The morning call., 1891-08-09
BURIAL SHIPS.
Some That Have Been Discovered In Sweden
and in Norway.

Burial ships have so far been discovered
to the number of about a dozen in Sweden
and Norway. The bodies laid in them,
burned or unburned. were equipped with
pathetic care. Besides being elaborately
armed and adorned, they had placed at their
disposal means of employment and diver
sion, such as writing tablets. forging tools,
whettng stones, scissors, cooking utensils,
cheSsmen, draughtSmen and dice. In one
of nine boats containing rs many bodies,
disinterred in the churchyard of Wendell in
Uppland. weapons and implements were
associated with the remains Of three
horses, three dogs, COW, pig, ram, eve
and goose. Another sheltered the bones
of a goose, duck, a falcon, rock
owl, and crane. The inference seems iusti-
fed that all these birds were domesticated
Inside the ribs of the celebrated Goksta
ship some peacocks' feathers lay scattered
VIII fragments oil goid-embrOidered Silken
stuu; and the tumulus near Sandefiord,
from which it was unearthed in 1880, con-
| tanned the skeletons of at least twelve horses
and six dogs. But the treasures of the Sc
pulchral chamber amidships had long ago
fallen prey to some OF the numerous and
nameless thieves who
Ransacked the graves OF warriors old
Their fachions wrenched from corpses' hold.
The vessel itself, which Is of oak, clinker-
built, and seventy-five feet long, is pre-
served in the Archaeological Museum at
Christiania.
Life in the north, however fundamentally
h0mely, was attended in those days by ac-
cessories of considerable splendor Castro
| monte rennements were indeed unknown.
Boiled veal counted as the best of dam
ties" roast pork with wheaton bread might
also be provided for favored guests, in de-
| fault of which delicacies curds and butter
milk we're welcome; and the bill of fare
| during royal visit comprised, on alternate
days, fish and milk, meat ana ale. Yet the
tables spread with such simple repasts were
| often gay with embroidered cloths and radf-
ant with gllded vessels, dainty glass brak-
[ ers, and repousse silver and bronze drink
| ing Eorns. Ihey were surrounded, too,
| by gorgeously clad jewellers. Scarlet
cloaks lined with fur and secured with
| magnificent fibul8 Of bronze inlaid with
silver, or of silver gilt diversified with fill
gree-work, .garnetS. or walrus ivory, were
| flung over silken TUNES, or kirtleS made of
Il kind of velvet called 'pell." These were
belted in with girdles finely wrought of
precious metals; gold rings encircled legs,
arms and fingers; silk caps, adorned with
lace, covered the head; shoes were of
leather covered with beaten gold and
| stitched with silk; gold band like a da-
dem confined tawny and profuse locks flow
| ing down to the shoulders. We hear. be-
sides, of gloves made soft with down, of
} suits of many colored English CLOTH" rain
aud dust cloaks, and of fur-lined nantes
with golden neck straps. Sigurd the .Jarl
| figures in st. Olars Saga as clad in "a blue
| klrtle ana loose hose, high shoes laced
round his legs, gray cloak, and a gray,
broad-brlmmed hat and Il hood over his
face, staff in his hand with n gilt silver
mounting at the upper end, from which a
silver ring hung. Edinburgh Review.