Northeastern Europe, Finland or Russia, Finno-Ugric people, Iron Age, ca. 7th to 10th centuries CE. A cast bronze pendant in the form of two horse heads, each curved away from the other, with a loop for suspension between them and six linked chains hanging below the heads. One side of the pendant is smooth, without detail, while the other is cast with eyes and a checked texture. Flashing metal items and dangling chains were a common style in this period across central Asia and into northern Europe, designed to make a jangling noise and catch the eye. This item was probably worn on a belt or attached to a saddle. There is clear Viking influence on the horse forms, but these are less abstract than Viking examples from nearby Sweden. Size: 2.5" W x 4" H (6.4 cm x 10.2 cm)

See two very similar examples from the Finnish National Board of Antiquities, inventory IDs AKDG2849:1 and AKD25347:1.

Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection

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#122674

Green patina over surface with very small patches of encrustation.