Gör sporrarna mannen? Om sporrar, sköldar och svärd som identitetsskapare och statusmarkörer under medeltiden

Abstract

Spurs, shields and swords are commonly identified with chivalry and have remained so since the Middle Ages. They were often depicted with the armoured knight on his gravestone to indicate his dignity and status. Well-known examples can be seen in the cathedrals of Uppsala and Strängnäs, as well as in the parish church of Vallby in Scania. Weapons and items of armour were used in mediaeval art to indicate the high social level and rank of the person depicted and also used as attributes for kings and knightly saints. As individual objects, the swords and the spurs are good examples of both craftsmanship and economic value, but it is not until they can be associated with a particular user that they receive symbolic and historical value. As in the case of clothing, the symbolic value is created from the moment they are worn or when they are depicted to address the beholder.