Northern Europe, Scandinavia, late Migration period / Germanic Ice Age, early Viking or Norse culture, ca. 7th to 8th century CE. A beautiful bracteate pendant created from 97.7% silver with a hammered circular body and a backward-folded suspension loop. The centerpiece is constructed with silver granules to illustrate a radiant sun above a triangular peak, 5 trios of equilateral triangles, and an interior stippled periphery enclosed within two beaded filigree borders. The integral suspension loop bears additional granules in the form of small diamond shapes within mirrored borders. Pendants like this one were made to be worn around the neck as a type of amulet or sewn onto clothing and were frequently made of melted down coinage traded north from the Mediterranean. A fabulous example covered in smooth patina. Size (pendant): 1.1" W x 1.4" H (2.8 cm x 3.6 cm); (necklace): 22.2" L (56.4 cm); quality of silver: 97.7%; total weight: 4.4 grams.
Filigree and granulation are among the oldest metalsmithing techniques. The techniques involved include twisting precious metal wires and soldering incredibly tiny beads comprised of the same precious metal onto the surface of the piece of jewelry. This very complicated technique requires painstaking attention to detail that relatively few jewelers have ever mastered. Ancient civilizations such as the Mesopotamians, Greeks, and Etruscans developed the methodology; filigreed and granulated jewelry continued to be popular in the Roman empire, and was also sought after by the Slavs, Anglo-Saxons, and Vikings, remaining popular throughout the Middle Ages. Interestingly, modern jewelers still utilize these ancient techniques.
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private Kaliningrad (Koenigsberg) and then Latvia collection; found on the Baltic Sea coast prior to 1982
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#156465
Condition
Strung in modern times and wearable as shown. Pendant is ancient, and necklace cord is modern. Professionally cleaned in modern times, with very slight bending to overall form, otherwise intact and excellent. Great patina throughout.