Interlaced Urnes-Style Viking Brooch
Specifications
| Color | Silver |
| Material | Alloy, antique silver or bronze finish |
- For: men & women (adults)
- Alloy, openwork ribbon beast, pin on the back
- Free shipping from 49€ · secure payment
A Beast That Knots Itself
This Viking brooch is crafted in the Urnes style: the animal is no longer a silhouette but a ribbon, folding over, crossing, and biting itself. The almond-shaped eye and jaw mark the head; the rest requires following the line. The piece is openwork, which makes the knot legible. Find it in our collection of Viking fibulae and brooches.
For a more immediately identifiable beast, see instead the ring-coiled dragon brooch.
What Sets This Brooch Apart
It belongs to a dated style, not a vague Nordic register.
- An identifiable style: the thin ribbon, figure-eight loops, and biting jaw are the signature of Urnes.
- A progressive reading: the piece does not reveal itself at once, it must be deciphered.
- Openwork: the voids count as much as the metal in the design.
- Two finishes: antique silver for contrast, bronze for warmth.
For the same family of decoration in a closed shape, the oval brooch with interlaced beasts encloses the knot within a frame.
Specifications
- Material: Alloy, antique silver or bronze finish
- Style: Urnes, interlaced ribbon-beast
- Fastening: Straight pin with clasp, on the back
- Structure: Openwork
- Worn on: Cape, shawl, coat, lapel
- Care: Dry cloth, avoid water and perfumes
Did you know?
The Urnes Stave Church, which gave its name to the style, is a rare case: its oldest carved planks are not original to it. They come from an earlier, dismantled building, the north portal of which was reused by 11th-century goldsmiths in the subsequent construction. It depicts a slender quadruped grappling with snakes, engraved in interlaced ribbons — an entirely pagan decoration, reused as is on a Christian church. The site has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979.
📖 To go further: Discover our guide to Viking symbols.
♦ Complete Your Viking Collection
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Brooch or hair barrette: which one to choose?
| Type | Where it is worn | What you need to know |
|---|---|---|
| Garment brooch (fibula) this product | On a cloak, a shawl, a coat or a jacket lapel. | These are the largest pieces in the range. Six close with a straight pin and a clasp; two are penannular: an open ring locked by the tension of the fabric, with no spring to wear out. |
| Barrette with a hair stick | In a bun, a braid or a half-up ponytail. | Two pieces: the plate sits on the hair, the stick goes through the lock and holds everything in place. You need enough hair for the stick to go through: with hair shorter than shoulder length, the hold becomes uncertain. |
| Light barrette or clip | On medium-length hair, including fine hair. | The filigree models have a small chain that holds the stick; the flat barrettes close with a clip and need no minimum length. These are the most discreet pieces and the easiest to put in. |
| Medallion barrette | Flat on a half-up ponytail or a low bun. | A solid disc that sits on the gathered lock instead of going through it. It is the shape that needs the least hair length, and the only one that shows a scene rather than an ornament. |
How to wear it
There is no size to choose. A brooch (fibula) is fastened to the fabric, not to the body: the only question is the cloth.
The six straight-pin models are worn like a classic brooch: push the pin through the fabric and close the clasp. They suit a jacket lapel, a shawl or a thick scarf.
The two penannular models (the open ring crossed by a long pin) work differently: pass the pin through the cloth, turn it a quarter turn, and the tension of the garment locks it against the ring. The more the cloak pulls, the tighter it holds. It is the most secure fastening on heavy wool, and the one with no mechanical part to break.
On thin fabric, any pin leaves a mark. These pieces are made for broadcloth, wool and thick linen, not for silk or fine knits.
Care: dry cloth. Avoid water, perfume and silver polish, which remove the patina lodged in the hollows: it is what gives the design all its relief.
What is the Urnes style?
It's the last style of Viking art, from around 1050 to 1125. The animals become ribbons so thin that you can no longer tell the head from the body without following the line of the eye. It takes its name from the Urnes stave church in Norway.
Can you recognize the animal?
Not at first glance, and that's intentional. You find the head by its almond-shaped eye and the jaw biting the ribbon; the rest you trace with your finger. If you're looking for a beast that reads immediately, our dragon coiled into a ring is more straightforward.
Is the piece openwork?
Yes. The gaps between the loops are part of the design — they're actually what makes the knot readable. On light fabric, the contrast is sharper.
Which finish should I choose?
Antique silver heightens the contrast between the ribbons and the gaps; bronze softens and warms it. The relief is identical; only the plating changes.
Delivery — Allow 7 to 15 business days for mainland France, 10 to 20 days for the European Union. Free delivery on orders over €49.
Delivery guarantee — If your parcel is not delivered within 60 business days, we will provide an immediate reshipment or a full refund.
14-day returns — You have 14 calendar days from receipt to request an exchange or refund. The item must be returned within this period, in its original packaging.
Legal guarantees — All our products are covered by the legal guarantee of conformity and the guarantee against hidden defects, in accordance with the Consumer Code and the Civil Code.
