Northern Europe, Viking or Norse culture, ca. 10th to 11th century CE. A beautiful pendant comprised of cast electrum (56% gold, 43% silver, and 1% copper) depicting a female Valkyrie holding a horn. The woman stands with an erect posture and wears a dress flowing draped to her ankles and tied with a slender belt around her waist. Her minimalist visage is composed of circular eyes, a petite nose, thin lips, and contoured cheek lines, all in front of a tightly-bound coiffure. Valkyries are female demigods who, as handmaidens of Odin, chose which warriors were to die on the field of battle. The Valkyries' task was then to lead the souls of deceased warriors from the battlefield to Valhalla - the enormous feasting hall of Odin located in Asgard - and the horn held by this example symbolizes the tool used for heralding these souls into the afterlife. A stunning example of fine wearable Viking jewelry! Size: 0.75" W x 1" H (1.9 cm x 2.5 cm); quality of electrum: 56% gold, 43% silver, and 1% copper; total weight: 3.9 grams.
For a strikingly similar example, please see The Swedish History Museum, number 108864: http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/fid.asp?fid=108864&page=2&in=1
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection
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#139042
Condition
Surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age, light fading to some finer details, and fading to gold color in some areas, otherwise intact and excellent. Light earthen deposits within recessed areas.