Round Viking Brooch with Intertwined Animals
Specifications
| Color | Silver |
| Material | Alloy, antique silver finish |
- For: men & women (adults)
- Antique-silver alloy, openwork, pin on the back
- Free shipping from 49€ · secure payment
Four Beasts Chasing Each Other
This round Viking brooch is entirely openwork: four beasts with elongated bodies chase each other in a circle, each clutching its neighbor's ribbon with its paws. The metal is pierced between the motifs, so the fabric shows through and becomes part of the design. Straight pin on the back. Find it in our collection of Viking fibulae and brooches.
The same animal vocabulary can be found on the oval brooch, which has an elongated shape.
What Sets This Brooch Apart
Openwork is what distinguishes a decorative brooch from an engraved plaque.
- The fabric is part of the pattern: the color of the garment appears in the gaps, changing how the design is perceived.
- Four beasts, one movement: the composition rotates, giving the disc a dynamic feel that a symmetrical motif lacks.
- The gripping beast: the paws grasp the neighboring ribbon—this is the hallmark of the Borre style from the 9th century.
- A lightweight piece: the piercing removes enough metal so that it won't weigh down a medium-weight fabric.
For a solid disc whose motif does not depend on the garment, see the Vegvísir brooch.
Specifications
- Material: Antique silver finish alloy
- Fastening: Straight pin on the back, with clasp
- Work: Openwork
- Worn on: Cape, shawl, coat, jacket lapel
- Care: Dry cloth, avoid water and perfumes
Did you know?
Scandinavian women of the Viking Age wore two brooches, not one—and always as a pair. These oval brooches, often called "tortoise brooches" due to their rounded shape, fastened the straps of the apron dress at the front. They are so consistent in female burials that they serve as an archaeological marker today: a tomb containing two of them is almost certainly that of a woman of Scandinavian origin, even outside of Scandinavia.
📖 To learn more: 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.
How many animals are in the design?
Four beasts chase each other in a circle, with elongated bodies and paws gripping the neighboring ribbon. They are hard to pick out at first glance: that is the very principle of Norse art.
What is an openwork brooch?
The metal is cut away between the motifs: you can see the fabric through it. This lightens the piece and gives the design depth, but the look changes with the color of the garment.
How does it fasten?
With a straight pin mounted on the back, with a catch.
On what fabric color does it stand out best?
On a dark fabric: the openings then stay in shadow and the metal stands out. On a light fabric, the contrast is reversed and the design reads differently.
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.
