Haakon Schetelig. [X 



e) Among the objects in this find, Mr. Lorange also mentions a 

 hiife which, at least at present, can not be identified in the 

 museum. 



The character of these antiquities makes it certain that the 

 grave in question dates from the special part of the Scandinavian 

 iron-age, by prof. Montelitjs named the late Roman period. The 

 cremation and the outfit of the grave, chieny consisting af arms, are 

 common and well known features in Norwegian graves dating from 

 that time. They are characteristic of a distinct group of interments, 

 locally confined, though with not a few exceptions, to the environs 

 of the lake of Randsfjord and the valley of Yalders. They have 

 long ago been described by dr. Undset 1 ). 



Respeeting the grave in question, the sword will enable us to 

 fix its date with gr eat er precision than usual in such cases, a stamp 

 with the same design and apparently of the same dimensions as on 

 our sword having been used to mark several blades found in the 

 Moss of Nydam in Slesvig 2 ). It may also be noted that in both 

 cases the mark has been put on the spit, not on the blade. • I 

 think it of no importance, that all the swords from Nydam marked 

 with this stamp are of a different form, belonging to a special type 

 with very long spits 3 ), as swords of different forms have evidently 

 been used contemporarily. Now the deposit in Nydam is by prof. 

 Montelius fixed to the latter half of the 4th cent. A. D. 4 ). The 

 swords with the same mark probably are contemporary — if not 

 originating from the same workshop — though perhaps the Nor- 

 wegian one may have been used for some time longer before it 

 happened to be buried so far to the North. In all cases I should 

 think it impossible to ref er the grave to a later date than about 

 400 A. D. 



The other antiquities will not be found to contradict this sup- 

 position; as far as we can ascertain anything about their chrono- 

 logical position, we will have to place them within the same period. 



Swords stamp ed with Roman marks are not commonly found 



2 ) Dr. Ingvald Undset: Fra Norges ældre jernalder, Aarb. 1880, p. 167 

 and by myself Ab. 1900, p. 58. 



2 ) Prof. Engelhart: Nydam Mosefund, Kbhvn. 1865, pl. VI, fig. 2. 



3 ) Engelhart, 1. c. p. 23. 



4 ) Svenska fomminnesforeningens tidskrift IX, p. 274. 



