Description:

Northern Europe, Viking / Norse culture, ca. 800 to 1100 CE. A stunning set of Viking-era bracelets made of twisted silver wire, loosely braided, with the terminals pressed together to form flat ends. Each bracelet is comprised of a single thin silver wire, which is a popular form for accessories like these, however the expert craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail are certainly observable. Light areas of tarnishing, particularly near the terminals, reveal a beautiful palette of metallic colors in hues of amethyst, citrine, garnet, and sapphire. Wearable on smaller wrists, these are two wonderful adornments from Viking-era Europe! Size (largest): 3" W (7.6 cm); size of opening (largest): 0.75" W (1.9 cm); total weight: 69.2 gr.

These bracelets could have been worn by either a man or a woman, as Vikings of both sexes have been found buried with jewelry like this. Vikings hoarded precious metals, especially silver, to a great degree. In Viking Scotland alone, for example, we know of thirty-one Viking-age hoards containing silver - and those are just the ones we know about - while Viking Ireland has nearly double that! Silver jewelry formed a huge component of hoards, and functioned as a wearable form of currency. These examples are emblematic of the type.

Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection

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#130234

  • Condition: Wearable as shown but only on smaller wrists. Both bracelets have expected age-commensurate surface wear, slight bending to braids and overall form, and some tarnishing, otherwise intact and excellent.

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March 15, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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