- Viking bronze amulet
- Scandinavia or the Baltic region, 900–1000 AD
- Material: bronze,
- Size: 3.7 x 2.8 x 0.3 cm
- Condition: A few cracks, otherwise excellent, natural patina
This magnificent openwork bronze pendant or fitting is a typical example of a decorative Viking Age amuletic element, with two opposing stylized dragon heads forming its ends. Such double-headed dragon ornaments are especially known from the 10th–11th centuries in Scandinavia and along the Baltic coasts, where they adorned both pendants and belt fittings.
Structurally, the piece relates to the so-called dragon-head mounts type, in which opposing animal-head ornaments frame a central heart- or drop-shaped opening. The metal’s patina and signs of wear suggest a long period of burial in the ground.
Provenance / ownership history
- Private collection (Europe, acquired 1990)
- Gallery / Antiques Dealer (Europe, 2025), Eid Mar Auctions GmbH, Austria
Historical context
The motif of the double-headed dragon is a recurring theme in Viking Age art. It appears especially in metalwork of the Borre, Jelling, and Urnes styles, where the dragon or serpent symbolizes protective power and liminality — the ability to move across the boundaries between worlds. Such amulets have been found in Denmark (Jelling and Funen), Sweden (Gotland and Uppland), and Estonia (Saaremaa).
Symbolic meaning
In the Viking worldview, the dragon represented both destruction and protection. The double-headed form symbolized vigilance in two directions — life and death, past and future — and was especially used as a protective amulet. In later mythology, the name Fáfnir refers to the dragon who guards hidden treasure; thus, the amulet’s symbolism is linked to the safeguarding of inner strength and wisdom.
