Medieval jewellery at the Turku Medieval Market

One of my favourite jewellery booths from the Turku Medieval Market

Along with the diamond twill wool I mentioned a few posts back, some of my best purchases the Turku Medieval Market, (Keskiaikaiset markkinat) were jewellery and *bling* for my Viking age kit.

The jewellery booths were generally quite popular, so some of my photos aren’t great – because the booth was too crowded to get good photos! I looked mostly for booths that had reasonable prices for good-looking replicas, but there were also several booths with accessories more with a “medieval feel” or medieval-inspired, which I didn’t take photos of.

Vikings in BC – show-stopper jewellery

Silver necklace from the Vikings in BC exhibit

This post is all about the show-stoppers at the Vikings in BC exhibit. (Click the Vikings in BC tag to see more posts from this exhibit.)

Vikings in BC – Amulets

From the amulet display (top view)

 

Today’s post is a short one – about amulets on display at the Vikings in BC exhibit.

The round pendant above (and below, seen from the side) is made of bronze, and is decorated with a “mythological animal-shaped figure”. This amulet was from a grave find in Helvigsdal, Uppland.

Vikings in BC – Æsir

a “charm bracelet” with pendants associated with a number of Æsir gods.

In my earlier post about the Vanir, I mentioned that I’d be sharing items associated with the other group of Norse mythological gods, the Æsir. The pantheon of the Æsir include Odin, Frigg, Thor, Baldr, and Týr.

The “charm bracelet” above has a hammer relating to the god Thor, and a fire-steel relating to the god Freyr.

 

A pendant, associated with the Æsir, indicating believe that this is of, or associated with the goddess Frigg.

 

Vikings in BC – Two religions

Swedish Viking Age cross

Today I’m sharing even more photos from the Vikings In BC exhibit I visited this past summer.

Above is a silver crucifix pendant from Birka “considered to be the oldest known crucifix in present-day Sweden”.