Iconic Costumes: Scandinavian Late Iron Age Costume Iconography by Ulla Mannering

Author:Ulla Mannering [Mannering, Ulla]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 4771275
Publisher: Oxbow Books
Published: 2016-06-14T22:00:00+00:00

Fig. 5.3 Depictions of females on pendants from Birka 825, Birka 968, Grödinge, Klinta, Tuna, Gamla Uppsala, Hjorthammar and Öland in Sweden; Nygård, Tissø 2,Tissø 3 and Tissø 4 in Denmark (drawings: Pernille Foss; after Arbman 1940; Bau 1981; Nordahl 2001; Holmqvist 1960; Watt 1994; Hildebrand 1880; Jørgensen 1997; Jørgensen et al., 2004).

Hjorthammar (20): The lower part of a 1.6 cm high silver pendant, was recovered in a burial near Hjorthammar in Sweden (Fig. 5.3). Based on stylistic similarities, it is dated to the Viking Age (Holmqvist 1960). The figure is seen in profile facing right. The costume constitutes of a triangular cloak decorated with a dotted pattern. The right hand holding a drinking cup sticks out from the front edge of the cloak. A dress ending in a train and marked with stripes along the back is visible beneath the cloak. The feet are visible beneath the dress. On the basis of the costume, it is most likely a female.

Nygård (21): A gilded bronze pendant c. 3 cm high, was unearthed with a metal detector in 1992 near Nygård on the island of Bornholm in Denmark (Fig. 5.3). Based on stylistic similarities, it is dated to the Viking Age (Petersen 1992, 230; Watt 1994, 81). The figure is seen in profile, facing left. The hair is coiffured in a knot high up on the back of the head and ends in a short ponytail. The figure holds out a drinking cup in the left hand. The costume constitutes of a long, triangular cloak with a pattern of bows or half-circles. In the curved front edge of the cloak, a diagonally-striped border is visible, suggesting a fringe. Underneath the cloak, a plain dress can be seen. The costume flares a little out to the back, but does not end in a train. The feet are visible beneath the dress. On the basis of the hair-style and costume, it is most likely a female.

Öland (22): A 3 cm high bronze pendant, similar to that from Nygård, was recovered as a stray find in 1880 on Öland in Sweden (Fig. 5.3). It is dated to the Viking Age (Hildebrand 1880; Petersen 1992, 230; Watt 1994, 81). The figure is seen in profile facing left. The hair is coiffured into a knot high up on the back of the head and ends in a short ponytail. The figure holds out a drinking cup in the left hand. The costume constitutes of a long garment that flares a little at the back. It is decorated with a dotted border that goes all the way around the garment. At the centre are four rhombi of different sizes, placed one on top of the other, with the narrowest at the top and the widest at the bottom, separated by horizontal bands. It is difficult to determine if this is an item of innerwear or outerwear. No feet are visible. On the basis of the hair-style and costume, it is most likely a female.

Tissø 2 (23): A gilded silver figure with inlaid enamel work.

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