A relative chronology of gold bracteates was developed by the Danish archaeologist Morten Axboe. He analysed the images of all A, B and C bracteates (as of 2004) and defined specific detailed criteria of the designs that the large heads display. With the help of well-dated bracteates, especially those from coin-dated hoards, it was possible to trace the stylistic changes from the beginning to the end of bracteate production, and their development. Thus, it became possible to create a seriation of bracteate images, which – albeit with some uncertainty – correspond to a chronological sequence (Axboe 2004, 31 f.). This resulted in four superordinate groups of heads.
Here, the number of the overall seriation is given before the head group, separated by a colon. For example: IK 1 Ågedal is seriated as 54:H2 (= overall seriation no. 54, head group 2), IK 30 Bolbro as 268:H3 (= overall seriation no. 268, head group 3).
- Axboe, Morten: The chronology of the Scandinavian gold bracteates. In: The Pace of Change. Studies in Early-Medieval Chronology, Eds: J. Hines, K. Høilund Nielsen, F. Siegmund. Cardiff Studies in Archaeology. Oxford 1999, 126–147;
- Axboe, Morten: Die Goldbrakteaten der Völkerwanderungszeit – Herstellungsprobleme und Chronologie. Ergänzungsbände zum Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde 38. Berlin/New York 2004.