Stylistic Inconsistency and Artistic Intent in Viking Age Oval Brooches

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This study examines stylistic and thematic variation as seen in a sample of P51 type Viking Age (approx. AD 700-1100) oval brooches excavated mostly from burial contexts in central Sweden. As examples of applied art heavily reproduced through casting and imitation, paired oval brooches have the potential to reveal a great deal about how artisans perceived their products and how these perceptions developed and spread within the trade. In particular, replicated works may reveal which aspects of the applied art held symbolic significance, and which were simply aesthetic features expected by patrons. I examine both general stylistic variation and the development of a persistent "sea monster" motif that separates itself from otherwise stylistically consistent metalwork. I investigate the processes and phenomena that drive variation in heavily reproduced applied art as well as those that could affect the persistence of certain motifs despite changing styles and geographic distance. I outline a series of those which apply to the sample and which may be used to analyze similar stylistic elements in future studies.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

Keywords

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 25393