The choice of material (or artistic medium) is an important part of the creation of an artifact. At the same time, it is also an indicator of artistic traditions and cultural influences. This article offers an overview of the use of some of the most widely used and, in cultural terms, most significant materials (metal, bone, ivory, wood, and soapstone) as artistic media in Norse Greenland, with special attention to availability (and its limitations), the choice of alternative media, and the influence of the Church on the use of artistic media. The survey reveals, on the one hand, some level of resourcefulness of the Norsemen in Greenland to adapt to local circumstances, and on the other, their strong adherence to European Christian culture.
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1 October 2009
The use of Artistic Media in Norse Greenland
Lilla Kopár
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Journal of the North Atlantic
Vol. 2 • No. sp2
2009-2010
Vol. 2 • No. sp2
2009-2010