Mirror fragments

Small pieces of what has been interpreted as mirror glass, all suffering from glass disease. Finds of mirrors from the Viking Age, as well as other prehistoric eras, are unusual. The few fragments that have been found and which generally come from mirrors are made of metal which has been polished to be reflective. They are of provincial Roman origin. If the thin shards of glass from this grave originate from a mirror, they would have to have been enclosed in some kind of frame. There are no frame fragments in the find, meaning that the frame must have been of a non-durable material, such as wood or bone/horn. Another possibility is that the glass shards were sewn, as reflective spangles, into the clothing, but this is pure speculation. Grave find, Birka, Bj 750, Adelsö Parish, Uppland.

Image rights: Jens Mohr, Historiska museet/SHM (CC BY 4.0)

Object number: 107804_HST

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