Helgö in the shadow of the dust veil 536-37

Abstract

In this paper, the implications of the dust veil in 536-37 AD at the site Helgö in Lake Mälaren are investigated. One dramatic change at Helgö was the apparent abandonment around 530 of the Migration Period casting of bronze artefacts in Building group 3. A vast accumulation of casting moulds and crucibles was found here. The magnitude makes this context unique in northern Europe. Usually, the very fine-grained quarts sand used for the mould and crucibles was reused, and thus it would not accumulate. Anotherincident is that the open-air offering place, known to be in use already from the Later Roman Iron Age is abandoned. From this point, the cultic events are performed indoors in a large hall. Further, from this period onwards, the cemeteries on the site are commenced, indicating that the site now becomes permanently inhabited. Finally, although previously not known as a grave gift, bread is regularly found in graves.