Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (686 page)

A technique for constructing timber buildings in which longitudinally split logs were either set in the ground, curved side out, or fixed to a horizontal wooden sill beam to form a wall. The top of the upright staves would have been tied to the sill and to a wall plate by mortice and tenon joints; in some cases the staves were slotted together with tongue and groove joints. Corner posts may have been given extra strength by using whole unsplit logs. In many cases the interior wall surfaces were plastered to conceal the timberwork. The technique of construction was common in Scandinavia, especially for church building, from at least the 9th century, and was probably widely used in northern Europe during the late 1st millennium
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A kind of greyish or greenish stone with a soapy feel and look about it, from the Greek word for tallow. Such stone is generally soft and can easily be worked to make figurines, vessels, seals, and other objects. Sometimes used in Minoan art for ornamental vases, and covered with gold foil.

 
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An alloy of iron and carbon first made during the Iron Age by the carburization of wrought iron. For this, strips of iron were gently heated to around 800°C together with charcoal. Carbon diffuses into the surface of the metal to make steel, but its penetration is limited, so only thin strips can be made in this way. To make a large tool or weapon it is possible to forge strips of steel together; from the later 1st millennium
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, however, this could be achieved by
PATTERN-WELDING
.

 
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A device for weighing things, consisting of a balance arm with a scale pan for the goods to be weighed suspended from one end and a weight that could be moved along the arm at the other.

 
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stela
(pl.
stelae
)
[Ar].

A freestanding inscribed, carved, or decorated stone slab set upright in the ground, usually commemorating a person or event. Often connected with ceremonial sites or burial places; a stone slab set up in a public place, with an inscription recording a victory, treaty, or a decree; also a grave-stone. Many beautiful funeral stelae, sculptured in relief, are to be seen in the National Museum, Athens.

 
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English king of the House of Normandy. Born not later than ad 1100, third son of Adela, daughter of William I, and Stephen. Crowned king in 1135. Between February and November 1141 he was held captive by adherents of Matilda, daughter of Henry I, who contested the crown until 1153. Died aged over 53, having reigned 18 years.

 
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