Description

Viking period silver pendant, dating 10th-11th century AD. It depicts the image of Odin peering out from between two skeletal birds, Hugin and Munin (Thought and Memory), his arms around the necks and he’s clutching them by the breast. The bodies of both birds appear to be representing shields, this could symbolize Odin taking the bodies of men fallen in battle. Odin was also called All-father because he was the father of all gods, he was also known as Valfather (father of the slain) because all who fell in battle became his adopted sons.

Size: 28×20 mm
Weight: 8 g

Provenance: Till the 1980s in the private Belgian collection of B.S. Since the 1980s in the private British collection of D.A. Was bought by the current owner in 2016 from A.A. in London, UK, who had owned the item since 2011.