The Nordic Bronze Age (A unique Expression)

The Bronze age in Europe brought about the most radical change in a world that had been fairly stable under the rule of Hunting and Farmer cultures in Northern Europe. The Chalcolithic saw the arrival of Europe’s defining moments in that the dawn of the Indo Europeans was between the latest period of the Neolithic and Chalcolithic. The Yamnaya culture had expanded from the western Steppe in the form of the Corded Ware Culture with some metal working knowledge. It could be argued that the arrival of the CWC in the already natively established hunter/farmer groups (Hunters since 11000-17000 years ago) (Farmers Since 6000-8000 years ago) brought about the unique conditions of the Nordic Bronze age. In my previous article I discussed the genetic similarity between Scandinavia, Germany, Poland, Czechia, Britain/Ireland, Baltic Sea and the North Sea. These regions became associated with varying cultures of Bronze Age technology. Bell Beaker, Unetice, Hallstatt, Urnfield, and Tumulus culture being in affinity with CWC but leading to what we know as Celts and other Central Europeans. The unique elements of the Funnelbeaker culture of Scandinavia and Norther Europe who’s lineage is the result of indigenous Europeans who had descended from (WHG/SHG/EHG) and arrivals from the Caucasus and Balkans (EEF/LBK cultures) had influence on how CWC evolved after contact.

Again described in my DNA article we know that by the arrival of CWC the dominant Y DNA was I1 and I2. The MTDNA was originally U5 and U2, with Neolithic farmers we see MTDNA H (H is from the Caucasus) arrive and become widespread while the YDNA G2a2 did not persist. This indicates that the arriving farmer women married into pre existing native European groups in large part. Nothing however is absolute. We see the Unetice and Urnfield culture influence what becomes the Nordic Bronze Age and even Hallstatt influence in Denmark. We have discussed the relationship between The Bell Beaker Complex and Single Grave culture who likely installed the high levels of R1B in Scandinavia during the Chalcolithic. The contributions of these groups became what we know as Germanic people. We do not know when exactly each unique branch of Indo European split from PIE but we know that Celtic languages were being spoke by at least the Hallstatt period and Germanic likely by the Nordic Bronze Age. This unique condition in Scandinavia became among the most enigmatic Bronze Age Cultures in the world.

Exactly what elements of Germanic religion derive from the earlier cultures we do not know but we can guess perhaps Shamanic and Animistic elements. Linguistically in various opinions I have read and researched it has been suggested that some functions and elements of Germanic cannot be traced back to PIE. We do not know what languages EEF or Hunters spoke but it would be hard to think that no loan words from the Funnelbeaker culture were absorbed. That being said most of Germanic although distinct can be traced to PIE roots. Germanic mythology appears nearly all derived or comparable to other IE religions give or take the aforementioned shamanistic elements. We also do not know what if any influence Uralic Shamanism had on Germanic religion given their close proximity in the Baltic Coast, Finland and North Eastern Europe.

The material culture of the Nordic Bronze Age sets a standard that which all Germanic material culture would follow in that the detail only increased over centuries. The Axes, Razors, Helmets, Shields and swords show a flare for design setting it apart from  other Bronze Age expressions in their proximity. 

Denmark:

Public Domain (Wikipedia)  Ritual Lur from Bronze Age Denmark. These are arguably in the same family as the Irish Dord.

Sword from Zealand Denmark. Its uniqueness is unrivaled Northern Europe. Open license to repost (Wikipedia) Credit Simon Burchell. 

Ritualistic Bronze Helmets and Axe from Veksø, Denmark. We see here a culture that forming apart from its neighbors into some truly artistic and enigmatic directions. We can see a comparable with other parts of Europe in many artifacts but these are unique to the Nordic BA.

The Trundholm Sun Chariot Denmark. Wikipedia Open license to repost. Danish National Museum. The linkages to the later Norse mythology is visible in this spectacular artifact. Sunne or Sol carried across the sky on a chariot led by horses. The origin of this symbol is in contrast to native Scandinavians who venerated the boat but we see in the Bronze Age the chariot of the Indo-European Corded Ware people begin to be see on rock carvings and objects like this.

Axes, Solar or wheel symbols, Phalic fertility symbolism and Chariots…The Indo Europeans have arrived. The emphasis on Axes extends into cultures of Yamna origin such as the spectacular Hallstatt axes but no weapon is more widely depicted than the axe in Nordic glyphs. The stone age Axes of the “Battle Axe Culture” retained symbolic meaning well into the age of metallurgy. We see a similar tradition amongst Bell Beaker People who were buried with both copper and stone axes. the Beaker Folk are believed genetically to have risen from the “Single Grave Culture” in Denmark who were a subset of the CWC/Battle Axe Culture. Pics 1/2/3 Wikipedia Public Domain. 

Stone Ships found on Gotland Island. (Wikipedia Public Domain)

Stone ship from Gotland Sweden. Another unique element of Nordic Bronze Age however the concept and use may date to the late Neolithic peoples. The tradition regardless persisted well through the Viking age in that boats were a noted tradition in Norse times either being burned or buried. These stone ships are found all over Scandinavia and Northern Germany. The tradition itself may predate Indo European migration and stem from the FunnelBeaker culture or older.

Photo credit Håkan Svensson. (Source Wikipedia). Gallery two (Wikipedia Public Domain) Germany, Sweden, Latvia. Some ships may date from the Iron Age but traditionally originated in Bronze Age or Earlier. *It is my speculation that these could be a late cultural remnant of the megalithic builders who entered and mingled with the Native Hunters in Scandinavia.

The mighty Axe. Symbol of power among more than just the Ancient Scandinavians. The axe was the default status weapon of the Northern Indo European peoples. Hallstatt and Scythians axes are among my favorite designs however the Nordic Axes are truly interesting  due to the variety. (Top Picture is Public Domain) Pic 2/3 National Museum of Denmark.

Grooming:

These unique bronze razors from Scandinavia give us a series of designs very distinct in Nordic art. These appear to share design elements with later Gotland picture stones. Do they also tell us of grooming habits?. Photos are of unknown origin. Credit to original artist.

Combs have traditionally been signs of status and good grooming. The Germanic people have produced beautifully detailed combs well through the Viking age.  Comb is from Gotland Sweden. (Public Domain Wikipedia)

Farewell: 

The Nordic Bronze age is marked by a change in burial practices. The Indo Europeans favored kurgans with rich grave offering. This tradition replaced preexisting burial practices in Scandinavia. A mound and oak coffin are customs of the Nordic Bronze Age but also across the whole of Indo European culture. The Bell Beaker culture brought the custom to Britain and Ireland.

An Oak coffin (Right) Danish National museum.

A Mound or Kurgan Dated to the Bronze Age in Sweden. Photo credit (Richard Johansson) or Kallerdis. (Source Wikipedia)

Burial practices differed in the NBA from the the earlier Neolithic tradition of tombs and communal burials. Grave offerings and elite single graves mark the period. This is to some extent consistent across Yamna dominated Europe.

Spirituality:

We can only compare and make educated guesses as to what the Nordic Bronze Age religion looked liked. We can obviously see a solar worship element. The Solar element can also be seen amongst Beaker folk and Central European cultures. But we are left to wonder what the Deities looked like. We do see figures in the stone carvings that could be Gods however we have no coherent view of what it all looked like. The Indo Europeans had a set mythology and we could postulate that these Gods were worshipped in Scandinavia likely with the Gods of the Native Scandinavians. The Sky Father, Thunder God and Mother Earth would be good guesses. Did the Axe Culture come from a lineage of worshiping an Axe/Hammer wielding God?. Did Nerðus begin her veneration amongst the Mesolithic Hunters who inherited an Earth Goddess from their Paleo European Ancestors? or was she an expression of an Indo European Earth Goddess. We have a statue from the NBA that shows two horned figures wielding axes though to represent sacred twins in Indo European mythology.

Also shown are other human figures from Bronze Mountings. Picture is from natmus.dk.

We see the themes of Indo Europeans culture fully take hold of all of Europe by the Bronze Age as well as the genetic lineage matching the CWC throughout Europe. Upon the arrival of the Bell Beaker People in Britain it is speculated that these people were responsible for the axe images carved into Stonehenge dated to the Copper/Bronze Age. It is roughly at this time we the greater split in IE groups into the culture and languages recognizable today. The Celts had long existed as the Nordic Bronze Age dawned as it was a later evolution than the rest of Europe due to the remote nature of Scandinavia. This is likely why native Hunter lineage also survived in a higher number  (Haplogroup) than in other parts of Europe. It is the these unique features that make the Nordic Bronze highly fascinating.

Regions included in the greater Nordic Bronze Age horizons might include Scandinavia/Jutland, Northern Germany, Northern Poland and The Baltic States to some extent. This is not absolute however, as finds denoting NBA origin are found further afield than its traditional realm. The Haplogroups associated with the Late Neolithic and Nordic Bronze Age are I (Native European) and R1A/R1B (Indo European/Yamna).

Language:

The information I have read and looked over appears to point to this era as the origin of Proto Germanic splitting from PIE. We have no writing by Germanic people until they were regularly using the Elder Futhark to inscribe. We do not know the age of the Elder Futhark or its origin for certain though a plethora of opinions exist. 

I hope you enjoyed this small glimpse into this era/speculated birth of Germanic Culture.

Interesting Links:

https://www.dandebat.dk/eng-dk-historie9.htm

http://natmus.dk

Hroðbeorht-

November 18, 2020 | Categories: Ancestry DNA, ancestry esearch, Ancient Germany, Ancient Northern Europe, Ancient Scandinavia, Anglo Saxon Frisian, Anglo Saxon Runes, Anglo-Norda, Axe Culture, ænglisc, denmark, DNA research, Eald Englisc, English Runes, European Culture, family history, Frisian, Futhorc/Futhark/Futhork, Middle English, MTDNA YDNA, Norð Sea, Norse Culture, North Sea Coast, North Sea Germanic Jutland, Old English, old norse, Proto Germanic Language, runes, West Germanic Language | Tags: baltic sea, bronze age, denmark, estonia, Germany, nordic bronze age, Northern Poland, norway, proto Germanic, scandinavia, Scandinavian, sweden | Leave a comment