Sutton Hoo belt buckle, silvered

Product description

This buckle is made after the 6th-7th century Anglo-Saxon buckle found in Sutton Hoo. The original is part of the collection of the British Museum. Buckles such as these were worn between the 6th and 8th centuries by Germanic and Frankish tribes. This buckle is entirely hand-made. It can be fastened to the belt, like the original, with the three round decorations. This belt fitting is made in the Germanic animal style type II/B.

Dragons were the mythical variant of the serpent and were incorporated into the earliest myths of modern man. With the spread of mankind, dragon mythology also migrated across the world. Among many Indo-European peoples, dragons play a prominent role in their mythologies. In Germanic and later Viking mythology, dragons are seen as all-destroying monsters. At the same time, they symbolize the evil beast that must be defeated by a hero. These two archetypes – the destroyer and the opponent of the hero – reinforce each other.

Raven symbols are probably associated with intelligence, tact, knowledge, magic and prophetic ability. While the wolf stands more for cunning, aggression and strength, the raven stands more for thoughtfulness, acuteness and the careful pursuit of goals. Both emphasize Germanic and Viking culture in two different ways. Both come together in the god Odin/Wodan whose role is to guard the cosmic order.