{"product_id":"viking-paarden-broche-rechts","title":"Vendel horse brooch Birka, right, bronze","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe horse-shaped purple was discovered together with another mirror-image purple as a purple in the Viking grave Bj 854, along with other grave goods. This is an exceptional find, because these purples deviate from the typical oval Viking purples. They were placed under the shoulders, one on the left and one on the right, and clearly served to fasten the dress of the buried Viking woman. The purple has an eye set with red glaze instead of the garnets found on the original. The replica is available in high-quality bronze. On the back there is a sturdy pin, suitable for fastening even heavy woolen fabrics, and the dimensions are 5.4 x 3.2 cm. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The original purples were excavated in the 1870s by archaeologist Hjalmar Stolpe in grave Bj 854 in Birka, on the island of Adelsö in Uppland, Sweden. They were made of partially gilded silver and decorated with eyes set with garnet. These horse purples were probably manufactured in Scandinavia and were buried in a 10th-century Viking grave.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStylistic analyses suggest, however, that the horses themselves probably date from the 6th or 7th century, were made in the Germanic Animal Style II from the Vendel period. A comparable original from this period was found in Sandegård in Denmark.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The design and craftsmanship suggest that the horses were originally possibly made as decorative ornaments. Later they were adapted with a pin mechanism to function as purples. This adaptation suggests their long-lasting significance, possibly as family heirlooms that were passed down through generations before being deposited in the grave.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn all Indo-European cultures, horses have played an important role. More than 5,000 years ago on the Pontic-Caspian steppe, our ancestors, the Indo-European steppe herders, cultivated the horse. Later this gave rise to their cavalry culture, the horse came to play an important role as a means of transport, in warfare, and as an aid on the land. No wonder that early on the horse was incorporated into the spiritual world of our ancestors. They believed that the sun was drawn across the sky by a horse and therefore associated the animal with fertility, of both people and land. The horse also stood for kingship and the connection between the ruling aristocracy and the territory over which they ruled. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Celtic WebMerchant","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51142357320008,"sku":"07_Br_Horse_-_R_bro","price":10300.0,"currency_code":"HUF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0891\/2892\/7560\/files\/DSC08044_798abb45-ea6c-49ec-82a8-8a629720c14f.jpg?v=1759409731","url":"https:\/\/www.celticwebmerchant.com\/en-hu\/products\/viking-horse-brooch-right","provider":"Celtic WebMerchant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}