8th C. Viking / Norse Braided Gold Ring

Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Viking or Norse culture, ca. 8th to 10th century CE. A fabulous and wearable ring with twisted wires and a solid shank formed from 68% to 71% gold (equivalent to 15K+). The top portion features four pairs of twisted wires that each spiral around one another before culminating at the solidified terminal caps that taper and fuse to form the shank. Many Vikings did not have a standard minted currency available to them, and so instead kept their wealth in the form of jewelry made from precious metals. A common practice seems to have been to amass a hoard of these objects and then deposit them, often in water sources like rivers. Gold rings - like all gold objects - were rare and are only found in graves of the highest status. Size: 1.125" W x 1.1" H (2.9 cm x 2.8 cm); (interior): 0.8" Diameter (2 cm); quality of gold: 68% to 71% (equivalent to 15K+); total weight: 12.5 grams; US ring size 8.5

Provenance: ex-estate of Eldert Bontekoe, Pegasi Numismatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, acquired before 2000

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#158901
Condition Report: Wearable as shown. Very slight bending to overall form and minor abrasions, otherwise intact and excellent. Great patina throughout.