Bronze Age comb amulet

inspired by an old find from the 19th century, probably from Dole (Jura), around 1000 BC. The original is now in the possession of the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France.

Handcrafted replica from my workshop

This detailed replica of a Bronze Age pendant is made entirely in my own workshop. Each pendant is handcrafted from solid bronze, carefully finished and patinated so that the surface and appearance are as close as possible to the archaeological model.

The original – an old find from the 19th century from the Dole region (Jura) – dates back to around 1000 BC. The pendant has an upper ring and was probably worn on a chain or hung as an amulet.

Design and symbolism

At first glance, the piece appears to be a stylised comb. On closer inspection, however, a multi-layered visual language emerges:

• A central figure with raised arms and a wide skirt
• Two stylised bird protomes (bird heads with front bodies)
• An arched structure interpreted as an inverted boat – a barge

This combination refers to central motifs of the Bronze Age symbolism.

Sun symbolism and barque ornamentation

In the European Bronze Age, the sun was the central religious and cosmological symbol. It appears in the form of wheels, crosses, stars, spirals or simple circular discs – abstract or pictorial in design. Hardly any other motif is so ubiquitous: it can be found on everyday objects as well as on precious prestige objects.

Sometimes the sun is pulled by a horse, sometimes accompanied by water birds, sometimes it appears on a barque symbolising its journey across the sky and the underworld. Even in a greatly reduced form, it remains the defining symbol of the European Bronze Age – a symbol of order, recurrence and the cosmic cycle.

The pendant reproduced here combines several of these motifs in a condensed form:

the two stylised bird protomes can be understood as companions or carriers of the sun. The curved line is reminiscent of a barque – the mythological vessel that carries the sun through the course of the day and night.

This amulet thus combines the sun, bird and ship into a symbol of movement, change and renewal – a wearable symbol of the Bronze Age world view.

The female figure and cord skirts of the Bronze Age

The central figure with raised arms and a wide skirt is reminiscent of depictions of Bronze Age women, especially from prominent graves in Scandinavia and Central Europe. So-called cord skirts – skirts made of twisted wool cords – were found there, for example in the grave of the Egtved Girl, the Lady of Champlay, La Colombine, and other high-ranking burials.

Such garments are sometimes interpreted as ritual costumes; some researchers suspect that their wearers may have been cult dancers or priestesses. The raised arms of the figure on this pendant could indicate a cult gesture or a representation in a dancing posture – embedded in the sun cult of the Bronze Age.

Hair and comb – protection and identity

The comb shape of the pendant was probably not chosen at random. Hair had a strong symbolic meaning in prehistoric cultures: it was considered to be a carrier of vitality, identity and social status.

• Amulet combs from the Late La Tène period are known to have been used not only for practical purposes, but also for magical and symbolic ones.
• A sewn-in comb was found in the cloak of the Danish bog body from Hundremose, which presumably had an apotropaic, i.e. protective, function.

Ancient written sources also provide clues to the significance of hair. In his Germania, Tacitus describes the special hairstyles of Germanic warriors – such as the side-knotted hairstyle of the Suebi – as signs of freedom, status and dignity. Hair was thus not only adornment, but also an expression of identity and social order.

The comb as an object thus stands between care, ritual and protection – an interface between the body and the cosmos.

A wearable piece of the Bronze Age

This replica combines archaeological authenticity with craftsmanship. It is suitable as:

• an extraordinary piece of jewellery
• a historically inspired amulet
• companion for re-enactment and living history
• symbolic gift

Each piece is unique – cast and finished by hand in my workshop.

An amulet between sun and earth, between hair and sky – inspired by a time when jewellery still had cosmic significance!