In burial sites, the archeologists have found the very astonishing nordic necklace and other kinds of jewelry. This jewelry tells us that how much the craftsmen were skilled in Viking age. The people very liked their jewelry and still, it is very famous in the present. Many people are reproducing this jewelry using modern techniques. Most of the jewelry made in those days using gold, silver, and bronze. You can also see the featured images of snakes and other animals in the Viking ornaments.
Viking People Use the Jewelry to Show Their Wealth and Status
In these days, the women are most likely to wear jewelry. The men wear too but they mostly wear chains and rings. Viking men and women both wore jewelry too such as brooches, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. They wore jewelry not only because they like to but also to show their status and wealth in society. The rich and poor both existed in society. In Vikings the poor people too wore jewelry. But most of their jewelry was made using bronze and old animal bones. The tools used for crafting the jewelry was also made by the Vikings. This explains the importance of craftsmen in the age of Viking. Being a good craftsman has always work to do and on high-demand.
How Ancient Was the Jewelry?
You will be thinking about their way of making jewelry. Actually, the Vikings used wax molds to craft their rings, bracelets, and necklaces. The wax mold can be used for one time only as they have to broke it when the metal is cold. This method of crafting is known as “lost wax”. At the start, the jewelry was very simple but as time passes, they started to make intricate and beautiful pieces. The often changed the style by picking up from other countries and then make their own style.
Another interesting thing about Viking is that they use their jewelry as a currency for trade. It was a very common practice at that time. Most of their neck rings and arm rings were made of silver. When they want to purchase something, they took a piece of it to make payment.
The Hoards Discovered are Full of Jewelry
The archeologists have found that the hoards of the Vikings contain, arm-rings, chopped up pieces of fragments known as “hacksilver” and coins. Recently a massive 1000 years old discovered in Oxford shire, the UK was full of ingots, jewelry, and coins. Moreover, another hoard discovered in 1989 by Reynold son using its metal detector. The hoard contains 21 silver arm rings and most of them are decorated with cross design. Maybe these were used as a currency or was ready to be melted again for making a new piece.
Both Men and Women wore Jewelry
Another interesting thing about the Vikings is that both men and women likely to wear jewelry. They try to decorate everything they made like clothing, ship, swords, houses. Moreover, they wear it to show their wealth and status. It is also seen that they likely to give jewelry to their friends as a gift. Though the women do not wear earrings or finger rings in the Viking age. Although they wear oval brooches and necklaces. The precious stones are mostly used in the jewelry but in Viking age, we found a lack of stones in the jewelry. Moreover, the hoards of the Vikings are usually containing objects made of silver. The gold was also used but it only founds in the Hon hoard. Men commonly wore Thor’s hammer as a pendant.
