Vendel and Dark Age Ornamental Design

Szczecin 2014

In this Catalogue we took a closer look at buckles, metal elements, horns, swords, helmets, shields, brooches, pendants and we extracted ornaments placed on them. The selection of materials focused in particular on certain regions, including Scandinavia and England. The most extremely decorative and characteristic findings of Gotland’s Vendel era are the most extensively presented ones. The collection of motifs copied from helmets and shields found in the graves of elite warriors at Vendel and Valsgärde is especially eye capturing. Among the English designs, attention is drawn to the diverse and rich collection coming from the famous royal burial at Sutton Hoo.The catalog is closed with descriptions of the locations of each find, the most accurate dating, cultural context, and possible symbolic meaning—where possible. The internal cross-references will help the reader get a glimpse of aesthetic the realities of the era, or deliberately select a particular ornament.