Page 48 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

36 History and Science of Knots

SITES WITH KNOTS
Sigersdal Mose (North Zealand). Bender Jorgensen 1986, p. 105-106.
A piece of string, probably made of vegetal fibres (closer identification
not possible) and used as a noose. The string was wound around the
neck of a skeleton, probably that of a juvenile person, found together
with a second skeleton of a teenager in a bog near Veksoin northern
Zealand. Both skeletons were dated around 3500 B.C. (calibrated), i.e.
Early Neolithic. The rope was double twined , and remains of a knot
were still present, now resembling a Granny, but probably partly un-
done (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. The Sigersdal Mose knot
Source: Bender Jorgensen 1986, p. 105, fig. 29

Skjoldnaes (,Ero). Skaarup 1981, 1982.
A submerged site, part of the garbage dump of a late Mesolithic (Er-
tebolle) coastal site.*Among the many organic materials found was the
lower part of a leister, almost intact, with substantial pieces of lashing
still in place. The lashing was probably made of nettle, and was tightly
wound around the leister and fastened by a row of half-hitches (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Skjoldnaes knotting, about a leister
Source: Skaarup 1982, p. 166, fig. 1

*Ertebolle period-the last part of the Mesolithic in Denmark and N. Germany, from about
7200 until about 6000 B.P..