Left-hand raven brooch of the Vendel period.
The historical model for this pre-Viking brooch probably represents one of the ravens Hugin and Munin, who accompanied the Germanic god Odin / Wotan on his travels.
The Vendel Age bird brooch was modelled on fittings from the Swedish island of Gotland, which date back to around 600 AD.
The originals of the bird fittings, a raven looking to the left and a raven looking to the right, are now in the
Statens Historiska Museum in Stockholm.
Link to the historical model...
The raven brooches belong to the
Vendel period, which directly preceded the Viking Age. Such depictions of birds are common in this period and were widespread throughout the Germanic area.
The raven brooch is carefully polished so that the fine depiction is shown to its best advantage. The back of the brooch is fitted with a
sturdy pin that is also suitable for thicker fabrics.
Dimensions of the raven brooch: 5 x 3.4 cm.
You can buy the brooch in high-quality
bronze or genuine
silver-plated.
Alternatively, also available in 925
sterling silver (Please note the delivery time).
Alloy...
In addition to this brooch for the left side, a
mirror-inverted brooch for the right side is also available. It can therefore be worn in pairs on the shoulders and used to fasten female Viking garments. You can also wear just a single brooch as jewellery or to fasten the neckline of a shirt or caftan.
The ravens Hugin and Munin were the two companions of the Germanic
father of the gods, Odin, who was nicknamed Hrafnáss (raven god) for good reason. Odin was also regarded as the god of war, and so the ravens are a fitting attribute, as they would feast richly among the fallen after battle. The name Hugin comes from the Old Norse word huga (to think) and means "the thought", whereas Munin comes from the word muna (to remember) and means "the memory".