Viking Silver Granulated Pendant, Borre Style - 7.7 g

Northern Europe, Viking / Norse culture, ca. late 9th to mid 10th century CE. An incredible silver filigree pendant, made from sheet silver, 96% pure, in a woven, abstract zoomorphic form with a human-like face at the top, his flowing beard joining with the granulated decorations on the chest. Granulated silver forms the symmetrical swirls and loops inside of the body, as well as the face and top of the head. The top of the head is a long, hollow cylinder, forming a loop for suspension. The back of the pendant is undecorated, hammered into a slightly concave form. Size: 1.5" W x 1.7" H (3.8 cm x 4.3 cm); silver is 96% pure; total weight: 7.7 grams

The style closely resembles that of the famous silver Thor's Hammer found at Skane, Sweden, and is in the Borre Style, which often features human-like masks on animal bodies. This style was widespread, with examples found from Iceland to Russia. The vast reach of the style is a testament to the shared culture of the geographically disparate Viking world, which included a complex mythology populated by gods and goddesses.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private Kaliningrad (Koenigsberg) and then Latvia collection; found on the Baltic Sea coast prior to 1982

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#153455
Condition Report: Slight bending to form, mostly on the back. Patina has been cleaned. Overall in excellent condition.