Oval Brooches Oslo, Bronze

Large oval brooches / tortoise brooches in Borre style, Bronze

Pair of viking oval or tortoise brooches type Petersen 49, based on the find C4727 from the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, Norway. The sturdy iron needle is fully functional and turns these dress brooches into beautiful pieces of jewelry, especially for authentic re-enactment representations. The size of a fibula is around 112 mm, the weight around 160 g.

Price for a pair of two brooches.

Like the original from the 9th century, my replica also consists of a two-part construction with a base shell with an attached, richly decorated upper second part. The inside has a textile structure that can be observed in many original oval brooches. This indicates that the models for casting were made using the lost wax technique using scraps of fabric soaked in wax.

Viking Oval Brooches

Something every viking warrior should give his wife as a present after a successful raid...

The large oval, tortoise or turtle brooches were part of the women´s dress of the viking age. They were used to fasten an often rich decorated and coloured apron (or even a closed dress with shoulder straps) below the shoulders (pic. 2). Well preserved archaeological finds in Pskov (Russia) give new insights to the viking women´s dress. 

A large number of original finds of tortoise brooches were made in the entire skandinavian world, some special designs were used in Finland and at the island of Gotland. Imported brooches were found everywhere the vikings setteled, even in England, Ireland, Russia and the Normandy. Scholars recognize regional differences and temporary developments, but the original finds also proof the social status of their former female owners. Simple and cheap turtle brooches from tin were also found as well as valuable and awesome decorated specimens from bronze and gilded silver.