Viking Valkyrie brooch Tissø, bronze

Product description

Weapon-bearing women are traditionally interpreted as Valkyries in Viking art. The rider on this brooch is armed with a sword and lance and may represent a warrior riding into Valhalla who has fallen in battle and is met by a Valkyrie with a shield. According to Germanic belief, Valkyries escort the heroes who have fallen on the battlefield, the so-called Einherier, where they dine together at Odin's table in Valhalla. The model for this Valkyrie brooch is a Viking brooch crafted from gilded silver with niello inlays, which was found at Storgården near Tissø on Zealand / Denmark and is now exhibited in the National Museum in Copenhagen. The Valkyrie brooch is dated to the 9th to 10th century. Several other identical Valkyrie brooches from the Viking Age have been found, amongst others in Poland and in Haithabu. On the back of the Valkyrie brooch there is an eyelet which may be utilised to attach it to a chain or leather strap. On the back the Viking brooch has a sturdy pin which is also well-suited to stronger fabrics. Dimensions: 4.5 x 3.5 cm.

In Viking mythology, the Valkyrie is regarded as a female spirit being from the retinue of Odin, the father of the gods, who has a fateful relationship with the Norns, Fylgia and Diesen. The Vikings believed that the aurora borealis is a sign of the presence of Valkyries and interpreted it as an indication of a great battle, for when the Valkyries chose the Einherjer from amongst the fallen warriors, the light of the moon reflected in their armour and caused the aurora borealis to glimmer.