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
12017-05-24T10:09:20-07:00Austin Masonf6137011c68eb792c6e14634815583b15e707deaMap ViewAustin Mason2An interactive map of all the objects in the collectiongoogle_maps2017-05-24T11:39:30-07:00Austin Masonf6137011c68eb792c6e14634815583b15e707dea
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12017-05-22T11:05:08-07:00Brooch12object pageplain2017-09-21T16:54:29-07:00Brooches were very important to the Norse people. They served functions, such as fastening cloaks and holding up dresses, as well as displayed status and wealth. Brooches were made from various types of metals, ranging from silver to copper. They often featured scenes or creatures from Norse mythology. This crude brooch, found in northern England, was made of a less precious metal than gold or silver, meaning it likely belonged to someone of lower status.[1] This brooch is important because it shows the universality of brooches, in both class as well as culture.
This particular brooch was discovered in the North Lincolnshire district in England by a metal detectorist. It was discovered sometime in the late 90s. It was likely produced between 850 and 900 AD, during the Norse settlement of England.[2] It was found in an area that was, at that time, part of Danelaw. The brooch is made of a copper-alloy, meaning it likely belonged to someone with less money or status than those at the top. The simple design on it, a creature facing backwards with its mouth agape, tells the same story, as does the fact that the brooch was likely cast and possibly mass-produced. Brooches that belong to people of higher status or higher financial grounds often featured intricate designs and jewels, as well as less common metals, such as silver.
Multiple examples of these types of brooches have been found through England and Scandinavia. This shows how universal the wearing of brooches was, at that time. The type of low-class material and design also points to how universal the brooches were. This brooch was likely used as a fastener by a woman, possibly even one of non-Scandinavian lineage. It is possible that this belonged to an Anglo-Saxon woman, who adopted aspects of Norse culture.[3]
The finding of this brooch does not seem to really challenge any of the previous assumptions that are drawn from early texts about the Norse. The brooch simply served its function as a holder for a dress, as well as a way for the wearer to display her class. This particular brooch is important because it shows the wide-reaching influence of the Scandinavian culture within Danelaw, and that it penetrated all levels of the social ladder.