84 (114)

162 The Viking Age in Denmark

Figurc 53 Percentagcs of minted silver in hoards from castcrn Denmark for the period 900 to 1100 A.D. (Redrawn from Hśrdh)

degrec of social stratification and, probably, also an old-fashioned cconomic system. This type of hoard makes up two-thirds of the finds from Sjaelland, but only one-third of the Jylland hoards; in Skane, which was also a relatively stratified society, the hoards of whole artefacts constitute an even smaller percentage, probably because of the relatively late datę of the finds.⁴⁹ The temporal aspects of the geographical spread of the silver hoards are further developed in the foliowing section.

E. Siher hoards andpolitical euents

We have previously discussed the Viking Age silver hoards as possible indicators of conflict; and we know of the west Danish expansion towards the east in the late tenth century and of a number of Southern aggressions against Jylland. The question remains as to whether the spread of finds corresponds to these events, and if so in what way.

Coin-dated hoards of the first half of the tenth century are few but become morę numerous in the turbulent period up to 1010, especially in the case of inland finds (Fig. 54; cf. Appendix XI). The hoards before 960/970 have the following spread: five or six are from south Jylland, three from north-cast Jylland and one from the island of Langeland, while the Sjaelland island group musters three. Bornholm and Southern Skane have only two hoards, while as many as twelve are known from north-west Skane and Halland; finally, there are four from north-cast Skane and Blekinge. The hoards of the period 970 to 1010 are scarce in south and east Jylland (two finds), while north Jylland and Fyn (and surrounding islands) have respectively scvcn and six. Sjaelland has four, but Southern and western Skane has twelve and Bomholm even has eight. Halland has no finds, and Blekinge just two.

Sjaelland and the surrounding islands were affected by some unrest both early and late in the period. To the east, north-west Skane and Halland underwent disturbance only early on, while the rest of Skane and Bomholm cxperienced disturbances in the later part of the period. South Jylland had problems in the early part of the period, north Jylland and Fyn in the later. If we look at the inland finds alone, which reflect morę penetrating disturbances, we notę early unrest probably in Halland and perhaps in other areas too. However, it is elear that the late troubles are largely concentrated in north Jylland, on Fyn, and in south and west Skane, the most fertile and densely populatcd part of the province.

If King Harald’s runestone at Jelling, which mentions his hołd over ‘Denmark alf (and ‘Norway’),⁵⁰ is erected in the early 960s, it is of special interest to study the distribution of the hoards from the period 940 to 960 (only one find from the 960s is knowri). These finds are spread relatively evenly throughout the country, though some dominance is seen for the areas to the east of the Storę Baelt. Nothing in the picture speaks against the claims of King Harald on the stonc; we seem to have a generał period of unrest preceding the ‘unification’ of the country.

Still, the Jelling State proper was a west Danish phenomenon, being bordered, for instance, by the ring of fortresses and cavalry graves. The later disturbances probably reflect attempts to establish a true hegemony over the country (Fig. 55; cf. Appendix XI). The problems start in northern Jylland in the 970s, but are felt most in the 980s, and partly also in the 990s in the mid-southern part of Denmark. In the 990s, but especially in about 1000, the disturbances concentrate on Skane and Bornholm. This movement corresponds to the eastward spread of the Jelling State system, exemplified by the foundation of towns and by the royal settlement in Skane, and indicated by the ‘ After Jelling-type runestones which datę also from about 1000. It should be added that finds from the 101 Os are very rare; this means that the country was at rest during the days of the major campaigns in England, which were headed by King Sven and his son Knud (cf. Fig. 56).

A major battle, at ‘Svold’, probably off the west coast of Skane, in 1000 left King Sven in a strong position vis-a-vis the neighbouring countries.⁵¹ In the late 980s the same king led a rcbellion against Harald, his father,⁵² but it is difficult to include this, as well as the former, event in the picture. The same goes for the German attacks on the border, in 934 and 974, the Danish counter-attack in 983, and King Sven’s siege of Hedeby in about 1000.⁵³ Many of the highlights of the