

 the years of historie facts. They are, however, an excellent help 

 to obtaining a clear expression of the length of time comprised by 

 the different stages of the typological development. 



1. The early forms. 



I have mentioneel already that the prototype of the cruci- 

 form brooches (figs. 17 — 19 above) which is representcd among 

 the objects belonging to the deposit discovered in the moss of 

 Nydam, is by Prof. Montelius referred to the 4th cent, and as 

 the deposit in the moss is to be dated towards the end of the 

 century, the brooches in question most probably originate from about 

 350 A. D. It is evident that about the same time, such brooches 

 were introduced even into Norway, which is proved by their appear- 



a ) Tliierornamentik p. 354 ss. 



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