Lot 306B
Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Viking Age, ca. 9th to 11th century CE. A bold and symbolic artifact of Norse identity, this Viking silver arm cuff takes the form of a double-headed snake, its terminal heads intricately engraved with interlacing knotwork and almond-shaped eyes. Forged from a single band of silver and gently flaring at both ends, the bracelet strikes a balance between elegance and strength, designed to flex around the forearm while marking its wearer with status and mythic resonance. Each serpent head is carved in stylized profile, their openwork knot patterns echoing the winding coils of Viking art and the endless loops of the Midgard Serpent, Jormungandr. This creature, whose vast body encircled the known world, was both a protector and a threat - much like the symbolic power of the bracelet itself. The entwined designs may also reflect the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth so central to Norse cosmology. Size: 3.3" L x 2.8" W (8.4 cm x 7.1 cm); silver quality: 97.5%; weight: 43.5 grams
Silver was a prized material in the Viking world, both as currency and ornament, and arm cuffs like this one were often used in ritual gifting or as rewards for loyalty in war and trade. The craftsmanship suggests the piece may have belonged to a free warrior or chieftain, its iconography reinforcing the wearer's link to strength, cunning, and sacred animal totems. With its elegant curvature and serpentine design, this bracelet is more than adornment - it is a coiled relic of belief, status, and the mythic imagination of the North.
Provenance: ex-T.F. Holy Lands collection, formed since the 1960s; ex-private UK collection; ex-Vienna, Austria collection, before 2000
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#195340
- Condition: Some minor nicks and abrasions, as well as slight warping to shape, but otherwise, intact, excellent, and wearable with patina to surface. Nice remaining decoration.
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