My colleague from the Marobud group, Tomáš Staněk, asked me if I could provide him with information about the so-called tray from Old Spandau, which he intended to replicate. I decided to write a shorter text about this piece, because it is not a very well-known find in reenactment.
The tray was found during excavations in the Slavic fortress of Old Spandau (Alt-Spandau), which is now part of Berlin. It dates back to the 10th century and is made of beech wood. Its dimensions are 47 × 34 cm. Interesting is the decorative carving on its edge, which is considered Scandinavian.
Position of Old Spandau on the map of Europe.
At present, the tray is stored in the Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte (Museum of Prehistory and Early History) in Berlin, inventory number MVF If 16215. I personally saw this tray for the first time at the Viking exhibition in Berlin. There is no doubt that it is one of the best-preserved pieces of period tableware, which, due to its decoration and cost, was used at banquets, similar to the plate from Szczecin, Poland.
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