Product description
This Viking amulet is a replica of the 10th-century original discovered in Stora Ryk. Today it is part of the collection of the National Museum of Sweden. This piece of jewellery was part of the Stora Ryk silver hoard on the border with Norway. It is possible that the treasure was buried during an attack by a hostile tribe.
Shield ornaments are round amulet with a central knob, sometimes with handle and wheel motifs, often found in female graves. They were worn loose or as part of a pendant chain, possibly with religious significance. In grave Bj 844, a shield amulet was found together with other magical symbols, presumably belonging to a völva. These ornaments, especially worn by women of the elite, likely served as protection against magic and the evil eye. A reference to this appears in the Gongu-Hrolfs saga, where a shield is placed over the face of a sorcerer.
