British Archaeological Reports International Ser. : External Relations and the Creation of Elite Ideology

Based on the author's thesis, this short study looks at social stratification, `elitization' and ideology in the Scandinavian Bronze Age. Engedal's study focuses on a particular artefact type, a curved bronze sword known as the scimitar that is thought to have originated in Anatolia. Engedal explores the diffusion of knowledge and ideas from Anatolia to Scandinavia, and discusses what the scimitar represents in terms of elite ideology and the possible relationships that existed between the two regions in the 17th century BC.