A preliminary report on the study of materials and techniques applied within the Åker assemblage of the Merovingian period

Between 1869 and 2017, the Åker assemblage was uncovered as a stray and excavated find on the Åker farm located in southeastern Norway. The finds are currently located in the University Museum of Cultural History in Oslo and include belt buckles, strap mounts and fragments of weaponry (including shield mounts and a pommel). The assemblage has been dated to the second half of the 6th century or ca 600 AD. Ingunn M. Røstad has published a comprehensive presentation comprising both recent and early research on the Åker assemblage, highlighting the full spectrum of items, their decorative elements, and intended use. The current article presents a technical analysis of a selection of fourteen objects, which includes weaponry, belt buckles, and strap mounts. The aim of this paper is to explore the distinctiveness of the assemblage through analyses of the materials and techniques employed.