The Viking World: A History in ObjectsMain MenuGallery viewA galleryTag Cloudtag cloud pageThemesA path of thematic categoriesAuthor IndexExplore the collection by authorWorks CitedReferencesAdam Bigelow3afa9c7ecebf516bba6609664b1b12f79c54bf77Caitlin Donahue61b7e986e7c71d400e5c803912ed83c0cf65252fCaroline Harvey1783f21a5882b5b4d3d0b6c174d058052a5ff7eaEdward Hershewee701ef220480b51ca728fc9c719bc094cf813655Martin Hoffmana1fd203afd9a84ee8db567e188cf6ed1d269386eTyler Hruby23493f763b312110686cfafc62578fd0ab5f3833Brittany N. Johnsonc1c1763339f8fa953e3c907c6bb8a3bad0c28b2cCarlos Lua Pineda0a28cc23b0aa00b4f24a9e205aeb57fbdb07ff01Moira McConnell710633400590ea38533ea3412c01fc5056288180Clara McCurdy9aec76477d0b55f9c685c47330d6786ec98182e1Elise McIlhaneyef48481634ff342c8b43c9d56f678b2d3562fb69Cameron Meikle669a5682bfbfd603130a26e25628f24eb07e6295Alexander Christopher Newkirk019c2f5b38c043507251d1789e2fdf47e61c3b7fBenja Reilly816c23aa0d444213fb2d1ef33555a15617e08228Oliver Statenc625ae8c3926f5e1a4268bc91d6a6f4cdb1e7fb6Liam Sullivanaa3a1dccb90c7fe4646b61c4af594abbb0c5574aRead Wilder31bf4715220144a665996f2e6cae80a1a8611eadAliza Yazdanicd49f227d88c72331226ddf574bf56c37308cd10Austin Masonf6137011c68eb792c6e14634815583b15e707dea
Bronze Key with Decorated Handle
12017-05-28T14:41:38-07:00Brittany N. Johnsonc1c1763339f8fa953e3c907c6bb8a3bad0c28b2c164562key made of bronze, handle decorated with geometric patternplain2017-05-28T15:01:12-07:00Asp, Yliali. Decorated Bronze Key. Still Image, May 22, 2001. 107666. Swedish History Museum. http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/fid.asp?fid=107666&g=1.800-1100107666CC BYBronzeSwedish History MuseumUnknown Location, SwedenViking AgeBrittany N. Johnsonc1c1763339f8fa953e3c907c6bb8a3bad0c28b2c
This page is referenced by:
12017-05-28T14:53:36-07:00Bronze Key with Decorated Handle3object pageplain2017-09-07T21:45:38-07:00This key was found somewhere in Sweden, location unknown. It is forged from bronze and likely an accidental loss, which we can assume was a somewhat common occurrence based on the numerous viking age keys that are discovered by metal detectors all over the viking world.
The handle of this key is intentionally decorated in a very large and noticeable fashion. These keys would have been worn visibly, likely hung on a belt, by upper-class women who were married to the head of household. While men were away, these women were the mistress of the farm and handled financial and managerial decisions. These keys opened chests where valuable items were stored and were meant to display the wealth and power that their wearer had. They served a very functional but also representational role.
Keys are physical reminders of the power that women in Norse societies had in the absence of men. While their husbands were raiding, trading, or otherwise away from home, these women would have completely taken over their duties on the farm. They quite literally held the keys to the farm and all its riches, even when men had returned from business away from the home. The decoration that covers the handles is meant to be viewed and meant to remind viewers of the wearer’s class and rank. The decoration is as much a necessary social function as the key’s unique design is a physical one. The role of women was perhaps not equal in Norse societies in a modern sense, but high class women did carry power comparable to their male counterparts, though exercised in different ways. A high class woman had more agency and power than men, especially in domestic manners.
This find is significant because the key is the physical manifestation and reminder of a woman’s role in Norse society – just as it was designed to be centuries ago.