1. Jeff Grimm
Anthropology 410
Fantasy Proposal
Swords and the Egalitarian Vikings
I propose to conduct an archaeological study of sword distribution within Viking graves located
on the island of Gotland, Sweden. My thesis is: based on Angelbeck and Greir's criteria for an
Anarchist society, the Vikings actively resisted power consolidation and qualify as an Anarchist society.
It has become evident that in our current Capitalist society, great economic, ecological and sociological
damage has been done to this planet and its inhabitants. As a matter of survival for our species,
alternatives to Capitalism need to be investigated. I feel that envoys into the study of Anarchist
societies and how they operate may yield information useful for finding an alternative to Capitalism.
The website World Centric reports that every day 375km2 of rainforest is cut down and that
75% of all fisheries in the world are exploited, over-exploited or recovering (Environmental
Destruction). John Bellamy and Brett Clark argue in The Paradox of Wealth, that Capitalism is by
nature an ecologically destructive force. The continued impoverishment of Russia as well as the entire
3rd
world speaks for the destructive forces of Capitalism (Foster). The Capitalist Experiment has failed,
it is time to look for greener pastures.
The only way to fight the self perpetuating propaganda of the Capitalist system is through
validating alternatives. One such alternative is Anarchism: A society based on a voluntary, cooperative,
egalitarian interaction. Anarchist societies are very flexible in that they can exist in many iterations.
Unlike Marxist approaches, that through a strict sequence of stages, makes the host culture conform,
anarchism integrates into the host culture (Angelbeck). Because of this flexibility, anarchist societies
can manifest in varied configurations such as the Coast Salish of North American or the Vikings of
post Roman Europe.
Anthropologically, an anarchist society as defined by Angelbeck and Greir in Anarchism and

2. the Archaeology of Anarchic Societies, exhibits the following characteristics:
• Individual and local autonomy and expression: This means that social control is distributed
broadly throughout the society.
• Voluntary association: This means that individuals and communities are free to associate with
whomever they please.
• Mutual aid: The core dynamic for groups of individuals organizing themselves.
• Network oriented organization: This refers to parallel pathways for communication and
organization with no hierarchy.
• Communal decision making: This means that decisions are made by people who actively
contribute to the decision process.
• Utilizes Justified Authority: This is authority based on reason not through artificial means such
as birthright.
• Actively works toward decentralization of power
I believe dark age Viking culture meets these requirements for an anarchist society.
My project will require the examination and excavation of Gotland viking graves dating to the
late European Dark Ages, 790 -1100 AD. I selected Gotland for my sample area because it provides me
with a isolated, easy to handle sample size. Gotland also has a wealth of burials that have been
excavated and well documented, making excavation time and costs more feasible. My analysis of the
graves will be centered around examining the distribution of personal weapons.
Societies that prohibit or tightly control weapon ownership tend to be hierarchical and exhibit
less of the characteristics found in anarchist societies. Personal weapons symbolize individual freedom
outside the Political Contract. The Political Contract theorizes that as personal freedoms diminish, the

3. State's power grows(Friend). Personal weapons functionally imbue the ability to defend against threats
without the support of the State. In societies that have a large distribution of personal weapons there is
a greater degree of anarchist characteristics. This is because traits such as autonomy, networking and
mutual aid become important to survival. Additionally, because personal weapons allow power
consolidation and unjust authority to be challenged more immediately, justified authority and active
decentralization is more readily pronounced.
The sword, a statues symbol within Viking culture, symbolized the ideal of the post Roman
weapon. Axes could be used for building ships and houses as well as filling the shoes of a
defensive/offensive tool, but a viking sword's only purpose was to kill. Honed in form and function, a
Viking sword was created to smash shields and helms, break bones, split chainmail, and defend the
wielder. Swords symbolized the statues of an individual as being a free man (and sometimes women)
and as a warrior. High occurrences of personal swords within Viking graves demonstrates a society
with a large population of free individuals operating outside of a strict hierarchy. Additionally large
quantities of personal weapons show a fluid society using anarchist traits.
My method will follow examining variables within the graves such as:
• Presence of more utilitarian weapons/tools such as daggers and axes.
• Occurrence of swords and other weapons designed strictly for battle.
• Gender distribution based on the predominant gender specific artifacts.
Generally speaking, initial data collection on graves already excavated should be rather easy and quick.
Only after this information has been assessed can further survey and excavation be truly weighed.
No archaeologist has undertaken an analysis of Viking culture and their weapons like this
before. With the completion of this study, one more chink in Capitalism's armor will be found.

4. Following the trend set by previous anarchist archeologists this study may additionally provide more
credence to the use of the anarchist theoretical paradigm.

5. Works Cited
Angelbeck, Bill, and Colin Grier. "Anarchism and the Archaeology of Anarchic Societies: Resistance to
Centralization in the Coast Salish Region of the Pacific Northwest Coast." Current
Anthropology 53.5 (2012): 547-87. Jstor. Jstor. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/667621>.
Edge, David, and John Miles Paddock. Arms & Armor of the Medieval Knight: An Illustrated History
of Weaponry in the Middle Ages. New York: Crescent, 1996. Print.
"Environmental Destruction." Biodegradable & Compostable Products: World Centric. N.p., n.d. Web.
26 Apr. 2013.
Foster, John B., and Brett Clark. Monthly Review Nov. 2009: n. pag. Monthly Review. Web. 26 Apr.
2013. <http://monthlyreview.org/2009/11/01/the-paradox-of-wealth-capitalism-and-ecological-
destruction>.
Friend, Celeste. "Social Contract Theory." The Internet E Cyclopedia of Philsophy. N.p., 15 Oct. 2004.
Web. 26 Apr. 2013.

6. Works Cited
Angelbeck, Bill, and Colin Grier. "Anarchism and the Archaeology of Anarchic Societies: Resistance to
Centralization in the Coast Salish Region of the Pacific Northwest Coast." Current
Anthropology 53.5 (2012): 547-87. Jstor. Jstor. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/667621>.
Edge, David, and John Miles Paddock. Arms & Armor of the Medieval Knight: An Illustrated History
of Weaponry in the Middle Ages. New York: Crescent, 1996. Print.
"Environmental Destruction." Biodegradable & Compostable Products: World Centric. N.p., n.d. Web.
26 Apr. 2013.
Foster, John B., and Brett Clark. Monthly Review Nov. 2009: n. pag. Monthly Review. Web. 26 Apr.
2013. <http://monthlyreview.org/2009/11/01/the-paradox-of-wealth-capitalism-and-ecological-
destruction>.
Friend, Celeste. "Social Contract Theory." The Internet E Cyclopedia of Philsophy. N.p., 15 Oct. 2004.
Web. 26 Apr. 2013.