Openwork Kolovrat Necklace, Slavic Sun Wheel — Steel
Specifications
| Color | Silver |
| Material | Stainless steel |
| Style | Pendant, Chain |
| For | Unisex |
- Material: stainless steel
- Color: silver
- Design: openwork Kolovrat, curved rays
- Chain: braided 60 cm chain
- Clasp: lobster clasp
- Diameter: about 3 cm
An openwork wheel
The curved spokes of the Kolovrat are fully openwork here: light passes through, and the pendant remains lightweight despite its 3 cm diameter. Stainless steel, on a 60 cm braided chain.
Slavic, not Scandinavian
The name says it all: kolo, the wheel, and vrat, the rotation. The Kolovrat belongs to the Slavic repertoire, brought back into circulation by Eastern European neo-pagan movements in the 20th century. It is very often sold as a "Viking symbol"—it is not. The North has its own solar motifs, attested as far back as the Scandinavian Bronze Age, but this is not one of them. We prefer to sell this pendant for what it is. Our guide to Viking symbols sorts out the attested from the invented.
Why so much confusion between Slavic and Nordic
The two worlds actually crossed paths, which explains the misunderstanding. The Varangians—Scandinavians—traveled down Russian rivers to Byzantium and Baghdad; they founded trading posts in Novgorod and Kiev, and the Primary Chronicle makes Rurik, a Varangian chieftain, the ancestor of the princes of Rus'. There was indeed contact, trade, and marriages. But the symbols did not mingle for all that: the Kolovrat belongs to a Slavic repertoire reconstituted in the 20th century, not to what the Varangians wore. We prefer to say so.
The openwork design
The eight spokes are cut out, allowing light to pass through and significantly lightening the piece. Approx. 3 cm in diameter, stainless steel, 60 cm braided chain.
Specifications
- Material: stainless steel, does not tarnish
- Pendant: approx. 3 cm in diameter, openwork
- Chain: braided link, 60 cm, lobster clasp
Is the Kolovrat a Viking symbol?
No, it's Slavic, and we'd rather say so. It's a sun wheel popularized by Eastern European neopagan movements in the 20th century. The Scandinavians have their own solar motifs, but this isn't one of them.
What does the name mean?
“Kolo” means wheel and “vrat” means rotation: the turning wheel, an image of the solar cycle and of renewal.
Is the pendant openwork?
Yes, the spokes are cut out, which lightens the piece and lets the light through.
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.
