Viking Age Silver Decorated Penannular Brooch

Each composed of a decoratively twisted upper hoop, bulbous collars and a large central bulb with projecting cones and granules. 30 grams total, 55-57 mm



From the collection of a North American gentleman, formed in the 1990s.

This style of earring was typical among Slavic women in the 8th-12th centuries, an imitation of Eastern Roman models. Examples have been found in Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia, and with similar decoration in Belarus. Such rings were also worn as part of head-dresses, in which context they are known as ‘temple rings’ because they were worn by women near the temples. They were usually made of base metals, but some silver and gold examples also survive. Different tribes had their own designs, which were often threaded onto a cord, forming part of a head-dress, or woven directly into braids of hair.

Finno-Ugrian with curved blade, swept rear edge, square chin, socket with downwards flanged sides. 602 grams, 16.5 cm



Acquired 1971-1972. From the collection of the vendor's father. Property of a London, UK, collector.

This type of bearded axe seems to correspond to the category of Eastern Axes inside the Viking axe classification. Usually these bearded axeheads (skeggöks) had a longer edge, designed to split tree trunks into planks and beams. Some of the bearded axes were known as halfÞynna öx; the neck on such 'half thin axe' was thinly forged, to make it lighter. Bearded axes of this type appear also in the weaponry of people from the Baltic.

A silver pendant formed as a miniature bucket with applied filigree bands to the strap handle and body. 2.57 grams, 24 mm



Private collection formed in Europe in the 1980s. Westminster collection, central London, UK.

Pendants in the form of miniature buckets have been found in a number of pagan Anglo-Saxon and Viking contexts and are generally made of bronze or iron, with gold examples being rare; three gold examples were found with the hoard from Hoen, Norway. Bronze bucket amulets have been found at Driffield in Yorkshire, and Vimose bog in Denmark, among other places. In form they represent wooden buckets bound with bronze or iron bands which have been found in Anglo-Saxon and Viking graves and are believed to have held mead or ale and were used to replenish the cups from which warriors drank. As amulets they probably represent the ecstatic power of alcoholic drink and the role of women as the dispensers of these precious beverages.