Norse art can be seen in various media, but most found artifacts tend to be made out of metal, stone, and other more durable materials which survive centuries in the ground. Such artifacts show a progression of styles over time, and the Urnes style is roughly the last of the six named ones that span the Viking Age. Objects in this style have been found in Scandinavia as well as the British Isles, suggesting that even as late as the 11th century, when this particular brooch was made, the Norse who had settled in Ireland, England, and other locations continued to share cultural and artistic ties with their homelands.

This openwork brooch in the Urnes style was found near Kiaby, Sweden, and made of a copper alloy. It depicts an Urnes style animal with foliage interlace in a highly stylized manner. This manner is characteristic of the style, which often shows looping figures, both bipeds and quadrupeds, standing together. These figures are connected by foliate that interlace with all of the figures to create an overall balanced image.¹ The Urnes style developed differently in the British Isles, where it merged with the Insular style that was native to the area, characterized by linear patterns, and more animal imagery.²

As Norse artwork evolved, it did so across settlements, including in areas that were not in Scandinavia. As artists and craftsmen moved across countries, Norse styles merged with local styles to create objects that combined aspects of both. Such merged styles lasted longer in the British Isles than the original Urnes style lasted in Scandinavia. The Kiaby brooch was found towards the end of the Urnes period, while the style was just developing in the British Isles at the same time. With the establishment of the Danelaw, and other permanent Norse settlements in the British Isles, Scandinavians brought their artistic style, and more importantly, their culture, to regions outside of Scandinavia.

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