The movies and cartoons portray Vikings as strong and mighty warriors ready to strike down whatever stands in their way. It is not easy to believe a warrior can put on jewelry. The designs the Vikings engraved on their ornaments were so beautiful that they were skilled designers. The Vikings did not begin by making very intricate pieces but changed to making more detailed ones when they gained experience.
Though we put on jewelry to improve our appearance, Vikings had other reasons for wearing them. For the Vikings, jewelry was an indication of wealth and as currency too. They used rings to make their arms and necks beautiful. Vikings carried the jewelry on their bodies as rings so that they would use them to buy whatever they wanted. Since they hacked the rings off, the jewelry was known as ” Hack Silver.” The Vikings did not use gild often in making their jewelry. Since they did not use gold often, they preferred silver and bronze. Women had brooches as their main piece of jewelry.
The Viking society had a range of jewelry to choose from, including the brooches. They turned shiny metals into jewelry to adorn their bodies. For this reason, they beautified themselves with a variety of Viking rings such as arm rings, finger rings, and rod finger rings. The arm rings and bands the Vikings wore had a crucial meaning to them. They used them not just for adornment purposes, but also for the function of purchasing goods and services. The bands and rings indicated how wealthy a Viking man or woman was.
Burial sites and in hoarding grounds is where the jewelry lay hidden. Vikings believed the dead needed the jewelry to live comfortably on the afterlife. The Vikings threw the valuables into the burying grounds of the dead. The Vikings faced several attacks from invaders; therefore, they buried their valuables to protect them such invasions. Further, the Vikings kept moving from place to place; therefore, they needed a safe place for their valuables.
We appreciate the Viking culture even though they lived decades ago. Numerous places sell the jewelry which the Vikings wore ages go. Those who appreciate the Vikings culture adorn themselves with such pieces. A common piece of jewelry you can find in these shops are the Viking bracelets. Dragons and serpents were common in the Norse mythology; therefore, they appear in Viking bracelets. A dragon bracelet can have a braided wristband, with each end having a dragon’s head. The Vikings had intricate patterns on their jewelry; therefore, the wristband has such patterns as well. The serpent is part of the Ragnorak and wearing it could mean you believe in the myth.