Penannulars
Penannulars |
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There were two traditions of penannular brooches in the Viking Age. The first coming out of Ireland and adopted by areas inhabited by Norwegian Vikings. This style includes the large silver thistle brooches. The second is from the Baltic and differs in style [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1980:p.30]
94 graves in Birka, 61 are men, 22 are women, 11 unknown [ARWIDSSON 1984:p.19-20]. Larger ones are generally men, smaller ones more likely women. Small silver with turned up ends are generally from women’s graves.
Thalin has put forward the hypothesis that the large penanulars with animal heads, face masks and a faceted terminal (bj.855) are seem to have a connection to swords found in the graves. It suggests that the penanular might be part of the swords hanging arrangement. [ARWIDSSON 1984:p.21]
Irish Styles
Ball terminals – Thistle brooches (VM)
Large ornate silver pennanular brooches with thistle shaped terminals
Psudo-Pennanulars
Baltic Styles
[ARWIDSSON 1984:p.16-19]
Rolled terminals
Eastern influence [ARWIDSSON 1984: p.23]
Faceted terminals
Eastern
Capped terminals
Bj712a, 713, 752b, 949, 523, 974
Animal heads
Face masks
Closed - Annular brooch
715, 946, 775. 2 iron, 1 silver