In 2012 a small figure was found in Harby, Funen, Denmark dating from 800 AD.
Look at the hair!What an incredible model the sculptor had.Could this be a real depiction of a Viking age woman's hair style?
I was excited about the possibility that this was true.I started to search through my other viking valkyrie pendants and sure enough there was that same hair style.
On this piece again look at the hair.Not quite as long and spectacular, it is the same style. Based on a piece from Uppland, Sweden
And on this small piece the hair is even shorter. Based on a piece from Sweden
On one of the plaques we offer you can definitely see the same hair.
On this plaque you see the long hair, but the back is covered with a cap
This style is not the only style shown.This Valkyrie from Oland, Sweden, shows the hair drawn back to a bun in the back of the head.
Long hair must have been a preference in Viking times for women, with the knot a very common style. In Roman times slaves were bought for their long hair for Roman women to use as wigs. Is it possible the same practice was done in Viking times.
In Viking art you only see a few depictions of realistic human forms.This plaque is precious because it shows a human female form clearly wearing a dress with zigzag trim at the bottom of the of the dress and wearing a woven cloak.Her hair is drawn back into a knot, flowing to her waist!This plaque is one of the best depictions of a woman's dress and hair.These plaques are the portraits of their day and are some of the best depictions of human form in the middle ages until centuries later when monumental brasses are put into church floors honoring the dead.
From time to time we will be pulling items out of our VAULT! In our 35 years we have put items in our vault. It is now time to pull this bird out for a time! Order now again, for the first time, in a long time.
Inspired by the decoration in the Book of Kells, this piece is in red enamel looking backward to the left. Birds were a huge theme in Celtic, Frankish and Saxon art! There are many examples of bird pendant and brooches from period examples.
On this decorative plaque, used on belts, helms, horns, pouches, etc., you can clearly see an arm band being worn on the warriors right arm and wrist.
Check out the details of the arm and wrist on the plaque.
Such arm rings are the gift of King Rothgar, in the poem Beowulf,
"I remember a time when we drank mead,
Making a promise there in mead-hall,
To our lord, to the Ring-Giver, that we
Would repay his gift of war-gear,
If ever the need came upon him."
In history at the Battle of Brunanburgh, 937
"In this year King Aethelstan, Lord of warriors,
Ring-Giver to men, and his brother also
Prince Edmund, won eternal glory
in battle with sword edges
around Brunanburh.They split the shield-wall,
they hewed battle shields with the remnants of hammers"
In 1040 AD, Earl Godwin is recorded to have gifted Harthacunt with a longship and 80 hand-picked warriors, each of whom had two arm-rings on each arm, each 'bracelet' containing 16 oz. of gold
In Norse mythology the Eddas tell of Odin possessing a golden arm-ring called Draupnir, forged by the dwarf Brook.Every ninth night, eight new rings dropped from it!
Check out this picture of the Cuerdale Hoard
Many arm rings and partial rings shown here. You will find silver and gold arm rings in hoards, but not very often in the archeological record. There you find bronze examples and maybe silvered or gilt ones. They were too valuable to bury with most people!
We are proud to be able to offer several arm rings in our collection! As stated in in Beowulf...
This most favored masculine adornment
"…warrior brave with gold, … exulting in his jewelry"
We've had an amazing time expanding our SCA touring circuit and meeting all of you! We truly appreciate the love we feel, and we are always excited to see you wearing your Quiet Press jewelery.
This is our new website....we hope you'll enjoy shopping with it! Keep checking back for new products!
It has been a challenging year for us. My wife fell in January, and cracked her arm above the elbow. She was in a locking brace until May. In February...
