contact: vikingsandartefacts@yahoo.com

Artefacts from the Viking Age and Norman period

See for my blog here and the artefacts under the image.

‘…hold the roots…’


‘It is people like you who hold the roots and give back to many who thought they were lost.’ Rhiannon Scharfetter – Vienna, Austria https://myskaldkonur.com

‘I have been suggested to contact you, a Viking specialist, for your competence and sensibility to the problems of those interested in ancient objects.’ Antonio Barsotti – Pisa, Italy. 

Book Vikings and the artefacts from the Viking Age (published October 2025) image on front: Luit van der Tuuk. (Wessel Spoelder on Facebook group Medieval Finds: “Sometimes you come across a book that manages to present a well-worn subject with such clarity and freshness that it immediately captures your attention. That is exactly what happens when you open Vikings and Artefacts from the Viking Age.
Unlike many other books on this period, this work does not get bogged down in dry dates. It succeeds in a unique way in explaining who the Vikings really were and where they came from. The text is accessible and enlightening, bringing history to life before your eyes.
What makes this book a real ‘breath of fresh air’, however, is its focus on the metal artefacts. The beautiful, detailed photographs of the objects – from fibulae to weaponry – draw you into the story. You can see the craftsmanship and the spirit of the makers reflected in every item discussed. It is not just a book to read, but also a visual tribute to Viking culture.
For anyone who is even slightly curious about this fascinating period: look no further. This book is an absolute must-read and a gem for your bookshelf!”

www.vikingartefacts.com

Medieval romanesque bronze strap end

Copper-alloy, 14.89 grams, 62.97 mm. 12th century AD.

Having been sold as a ‘Viking ‘ship-shaped’ strap end in 2009, over the years it become clear that stylistically this artefact isn’t from the Viking Age, but from the 12th century. The form and execution of the head is romanesque in style, wich also can be viewed on artefacts from the Anglo-Norman era onwards into the 12th and early 13th century. It is an unusual zoomorphic strap-end modelled in the round wich regarding the form of the head finds a strong parallel in the strap fitting registred in the Portable Antiques Scheme under SF-1EADD4. Barry Ager pointed to a series of similar like formed objects. 

The upper terminal displays a three-lobed design with ribbed detailing along the sides. This extends along the length of the main body which features folded wings and lobed shoulders. At the lower end, a skilfully modelled neck develops at right-angles to the body, arching gracefully down to a robust animal-head finial with open mouth and exteded tongue. Aspects of the detailing recall Ringerike style, such as the semi-naturalistic treatment of the animal’s head and wings.

Reference: cf. the animal-head detailing on the ring-pin from Bomloy, Hordaland in Franceschi, G., Jorn, A. & Magnus, B. Fuglen, Dyret og Mennesket i Nordisk Jernalderkunst Bind 2, Silkeborg, 2005, p.123. Good very fine condition. Found Norfolk.