Northern Europe, Viking or Norse culture, ca. 8th to 11th century CE. A stunning necklace formed from a single strand of high-grade (98.5%) silver. The central body is flattened and then coiled around a mold to form the tight, evenly-sized loops. Dozens of small dots and triangles are stamped onto the outer surface of the body and imbue the accessory with an elegant presentation. The necklace terminals are thick and rounded, with an integral loop and clasp on the ends which enables the necklace for wear. Viking men and women would wear accessories like this example as a sign of religious belief and visual wealth. They were often used as currency or deposited in rivers as offerings to the gods, though they were also buried with their owners upon death. A gorgeous and wearable example of fine Viking silver! Size: 19.6" L (49.8 cm); quality of silver: 98.5%; total weight: 69.2 grams.
The important Viking metalworking shops correspond to their great trading ports and proto-urban centers - Birka, Helgo, Sigtuna, and Lund in Sweden, Ribe, Haithabu (Hedeby), and Fyrkat in Denmark, and Kaupang and Trondheim in Norway. Silver was the principal currency of the Viking world, which stretched from Russia to northern Canada at the height of their influence. In many places, the Vikings kept silver not as coins, but as jewelry, a wearable currency form that was not subject to the authority of a monarch or mint. One of the most common archaeological finds from the Viking period is a hoard of metal objects, often buried in the earth or deposited in bodies of water, like river beds.
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection
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#143924
Condition
Wearable as shown. Slight bending to overall form, with light softening to some stamped motifs, otherwise intact and choice. Nice patina throughout.