This week I take you along a trip, in what appears to be in some respect a sort of the 'Antiques Roadshow' as initiated by the Vikings. The Norsemen weren't any different than us in their desire to hold the past. As the Viking Age is desirable mystery to us, the age of Anglo-Saxon England was captivating their minds in their own way.
This is for sure: the Vikings loved antiquities. It can be seen, per example, on the viking merchant weights.
One of these weights, hereunder, from Humberside, an elliptical Anglo-Scandinavian lead weight into the upper surface of which has been impressed an Anglo-Saxon ansate brooch of 8th century date. The brooch features pierced trilobite terminals and a central panel with an incised cross motif. There are traces of ferrous deposits on the weight, from the brooch’s iron pin. The brooch may have been taken as plunder and re-used as a decorative panel, or the weight may have been produced in the Danelaw.
Viking 'lead' weights themselves were dull, stone features mixed with lead to give them the weight needed. Adorned with a brooch or mount dating back to Anglo-Saxon or Hiberno-Saxon times gave them a true identity, linked to the merchant. And in Viking times, distinction was a key issue. We can also see this on the distinct decoration on items like horse harness pendants and sword chapes.
The second weight is an Irish or Hiberno-Saxon copper-alloy gilded brooch or mount used as embellishment for a Viking period triangular weight. The mount comprises three sub-triangular panels surrounding a circular central motif, all constructed as flat fields with heavy, raised borders. Within the central field sits a geometric knotwork panel. The gilding is present across much of the surface of the mount and the fine chip-carved surface is preserved. The weight was found in Cleveland with a metal detector.
What makes them very rare is, that these kind of weights truly were 'on of a kind'. Unique. There are no other examples known wich exact the same decoration. The trefoil lobed-like motif may recall the form of the Viking trefoil brooches. But in any way, it is of course not known what the original caster in (possibly) Irish or Hiberno-Saxon context was trying to image !
A third example of 're-make/re-model' can be seen in the Viking lead gaming piece beneath. The reason why I am adding this gaming piece within an article about specific weights, is, because the - the salesman - addressed as gaming piece as well could have been functioning as an weight. As Viking Age gaming pieces as not known in this type of decoration, I tend to consider it to have been a weight.
The lead cylinder is inset with a copper-alloy Anglo-Saxon, so called 'styca' coin of King Æþelræd II: the word REX is visible in the lower quadrant. In this way, the coin adds a reflective ornamental upper surface to the gaming piece or weight. It weighs 10.46 grams and measures 18.68 mm.
Image on the left: Luit van der Tuuk.
The fourth example may be seen as an active (voluntary ?) co-operation between an Anglo-Saxon and a viking/Norse man or vice versa ! (always think the other way 'round ;)
It is a lead weight disc with a dished centre and an inlay of greenish glass, probably from a bead. Green and blue shades of glass were easily achieved by Anglo-Saxon craftsmen using fine sand and potash. The so called soda-glass method of production.
It is 7.67 grams, 14.13 mm and was found in Nottinghamshire by a detectorist.
A final other weight from my collection is imaged hereunder is a very weighty roundel inset with a small copper-alloy mount bearing double-spiral decoration of Insular 'La Tene Style', of Anglo-Saxon or Irish origin. It is 15.28 grams, 16.09 mm.
Not in my collection, but also very interesting is this viking lead trade weight with remarkable insert panel.
A copper-aloy panel bearing Insular Style decoration in the form of a serpentine creature with spiral shoulder and hip reversed against a background of chip-carved diaper-work. The panel was found with a triangular lead block, weighing 275 grams (equivalent to 11 of the early ore of about 25 grams), by a detectorist in County Durham.
The triangular shape suggests that the mount was originally part of an Irish bell-shrine or similar ecclesiastical treasure - such panels were often created seperately and inset into a decorative container frame. The dense chip-carved background with its refractive surface would have provided a highly glittery effect, against wich the flat gilt of the serpent and its tendril surrounds provided a contrasting texture. The layout of the decoration recalls Hiberno-Saxon manuscript art of the later 7th and 8th centuries.
Note from me: the snakes head also recalls a far pre-echo from the late Viking art 'Urnes' style imaging of the intertwining snake like heads, as can be seen on the wooden door panels on the Urnes stave church in Norway.
The panel appears to have been stripped from its surround during the Viking period and re-used as the decorative identifying plate for the lead weight with which it was found.
The detailed workmanship and distinctive pattern of the panel would make an impressive item for any merchant wishing to demonstate his affluence to potential customars. The panel measures 56 mm.
After all.. the need of a shopping experience isn't just from nowadays, but was been experienced and researched in the Viking Age already ! Image was and still is everything..
Thomas Kamphuis, July 23th 2015.
Link to prior blog July 10th 2015
References (selective):
Hammond, B. British artefacts - Volume 2 - Middle Saxon & Viking (2010) p. 98-102;
Russel, I. and Hurley M.F. Woodstown - A Viking Age settlement in Co. Waterford (2014) chapter Decorated lead weights, p. 181-191;
Tuuk, van der L. De Vikingtijd; Op zoek naar de Noormannen in Nederland en België (2014) p. 22
Williams, G. Vikings life and legend The British Museum (2013) p. 24 images 7, 8 and 9; p.59 images 51 and 52.
Well. I could have been with these stones until after dark, but as my wife wanted to travel on.. well.. I see you again, some day, hogback stones from Gosforth. And if you happen to be there one day, do not forget that monument on the outside...
Further on with the Cumbrian hogbacktour !
In - yes, luckily again in - St. Peter's church in Heysham, there is a truly beautiful hogback stone. The guide told us, it had been studyied by Thor Ewing, a writer, in 2000. in 'Understanding the Heysham hogback' A tenth century sculpted stone monument and its context (link), Thor Ewing tells in detail what he dicovered on the both sides of this hogback stone.
Just being brought in the church as late as the 1970's accompanied with some protest here and there among the church visitors, considered as being a token of old paganism, it had been remarkably nice preserved, and a lot of detail can be seen, still. Truly worthwile a visit.
I had a small debate with the guide in the church if the - zoomorphic, in my opinion - faces on the sides were lions (or hippo's). The guide doubted if the vikings could have known about lions. Well I guess so, concerning the runes on the Ancient Greek lion statue at the Arsenal, Venice. For example. Vikings did travel south..
But when he told me he was doubting the vikings 'discovered' (as the native inhabitants were of course, in the first place) America before Columbus, I decided to rest my case..
One has to know when to start and to end a conversation ..
Just discovered the book in a bookstore written by Geoff Holder - The guide to the mysterious Lake District, I knew there had to be another hogback stone in Lowther, St. Micheal's Church. With a promising image described in the text of 'a naval and a land-based force of shield-bearing vikings above a fish and what might be a coiled sea serpent. On the reverse is a row of female figures with snakes, possibly a representation of the hideous hag Hel'. Wow. If that did not sound as a true pagan promised land ..
Not complaing too much after all we have seen, this visit was the dissapointing one of them all. But if you wife states 'I am happy to have seen them' and I am answering 'Measuring is knowing' and the even more obligate verb 'handling 'if we did not see it at all, we wouldn't have known anything at all of how they were looking' the glass was again half full, at the last day of our journey..
The hogback stone appeared to be just being tolerated within the entrance segment part of the church. As something you never use anymore but you do not throw away - entirely. That sort of feeling emerged when seeing this hogback asylum seekers.. Bed, bath and bread, ás we say in Dutch, but no luxury at all and standing on some outcuts of wood, you would balance the table with at home..
Come on, St. Micheal's Church.. care a bit more of your 'children' !
This hogback stone was moved in the church in 1907. Hogback stones layed partially buried in the churchyard before it was dug up and moved into the church.
The promising depiction of a longship - as certainly can be seen after some studying - see http://vikingminds.co.uk/pages/longship
we have missed !
The stone itself is (157 x 50 x 30 cm) and very worn.
The hogback stones in Cumbria - very diverse in quality, but everyone worth a visit ! Especially on a gloomy day in late October ...
The churches to visit - see photos of resp. St. Andrew's church in Penrith, St. Mary's church in Gosforth, St. Peter's church in Heysham and St. Micheal's church in Lowther.
Did I miss out on another one in Cumbria ? Let me know !
In a next blog I will take you to four - still remaining utterly mysterious- statues 'guarding' the graveyard of St. Andrew's church in Dacre..
For the last blog of October 9th see this link.
References: (as always, links to where the books can be ordered are attached).
Edwards, B.J.N. Vikings in North West England - The artifacts (1998);
Emery, Gordon, CURIOUS CUMBRIA, The Lake District & Beyond: A celebration of Cumbria (2023)
Ewing, T. 'Understanding the Heysham hogback' A tenth century sculpted stone monument and its context ;
Hall, R. Viking Age archaeology in Britain and Ireland (first printed 1990, reprinted with amendments in 1995);
Holder, G. The guide to the mysterious Lake District (2009)
possibly also (as there within the part of Cumbria dealing with Carlisle, the Eden Valley, Barrow-in-Furness, Whitehaven and the west coast is being dealed with)
Holder, G. Paranormal Cumbria (2010)
http://vikingminds.co.uk/pages/longship