Viking Valkyrie brooch Tissø, bronze

Product description

Weapon-bearing women are traditionally interpreted as Valkyries in Viking art. The rider on this brooch is armed with a sword and lance and may represent a warrior riding into Valhalla who has fallen in battle and is met by a Valkyrie with a shield. According to Germanic belief, Valkyries escort the heroes who have fallen on the battlefield — the so-called Einherier — where they dine together at Odin's table in Valhalla. This Valkyrie brooch is modeled on a Viking brooch made from gilded silver with niello inlays, found at Storgården near Tissø on Zealand, Denmark, and now on display at the National Museum in Copenhagen. Dating to the 9th–10th century, several other identical Valkyrie brooches from the Viking Age have been found, including in Poland and Haithabu. On the back, an eyelet lets you attach the brooch to a chain or leather strap. A sturdy pin also fits stronger fabrics. Dimensions: 4.5 x 3.5 cm.

In Viking mythology, the Valkyrie is a female spirit being from the retinue of Odin, the father of the gods, with a fateful connection to the Norns, Fylgia, and Diesen. The Vikings saw the aurora borealis as a sign of the Valkyries' presence, interpreting it as an omen of great battle — when the Valkyries chose the Einherjer from among the fallen warriors, moonlight reflecting off their armor set the aurora borealis aglow.