Amulets

From The Viking Age Compendium
Revision as of 11:14, 31 March 2013 by Admin (Talk | contribs) (Chairs [V])

Jump to: navigation, search


More Necklaces pages

Completion Rating
This article's completion rating is 1 out of 5. Article planned for future work. No real progress to date.
Completion Rating
This article's completion rating is 1 out of 5. Article planned for future work. No real progress to date.

Thor's Hammers

Thor's Hammers

Valkyrie and other Human Amulets

Valkyrie and other Human Amulets

Miniature Weapons

Miniature axes

Archaeology
Discussion

Miniature spears

Archaeology
Discussion

Miniature swords

Archaeology
Discussion

Other animal figurines

Archaeology
Discussion

Snake figurines [V/F]

Archaeology
(JENSEN 2010, p.37-39)

  • England, 1 find of jet
  • Ireland, 3 finds, 2 of wood, 1 of stone
  • Denmark, 4 finds, 1 of copper alloy, 2 of silver, 1 unknown, 1 from a woman’s grave
  • Norway, 4 finds, 1 of copper alloy, 1 of silver, 1 of gold, 1 of jet, 3 from women’s graves
  • Sweden, 3 finds of silver, 2 found in women’s graves

Discussion

Miniature shields [V/F]

Archaeology
(JENSEN 2010, p.49-51)

  • Denmark, 23 finds, 11 of copper alloy,11 of silver, 1 of unknown
  • Norway, 2 finds, 1 of copper alloy, 1 of silver, 1 from a woman’s grave
  • Scania (Sweden), 4 finds of silver
  • Sweden, 38 finds, 1 of copper alloy, 37 of silver, 18 from women’s grave
  • Gotland (Sweden), 6 finds, 3 of copper alloy, 3 of silver (ARWIDSSON 1989, p.9-18)
  • Russia, 7 finds
  • Arland (Finland), 1 find

Discussion
Arwidsson has described the finds from Birka: 16 were found all of silver. 15 from women’s graves and one from a child’s grave. Dated to the mid C10th to mid C11th. 8 were found between oval brooches and 5 as part of bead necklaces. They seem to be a Swedish / Danish item and are interpreted as symbolic miniature shields always with a clockwise whorl. Some even have signs that the makers have tried to incorporate a shield grip on the reverse. (ARWIDSSON 1989, p.9-18) (ARBMAN 1940, pl.97)

Bowls, sieves and spoons

Bowls [V/F]

Archaeology
(JENSEN 2010)

  • Denmark, 2 finds of silver, 1 from a woman’s grave
  • Norway, 8 finds of gold all from Hoen hoard
  • Sweden, 12 finds, 10 of silver, 2 of lead, 9 from women’s graves
  • Gotland, 2 finds of silver

Discussion

Sieves

Archaeology
(JENSEN 2010)

  • Norway, 4 finds, 3 of gold from the Hoen hoard, 1 of silver
  • Sweden, 1 find of silver
  • Gotland, 5 finds, 2 of copper alloy, 3 of silver

Discussion

Spoons

Archaeology
(JENSEN 2010)

  • Gotland, 2 finds, 1 of copper alloy, 1 of silver

Discussion

Chairs [V]

Archaeology
[JENSEN 2010: p.58-61]

  • Denmark, 4 finds of silver, 2 found in woman’s graves, C10th
    • Gravlev sogn. Silver, Hoard [JENSEN 2010:cat.115]
    • Bornholms amt. Silver, Hoards [JENSEN 2010:cat.181]
    • Års sogn. Silver, Hoard [JENSEN 2010:cat.206]
    • Nørre Onsild sogn. Silver, Woman's grave. [JENSEN 2010:cat.207]
  • Germany
    • Schleswig-Holstein. Silver, grave. [ROESDAHL and WILSON 1992:cat. 348]
  • Gotland, 6 finds, 2 of copper alloy, 2 of silver, 2 of amber, 1 from a male grave, c.1000AD
    • Fölhagen, Björke. Silver, Hoard. [JENSEN 2010:cat.465] [ROESDAHL and WILSON 1992:cat.143] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1980:cat.521] [WOV 2003:cat.753]
    • Fölhagen, Björke. Silver, Hoard. [JENSEN 2010:cat.1377] [ROESDAHL and WILSON 1992:cat.143]
    • Hellvi. Amber, grave. [JENSEN 2010:cat.499]
    • Grötlingbo. Amber, grave. [JENSEN 2010:cat.1629]
    • Hejnum. Copper Alloy, grave. Lost? [JENSEN 2010:cat.1410]
    • Sanda. Copper Alloy, stray. Part of an amulet set of a horse, sword, spear, chair & shield. [JENSEN 2010:cat.1846]
  • Sweden, 5 finds, 4 of silver, 3 from women’s graves, c.750-975AD
    • Edsberg. Silver, hoard [JENSEN 2010:cat.570]
    • Birka. Silver, grave Bj.968 [JENSEN 2010:cat.847] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1980:cat.520] [WOV 2003:cat.5288] [ARBMAN 1940:Taf.92.14]
    • Birka. Silver, grave Bj.844 [JENSEN 2010:cat.829]
    • Birka. Silver, grave Bj.632 [JENSEN 2010:cat.798]
    • Langlöt. Amber, grave [JENSEN 2010:cat.1331]

Discussion

Miniature wheels [V]

Silver or copper alloy
Archaeology
(JENSEN 2010, p.63)

  • Denmark, 4 finds of copper alloy, 750-1100AD
  • Skane, 1 find of silver, C10th
  • Norway, 2 finds, 1 of copper alloy, 1 of silver, C10th
  • Sweden, 3 finds, 1 of copper alloy, 2 of silver, 2 found in women’s graves, 750-975AD

Discussion
Dated by Jensen to 900-950AD. (JENSEN 2010, p.63)

Capsules and “scare-men”

Archaeology
Discussion

Staff-rings

Archaeology
Discussion

Miniature sickles and scythes

Archaeology
Discussion

Crosses

Archaeology
Discussion

Strike-a-lights

Archaeology
Discussion
(ROESDAHL and WILSON, From Viking to Crusader, The Scandinavians and Europe 800-1200 1992)

Legs

Archaeology
Discussion

Lunulae

Archaeology
Discussion

Anchors

Shaped as an anchor. All are made from lead.
Archaeology

  • 10 from Hedeby, unknown date but must be between 806-1066AD
  • 1 from York, after 860AD

Discussion
Jensen makes a case for this style of pendent being a Hedeby local tradition. (JENSEN 2010)

Reference

<nocite> ARBMAN1940 GRAHAM-CAMPBELL1980 JENSEN2010 PAS ROESDAHL1992 WOV2003 </nocite> <biblio force=false>#Template:Bib</biblio>