On Norse padlocks – production and use Examples from the Birka Garrison

Abstract

Archaeological excavations undertaken between 1877 and 2002 at the “Garrison” at Björkö in Lake Mälaren have produced, among a wealth of other artefacts, 41 padlocks of a type common to the whole Norse cultural sphere. This paper centres on the construction of these padlocks and suggests a possible method for making them by one-piece soldering. It also presents a more symbolic view of this artefact type often looked upon as merely functional, as a marker of power.