A group of four sheet gold beads, each formed as a hollow bulb with granulation, filigree ovolo detail and applied rings. 9th century AD. 3.64 grams, 9.5-10 mm. Size :1/4″. Fair condition, two incomplete. Provenance: From a Canadian collection, ex Sotheby’s Lord McAlpine sale, 17th February 1994.

This type of filigran decorated beads had been found on the isle of Gotland, in the south of Sweden.

When consulting the curator at the National Historic Museum of Sweden, he confirmed this.

“Yes we do have similar – if not even identical – gold beads from Gotland in our collections. They have inventory number SHM 13441:1-3 and are from Petes, Linde parish on Gotland.  Beautiful little things and kind rare I would say”.

Beads were very valuable. Golden beads are the far most rare of them, and would have only been worn by women of (very) high status.

On the image beneath is shown how a woman wore typical Gotlandic viking jewellry (see the boar head brooch, the fish pendants).