A Viking artifact and an appeal for Valhalla, 2024
Article by David Mullaly about a dark bronze figure of a Scandinavian-looking man with a sword, c... more Article by David Mullaly about a dark bronze figure of a Scandinavian-looking man with a sword, carrying in one hand what looks like a huge bracelet made from twisted metal.
The two most popular gods in the Norse pantheon were Odin and Thor, and it's reasonable to expect... more The two most popular gods in the Norse pantheon were Odin and Thor, and it's reasonable to expect that the Norse people would want to represent them in decorations on their jewelry and other items. Some artifacts decorated with images of human-like figures, the identities of some of which are unclear, provide a few clear markers for Odin. If the face has only one eye, and the other eye is unquestionably absent, then the object was presumably intended to provide an image of Odin, the Allfather. He was willing to give up one eye in exchange for wisdom. If the human-like image includes the figures of two birds, Odin again is indicated. He was provided with two ravens, Hugin and Munin, who traveled the world to get information about whatever interested Odin. As I suggested in another commentary, https://www.academia.edu/26753626/The_Odin_mount_revisited_the_converting_element this supernatural being may also have been represented wearing some sort of interlaced crown or head piece. Other artifacts featuring a realistic face of a Norse male with large round eyes have been identified as a representation of Odin, although one should take that attribution with at least a few grains of salt. Finding images intended to represent Thor is more complicated. Of course, Thor has his hammer, called Mjölnir, as a symbol. Many examples of hammer pendants have been found over the years-in gold, silver, bronze, bone, lead. In fact, some were probably made of wood, although long-term survival was always unlikely. However, exchanges with experienced metal detectorists, and by extension with UK Finds Liaison Officers, suggest that some artifacts found with more abstract faces were intended to represent Thor. These are in some cases clearly representative of the "hidden faces" inclinations of Norse craftsmen: https://www.academia.edu/11545419/The_hidden_face_motif_in_Viking_Age_artefacts
Vikings loved gold and silver because they could buy power, and because wearing items made from t... more Vikings loved gold and silver because they could buy power, and because wearing items made from those precious metals suggested high status for warriors or their women. However, archaeologists and collectors also understand that the Scandinavians and those influenced by them were delighted by visual stimulation. At its simplest, Vikings loved glitter or bling: light reflected off of irregular surfaces. That might help to explain why Viking decoration frequently involved a myriad of punches and elaborate etching. However, there was clearly an appetite as well for decorative items which encouraged the observer to see different objects or faces. This is sometimes called the “hidden faces” motif.
This article is a guest blog by David Mullaly handling about a rare type of bronze mount from the... more This article is a guest blog by David Mullaly handling about a rare type of bronze mount from the Viking Age.
Dear readers, as I seem to have failed duplicating the text from this article one on one within to a Word document, I ask you just to read the online version here: http://travellingnorth.nl/blog%20june%2027th%202016.html Blog The Odin mount revisited-the converting element.
A Viking artifact and an appeal for Valhalla, 2024
Article by David Mullaly about a dark bronze figure of a Scandinavian-looking man with a sword, c... more Article by David Mullaly about a dark bronze figure of a Scandinavian-looking man with a sword, carrying in one hand what looks like a huge bracelet made from twisted metal.
The two most popular gods in the Norse pantheon were Odin and Thor, and it's reasonable to expect... more The two most popular gods in the Norse pantheon were Odin and Thor, and it's reasonable to expect that the Norse people would want to represent them in decorations on their jewelry and other items. Some artifacts decorated with images of human-like figures, the identities of some of which are unclear, provide a few clear markers for Odin. If the face has only one eye, and the other eye is unquestionably absent, then the object was presumably intended to provide an image of Odin, the Allfather. He was willing to give up one eye in exchange for wisdom. If the human-like image includes the figures of two birds, Odin again is indicated. He was provided with two ravens, Hugin and Munin, who traveled the world to get information about whatever interested Odin. As I suggested in another commentary, https://www.academia.edu/26753626/The_Odin_mount_revisited_the_converting_element this supernatural being may also have been represented wearing some sort of interlaced crown or head piece. Other artifacts featuring a realistic face of a Norse male with large round eyes have been identified as a representation of Odin, although one should take that attribution with at least a few grains of salt. Finding images intended to represent Thor is more complicated. Of course, Thor has his hammer, called Mjölnir, as a symbol. Many examples of hammer pendants have been found over the years-in gold, silver, bronze, bone, lead. In fact, some were probably made of wood, although long-term survival was always unlikely. However, exchanges with experienced metal detectorists, and by extension with UK Finds Liaison Officers, suggest that some artifacts found with more abstract faces were intended to represent Thor. These are in some cases clearly representative of the "hidden faces" inclinations of Norse craftsmen: https://www.academia.edu/11545419/The_hidden_face_motif_in_Viking_Age_artefacts
Vikings loved gold and silver because they could buy power, and because wearing items made from t... more Vikings loved gold and silver because they could buy power, and because wearing items made from those precious metals suggested high status for warriors or their women. However, archaeologists and collectors also understand that the Scandinavians and those influenced by them were delighted by visual stimulation. At its simplest, Vikings loved glitter or bling: light reflected off of irregular surfaces. That might help to explain why Viking decoration frequently involved a myriad of punches and elaborate etching. However, there was clearly an appetite as well for decorative items which encouraged the observer to see different objects or faces. This is sometimes called the “hidden faces” motif.
This article is a guest blog by David Mullaly handling about a rare type of bronze mount from the... more This article is a guest blog by David Mullaly handling about a rare type of bronze mount from the Viking Age.
Dear readers, as I seem to have failed duplicating the text from this article one on one within to a Word document, I ask you just to read the online version here: http://travellingnorth.nl/blog%20june%2027th%202016.html Blog The Odin mount revisited-the converting element.
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Dear readers, as I seem to have failed duplicating the text from this article one on one within to a Word document, I ask you just to read the online version here: http://travellingnorth.nl/blog%20june%2027th%202016.html Blog The Odin mount revisited-the converting element.
Comments and remarks as always please mail to: vikingsandartefacts@yahoo.com
Dear readers, as I seem to have failed duplicating the text from this article one on one within to a Word document, I ask you just to read the online version here: http://travellingnorth.nl/blog%20june%2027th%202016.html Blog The Odin mount revisited-the converting element.
Comments and remarks as always please mail to: vikingsandartefacts@yahoo.com