Amulets

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Amulet Typology
More Necklaces pages

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Completion Rating
This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.
Viking Age Compendium articles on Necklaces:
VA Necklace Leg.JPG
Amulets
Viking Age Compendium articles on Necklaces:
VA Necklace Leg.JPG
Amulets

Amulets are classed as protective items and usually are in the shape of a specific object.
Pendants may or may not be protective items and are generally more stylistic or are items that have been repurposed.

Thor's Hammers

See main article: Thor's Hammers


Valkyrie and other Human Amulets

See main article: 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

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 & WILSON: 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

Arbman, Holger (1940) Birka 1 Die Graber: Tafeln. [The Graves: Plates] Birka, Kungliga Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien [ARBMAN 1940] ^ 1 2 *
Graham-Campbell, James (ed.) (1980) Viking Artefacts, A Select Catalogue. British Museum Publications [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1980] ^ 1 2 *
Jensen, Bo (2010) Viking Age Amulets in Scandinavia and Western Europe.. British Archaeological Reports: BAR S2169 [JENSEN 2010] ^ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 *
Portable Antiquities Scheme http://finds.org.uk [PAS] *
Roesdahl, Else, and Wilson, David M. (eds.) (1992) From Viking to Crusader, The Scandinavians and Europe 800-1200. Nordic Council of Ministers. [ROESDAHL & WILSON 1992] ^ 1 2 3 *
[RUNDKVIST 2003] ^ *
Council of Europe (2003) World of the Vikings. CD-ROM. Alive Learning Ltd. [WOV 2003] ^ 1 2 *