Dear forumites

My name is Ny Björn Gustafsson. I'm an archaeologist (Swedish btw) currently working with an academic paper on slave trade in the Viking Age. As some of you probably know there are at least two historically accorded references to slave chains being used by Scandinavians at that time. In the course of my work as a finds specialist I have found several potential slave chains from the rather well-known emporium Birka at the island Björkö, Sweden (or rather re-found - they were excavated long ago...). Birka fell into declined and was let down in around 1000 AD.

I include links to photos of two of the finds (click the photos to enlarge):

Neck iron, found in 1872: http://www.historiska.se/data/?bild=324769

Manacle, found in 1928: http://www.historiska.se/data/?bild=300430

Now I would like to ask you for help in finding references for a more modern use of fetters, manacles aso of this general type. From what I have been able to find via the Internet there are some pretty late examples from the Americas (18th & 19th C). If possible I need a published account (I'm not being lippy here, just minding intersubjective verifiability...) - a book illustration or something similar.

I greatly appreciate all help I can get - Swedish libraries don't generally hold literature on such narrow subjects you see.

Best regards

/Ny Björn Gustafsson
Stockholm

Fascinating pieces. That type of arrangement is generally called a "Puzzle Lock." The two bails are interlocked, as in your photos, and the chain is rove through the loop. They have been made from ancient times, as you demonstrate, up to the mid 19C, and probably later. The great advantage of a puzzle lock, is that you only need one expensive lock on the other end of the chain.

Incidentally, for members not familiar with wrought iron, the "woodgrain" appearance of the metal in the photos, is typical of rusted wrought iron.

Hr. Gustafsson:

Kindly feel free to contact me about your area of research. I don't know if I can help, but you are welcome to what I've found over the last twenty years or so.

It's rather a bit more than can be posted here quickly.

Yours,

Franklin

Jag såg din förfrågan om bojona, du kan emaila mig så skall jag se om jag kan lämna lite data till dig.

mvh

Johan Ahlberg

Min email kopmm visst inte med den är sos_ahlberg@hotmail.com

Huhh??

はあなた自身のビジネスジョージを採鉱し、!

Iway avehay onay ideaway atwhay ouyay uysgay areway alkingtay
aboutway.

Dont worry dear friends you too can learn swedish its really easy!


... --- ...

Dont oro raring vännerna du alltför kanna lära sig svensk dess verkligen lätt