1903] Notes from the Antiquarian Collection. 7 



in Scandinavian graves. From Denmark I have heard of none, as 

 the Danish rites of that age did not require the arms to be buried 

 with the man, and it may vet be an open question, whether the 

 numerous Roman swords from the mosses have chieily belonged to 

 the natives of the country or to invading German tribes 1 ). 



From Sweden I know two such swords, from Norway three, 

 beside the one in question 2 ). 



I take the opportunity to make some remarks upon two of the 

 Norwegian swords. One of them, found 1835 at By, parish of Hole 

 in Ringerike 3 ), has at the bottom of the blade a mark like a 

 wheel, a little different from fig. 1 here (See Eng-elhakt: Yimose- 

 fundet p. 18. The figure there is not quite satisfactory). This 

 sword is very noteworthy for having a quite freshly forged surface, 

 clearly indicating that it has not been sharpened or polished, since 

 it was last under the smitlrs hammer. The edges are about 2 mm. 

 thick. Certainly a sword in such a condition is not fit for use, and 

 prof. Engelhart in his said publication concludes that both the sword 

 and two spear-heads, showing the same peculiarity, have come into 

 the grave directly from the smith's shop and consequently are made 

 in Norway. Through repeated examinations of the objects themselves, 

 I have been convinced that they must have been repaired in modern 

 time, no doubt by the peasants on the place of finding, where they 

 were probably kept for some time before they were sent up to the 

 collection at the University in Kristiania. I therefore find no reason, 

 that this sword is of Norwegian workmanship ; it must, as others 

 of the same kind, originate from a place somewhere within the 

 limits of the Roman empire. 



A more renowned sword from Røllang, the parish of Nordre 

 Aurdal in Valders 4 ), is at the bottom of the blade marked with a 

 name in Roman characters, which prof. Rygh as early as 1876 

 deciphered . . . ivCIRONIO (i. e. Acironi opus). On a Danish sword, 

 found in Illemose on Fyn 5 ), we see two different marks, one on 



2 ) Compare dr. B. Salin: Ett jern alder sf ynd från Upland. Månadsblad 1896. 



2 ) The Swedish swords are : Stockholm mus. inv. nr. 7631, found on Gotland, 

 marked with a Eoman name, illegible from corrosion; and inv. nr. 6970:1, from 

 Ostergotland, marked MARCIM, figured by Monteuxjs : Les temps préhistoriques 

 en Suéde, p. 154, fig. 209. 



3 ) N. Nicolaysen: Norske Fornlevninger, p. 138. 



4 ) Ab. 1876, p. 68. Rygh fig. 208. text. 



5 ) Hans Kjær: To nye mosefund fra jernalderen. Aarb. 1901, p. 26, fig. 2. 



