Why Was The Urnes Brooch So Popular At The End Of The Viking Age?

Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com - The Urnes brooch is beautiful and eye-striking. Archaeologists have unearthed many Urnes-style brooches in Norway, and scientists say this type of jewelry was mass-produced and became high fashion during the late Viking and Middle Ages.

The Urnes brooch is remarkable, but exactly does it depict? Is it some kind of animal or an important symbol?

This beautiful example of an 11th century Urnes brooch was found in the topsoil at two farmsteads excavated in 2021. The gilding would have covered the entire surface. But is it a lion, or a horse? Or perhaps even a dragon? (Photo: Margrethe Felter, Museum of Cultural History, CC BY-SA 4.0)

According to Science in Norway, "the Urnes brooch got its name from the style of wood carvings of the Urnes stave church. The central motif is an animal figure with four legs, a long slim neck and a bent head. The animal has almond- or tearshaped eyes and is surrounded by figure of eight loops.

Researchers have suggested the animal could be a lion surrounded by serpent-like creatures, a horse, or a dragon, as some of the later styles depict animals with wings.

This animal style in jewelry was hot stuff toward the end of the Viking Age, during the transitional period from Old Norse to Christian faith."

As previously discussed on Ancient Pages, "Norway's stave churches were built on remarkable technology that contributed to their uniqueness. The structures are impressive and highly unique examples of medieval architecture.

This technology was remarkable and required knowledge of geometry and skills in building without iron nails.

Many churches display Viking art depicting dragons and other animals mixed with Christian motifs. Dating back to the middle ages, these unique structures – often called' Viking Cathedrals' and built with unique building secrets - represent Viking heritage in carved wood. They testify to a time when young Christianity lived side by side with the customs and traditions of the Vikings."

Left: Covered in soil before conservation. (Photo: Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo) - Right: Removing corrosion with a microblade. (Photo: Jessica L. McGraw, Museum of Cultural History Oslo)

Scientists have examined unearthed Urnes brooches and determined the artifacts were mass-produced from the same source, a clay mould, and some of them were then gilded.

It has not been possible to say whether men or women wore the brooches, or perhaps both, but it would seem they were used on a daily basis during the Viking Age. Scientists say the brooches were "worn both for decoration and to keep clothes and cloaks in place."

Urnes Stave Church (Norway). Credit: Vesna Vujicic-Lugassy - CC BY-SA 3.0 igo

Urnesportalen - Carvings on door jambs and a wall plank of the north wall. Credit: Eduardo - CC BY-SA 2.0

"These brooches become popular during a time when burial practices are changing. The custom of grave-goods disappear during the Christianization. The Urnes brooches, belonging to the transitional period, are not found in graves, which is why we know very little about the people who wore them," archaeologist and project leader Jessica McGraw from the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo told sciencenorway.no.

Archaeologists have unearthed Urnes style objects throughout Scandinavia and the Norse settlements around Europe. There is no doubt this particular motif was popular during the late Viking Age and a bit later too.

Written by Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com Staff Writer