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LOT 1203
Viking Age Gold Elf Shot Pendant
9TH-10TH CENTURY A.D. OR EARLIER
3/4 in. (0.93 grams, 18 mm).
Formed as a gold cap set with polished agate gem; suspension loop above.
ProvenanceAcquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.
This amulet was believed to offer protection against 'Elfshot'. The attack of elves was believed responsible for mysterious suffering in men and livestock. 'Elfshot' described sudden shooting pains localised to a particular area of the body, such as in rheumatism, arthritis or muscle stitches or cramps. Elves were thought to shoot darts or arrows where such pains had no obvious external cause. Belief in elfshot persisted into the 20th century in rural areas, and as proof country folk would sometimes find small arrowheads (the remains of Neolithic or Mesolithic flints, or naturally-occurring spear-shaped stones) that were believed to be the magical weapons that caused the afflictions. Belief in elfshot began in the Pagan Germanic period.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Viking Age Bronze Beast Pendant
10th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Composed of an discoid body with integral suspension loop; openwork design of a zoomorph enmeshed in tendrils, pellet detailing. 6.48 grams, 38 mm
From the collection of a North American gentleman, formed in the 1990s. -
Viking Age Silver Gripping Beasts Pendant
10th century A.D.Estimate: £1,800 - 2,400 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,000
Composed of an openwork discoid body with integral T-shaped tubular loop; raised gusseted rim enclosing a pair of S-shaped beasts with billetted bodies and comma-shaped tails, enmeshed gripping paws clutching the rim and their own bodies. 12.4 grams, 43 mm
Acquired on the European art market in the 1990s. Ex property of a German gentleman.
Despite the long period of overlap of Borre and Jellinge art styles, there are only few examples of their fusion. The principal and most popular motif of the Borre style displays an animal with gripping paws, usually enmeshed in a circular frame, while a typical Jellinge style beast is more slender with long, S-shaped body and ribbon decoration. The most famous example of a pendant featuring a fusion of these styles was found in a hoard from Vårby (Sweden), formed as a circle with a pair of Jellinge-style beasts with ribbon-shaped bodies in profile and heads with open jaws and extended tongues; however, each is provided with gripping paws and an enmeshed body, which are typical features of the Borre style. A few examples of these pendants were also found near the important trading settlement of Gnezdovo, near Smolensk, Russia. -
Viking Age Silver Boat-Shaped Pendant
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Composed of a shallow crescentic body and openwork filigree loop. 1.47 grams, 24 mm
From the collection of a North American gentleman, formed in the 1990s.
