Thursday, January 5, 2012

Reasons Why Viking Jewellery is definitely a Speciality With Orkney Jewellers

By Adrian Jones


Expensive Jewellery Has Always Conveyed High Ranking

Historically, Viking jewellery was expensive jewellery, nevertheless, these days obtain fantastic pieces developed to offer that increased status look, at very affordable prices. Both men and most women cherished being dressed in fine jewellery throughout the Viking Age. Easily transportable wealth like Viking jewellery was key to portraying a good image, and maybe a simple procedure for keeping their personal riches at their side.

Keep in mind that, we recognise that occasionally people in those times more than a 1000 years back, buried their very own treasure to help keep it safe. It's always every precious metal detector and archaeologist's dream to identify a ton of coins or possibly a pile of hand made silver jewellery. There are numerous prominent hoards that are now displayed for the general public within the British Museum and furthermore local museums all around the country.

A current example of a hoard was found near to the aptly named community of Silverdale, Lancashire. Among the many treasures found were silver brooches, coins, arm-rings, and ingots. Consultants indicate that the 201 items, weighing greater than two pounds had been hidden in approximately 900 AD. The cosmetic importance of the jewellery is priceless and there were besides that coins bearing the inscription AIRDECONUT that may represent the Scandinavian identity Harthacnut. The particular date suggests this has been a Viking king who had been previously unknown.

The coins show us who the ruler was and if the men or women of that time period were definitely pagan or Christian. The expensive jewellery tells us about style and design and art associated with the rich and wealthy of that period. We can also discover who traded with by researching whether or not the jewellery was made here or anywhere else, for instance Turkey or perhaps the Mediterranean.

Those who worked metal such as smiths and jewellery manufacturers were thought of as having supernatural powers as they quite simply wrought their valuable art from the alchemy of fiery metals. Molten gold, silver and bronze ran like waterways of shiny fire into moulds while the Viking artisans mastered their craft. There are several folk legends concerning these enchanting beings, along with their connection to the Viking gods.

The most honored of all these metal workers was Wayland the Smith, who forged swords, weaponry and expensive jewelry for noblemen and gods. Wayland appears in Norse mythology and also in Anglo Saxon reports. One account speaks of how Wayland was seized by an evil king who forced him to produce excellent items of jewellery for him and his family. However the smith took vengeance by killing the king's boys, converting their skulls straight into drinking goblets and their eyes into jewels. Possibly not the precious gifts you might choose to receive, however delightfully wrought.

There's also an English tradition on the subject of Waylands Smithy, which is really a prehistoric earthwork in Wiltshire. Travelers across the historical Ridgeway close by, whose horse had misplaced a shoe could leave behind the animal as well as a small silver coin at the smithy over night. When they returned in the morning they would discover the money gone and the horse re-shod.

Viking jewellery was donned to portray prestige, riches and power. The more intricate the style of this expensive jewellery - the higher the supposed status of the wearer. The meaning would be sent loud and clear that this person had significant status.

Even in death Viking jewellery carried meaning and weight. It turned out traditional to bury grave goods together with the dead through the Norse period. The top members of society were laid to rest with necklaces around the throat, bangles or amulets on the arms and rings on the fingers. Brooches utilized to fasten cloaks in life were positioned about the breast or shoulder inside the grave.

Viking Jewellery is Definitely Not Expensive Jewellery Today

Viking inspired jewellery is often found amongst Orkney jeweller's ranges. They don't produce faithful copies of jewellery as created by professional Viking jewellery producers, they take the art belonging to the age as the basis for creating a large collection of extremely sought-after items. They are avidly collected by generations of Scottish jewelry aficionados. You can see many examples on our website here.

Among the Orkney jewellery collections using a Norse style would be the Finnish Beast. This incredible animal was hand carved on the hilt of an age-old sword found in Suontake, Finland. It recalls the golden period of the Norsemen's society along with their powerful and mystical mythology. Yet another gorgeous case in point could be the St Magnus design, created from the Viking style of the rose window inside the Saint Magnus's cathedral in Kirkwall, Orkney's major town.

Viking runic writing sometimes features in the collections of Ingibiorg as well as the Runic ring. This is the ancient form of the Norse alphabet. Viking jewellery comes in silver or gold, or for more expensive jewellery versions can be ordered in white gold. The ancient craft is alive and kicking throughout these isles of Orkney the place that the Vikings once were living and worked.




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