ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the roles occupied by Early Bronze Age period I swords and spears in southern Scandinavia, especially their use in combat and warfare. Taking a closer look at the use-wear on tips, sword points appear to have been fractured more frequently than spear tips. The widely distributed Bagterp and Valsomagle type spears have been separated into finds from Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein on one side and Sweden on the other. The chapter assesses the usability of early weapons in combat by investigating their use-wear. It considers the contextual, chronological and spatial patterns for weapon forms. The chapter discusses the development of weapon technology during period I of the Nordic Early Bronze Age. The new attention paid to spearheads stimulates new questions and avenues for investigation. The investigation area includes Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein including Hamburg.
