Horse trapping with animal head endings – a detector find of Scandinavian origin in Westphalia?

Abstract

A metal detector find from the deserted village of Wietheim in eastern Westphalia resulted to be very similar to cheek pieces of a snaffle bit from the famous boat chamber grave in Haithabu. Like its counterparts from Haithabu dating to the early 9thcentury it is decorated with animal heads facing each other. The deserted village of Wietheim is located on the northern Hellweg road near the old Carolingian royal palace at Paderborn. If, therefore, we have another indication for the previously assumed continental production of those pieces, the animal head endings would appear to be related to other Scandinavian finds. Thus, the origin and meaning of this whole group can be re-discussed.