Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Viking or Norse culture, ca. 8th to 10th century CE. A stunning example of a 'status kit' worn by aristocratic wives of prominent Viking warriors. The lengthy chain is composed of braided wires comprised of 92.6% silver that are flexible and able to conform to the shape of the wearer's neck. The ends of the chain are secured with conical silver caps bearing stamped geometric motifs along the shoulder as well as petite lower loops fed with twisted wire suspension rings. Draped from the termini are two 79.2% silver concave brooches with attached T-shaped pins on the versos. The front faces exhibit protruding granules of silver radiating around central nubbins as well as braided wire lemniscates and double-ended spirals. High-status women wore jewelry items like this in Viking culture as a means of accentuating their beauty while also presenting the wealth and status of their house. Size (necklace w/ loops): 23.625" L (60 cm); (each pendant): 2.4" W x 3.8" H (6.1 cm x 9.7 cm); quality of silver: 79.2% for pendants, 92.6% for chain; total weight: 402.4 grams

An incredible piece of wearable artwork and displayed wealth, which in the volatile Viking period was often in the form of jewelry made from precious metals, this would have belonged to one of the highest members of society. Silver was the principal currency of the Viking world, which stretched from Russia to northern Canada at the height of their influence. In many places, the Vikings kept silver not as coins, but as jewelry, a wearable currency form that was not subject to the authority of a monarch or mint. One of the most common archaeological finds from the Viking period is a hoard of metal objects, often buried in the earth or deposited in bodies of water, like riverbeds. These are found in great quantities throughout the British Isles and the Nordic countries.

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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#160376

Both pendants suspended from their loops with modern safety pins, but these are only visible on the versos. Slight bending to overall form of chain and both brooches, with light encrustations, stickiness to fibula pin behind one brooch, and softening to some finer details on obverse surfaces of both brooches, otherwise intact and near-choice. Beautiful patina throughout and wonderful preservation to raised decorations on both brooches.