Description
Heading: Viking bronze gilt mount
Material: Bronze (originally gilt)
Period: Viking/Early medieval
Date: 9th to 11th century
Origin: Northern Europe to Finno-Ugric regions
Condition: Fine+. with dark patina with remnants of gilding remaining. pierced for attachment or suspension
Description: A discoid bronze mount with openwork. stylised. winged beast in regardant pose with front paw raised; attachment rivets to reverse; pierced
Size and Weight: 35mm. 12.16g
Features and Provenance: From a North American collection
This superb Viking bronze mount of a stylised regardant beast. is considered to have originated from Northern Europe to the Finno-Ugric language region. As great travellers. the Vikings collected items of value and smaller trinkets for trade. It is known that decorative mounts were recycled as jewellery when the original purpose was over; being traded as an amulet or symbol of achievement. Viking wanderlust made them great traders; they are often maligned as nothing more than Scandinavian thugs. but nothing could be further from the truth. The range of their trade-goods was extensive. Norsemen never referred to themselves as Vikings as it was an old Norse word meaning ‘adventure and trade’. It did however. enter English lexicons in the 18th century. but even then it was only meant to refer to ‘a Scandinavian.’
Condition Summary. This varies with the age of the artefact and there are grades between
Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear. all parts of pattern etc present. visible and clear
Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief. all parts of pattern etc present. but may be worn
Fine (F). Wear on the artefact and parts of item and pattern etc may be missing or not visible
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