Viking glass beads, Birka, grave 324, 5 pieces

Product description

These glass beads are replicas of a bead found during excavations in Birka, Sweden. The bead was discovered in grave 324. It is black with white and blue eyes. Birka and Hovgården, located on the islands of Björkö and Adelsö in Lake Mälaren, have been UNESCO World Heritage sites since 1993. Birka was an important Viking trading hub from the 8th to the 10th century, where goods such as Arabic silver and pearls were traded. The city was the first true city in Sweden and had a strong hierarchy. Despite attempts to spread Christianity, it remained a pagan city. In the 10th century, Birka was abandoned, possibly due to land uplift and the rise of Sigtuna. The remains of Birka and the royal court on Adelsö are now on display at the Birka Viking Town Museum.

These glass beads are handmade employing the same technique the Vikings used: melting glass on a metal rod to form beads. They are well-suited to reenactment, living history, and Viking archaeology enthusiasts. With these beads, you can create your own Viking necklace. Mix & match them with other beads and pendants from our collection to create a distinctive piece of jewellery.

Viking necklaces were crafted from various materials and served not only as decoration but also as a status symbol and spiritual object. They could contain unique elements and were closely linked to magic, rituals, and identity, as seen in stories about the Brísing necklace and saints such as Genevieve and Bathild. Archaeological findings show that necklaces could carry both pagan and Christian symbolism and were often associated with ritual specialists, such as the v?lur, who may have utilised them in seiðr magic. Research into necklace assemblages and graves with magical objects suggests that necklaces played an important role in spiritual and ritual practices within Viking culture.