FINE VIKING GOLD BRACELET
NORTHWESTERN EUROPE, 9TH - 11TH CENTURY A.D.
£9,375
African & Oceanic Art, Antiquities and Natural History
Auction: 5 May 2021 at 12:00 BST
Description
of exceptionally fine quality, formed from eight braided strands hammered into elegant solid finials with looped ornament
Dimensions
8.6cm diameter, 79.5g
Footnote
Provenance:
Private collection, United Kingdom, acquired 1980s
Note:
Executed with a complex braiding technique and finished with elegant coils, this beautiful bangle is a fine example of the exceptional skill of the Viking Age smith. Gold was far less common than silver across the Viking world, so the sheer weight of current piece is testament to the means and status of its original owner. Though this example was likely intended to be worn, gold ornamentation could also be used as a means of payment.