Bird of prey brooch
Type:
Brooches
Date:
Late sixth century
Location or Findspot (Modern-Day Country):
Sweden
Medium:
Copper alloy
Dimensions:
5.4 × 3.2 × 1 cm
Description:
This brooch in the form of an eagle or other bird of prey is associated with the Vendel culture of Scandinavia (500–780; named for a boat-grave cemetery in southern Sweden). Small crayfish are punched or stamped into the bird's tail. Bird symbolism is common to the iconography of Odin, a prominent god in Norse mythology. The Vendel style of this brooch anticipates the importance of abstracted animal interlace in subsequent Viking art.
Relevant Textbook Chapter(s):
3
Repository and Online Resources:
• Read about this object on the website of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
