Viking Ring Urnes, Bronze

Viking Ring in Urnes Style, Bronze

This solid viking ring is decorated with the viking animal of Urnes, Norway. The ring is handmade from real bronze.

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To understand the depictions of the viking artstyles, it is necessary to have a look on the evolution of the viking art. Additional to the production of objects for cult and religion, the art and craftmanship of the nordic viking period of the early middle ages was also used  to decorate secular jewellery and simple objects of everday life. The basic patterns of the viking artstyles are

1. depictions of animals and humans
2. plant-based ornamentations like tendrils, leafs or blossoms
3. geometric components like spirals, circles etc.

The so-called Urnes-Style is the last of the great artstyles of the viking period and was in use since the mid of the 11th century AD. The style was named after a large wooden stave church in Norway, where stunning woodcarvings decorate the portals.
The Urnes-Style developed from his pecedessors Mammen- and Ringerike-Style and is distinguished by animal depictions of small and delicate physique with a pointed head (like a roe deer). A special optical effect is achieved by the additional use of curved lines. At Urnes, the animal seems to be in a fight with snakes, maybe a depiction of the eternal battle between good and evil.

Literature:
T. Capelle, Die Wikinger, Kultur- und Kunstgeschichte, Darmstadt 1988, ISBN 3-534-80032-X
Ausstellungskatalog Wikinger, Waräger, Normannen. Die Skandinavier und Europa 800-1200 , Mainz 1992, ISBN 3-8053-1475-2