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The four horses of an Iron Age apocalypse: war-horses from the third-century weapon sacrifice at Illerup Aadal (Denmark)

Dobat, A.S.; Price, T.D.; Kveiborg, J.; Ilkjær, J.; Rowley-Conwy, P.

The four horses of an Iron Age apocalypse: war-horses from the third-century weapon sacrifice at Illerup Aadal (Denmark) Thumbnail


Authors

A.S. Dobat

T.D. Price

J. Kveiborg

J. Ilkjær



Abstract

The Illerup Aadal weapon sacrifice mirrors the material world of a Germanic army from c. AD 210. Apart from the personal equipment and the weaponry of more than 400 warriors, it comprises four horses. The present paper gives the first conclusive analysis of the skeletal remains of these animals, involving osteological investigation and strontium isotope analysis. The results shed new light on the character of the sacrificial ceremonies which unfolded in the aftermath of Iron Age battles; on the nature of cavalry and its significance in Iron Age warfare; and on the much debated question as to where the army of Illerup Aadal had originally come from.

Citation

Dobat, A., Price, T., Kveiborg, J., Ilkjær, J., & Rowley-Conwy, P. (2014). The four horses of an Iron Age apocalypse: war-horses from the third-century weapon sacrifice at Illerup Aadal (Denmark). Antiquity, 88(339), 191-204. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00050304

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date May 8, 2013
Online Publication Date Jan 2, 2015
Publication Date Jan 1, 2014
Deposit Date Jul 19, 2016
Publicly Available Date Jul 21, 2016
Journal Antiquity
Print ISSN 0003-598X
Electronic ISSN 1745-1744
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 88
Issue 339
Pages 191-204
DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00050304

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