An 8th-Century Mayen Ware Pitcher Found in Ribe (Syddanmark / DK)

Abstract

A completely intact pitcher was found during excavations in the pre-Christian cemetery of the early medieval emporium of Ribe in 2015. Through typological comparisons, the pitcher was identified as a Kleeblattkanne (trefoil-mouthed jug), probably manufactured in Mayen or its region in the 8^th century. Further analysis of the pitcher’s contents revealed that it had been used as an urn for the deposition of the cremated remains of a small child, probably less than two years old. The remains were accompanied by glass beads, as well as the fragments of a comb and comb case. Radiocarbon dating of the contents supports the typological dating provided by the artefacts and the pitcher to the 8^th century. Cremation deposits in urns are attested by other examples in Ribe’s pre-Christian cemetery, although cremated deposits in pits and inhumations in the form of simple earth graves are more common. These burial practices bear strong similarities to those documented along the Eastern and Northern Frisian coast. The pitcher itself is so far unique in Scandinavia. Mayen ware more generally is relatively rare in a North Sea context in comparison to later pottery products from the Cologne Bay, such as Badorf and Pingsdorf wares. However, it is distinctly present in early emporia and counts among the earliest examples of the pottery trade from this region. The trading connections between Ribe and the Cologne Bay are further attested by a range of imported goods, including Badorf ware pottery, glass vessels, and quern stones made of Niedermendig basalt. Together with the pitcher found in the cemetery, these finds attest to the trading links and cultural exchanges between Ribe, Frisia and the Middle Rhine area in the 8th century.