What Real VIKING Brooches are Like! Viking Jewellery Part One
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
- The Vikings loved jewellery! And one of the most popular forms of jewellery in the Viking Age was brooches. They were made specially, cast, hammered, recycled from sword fittings, book bindings and coins, and they came in a bewildering range of shapes and sizes.
We have literally thousands of early medieval brooches and pins to choose from and take inspiration from, and because it's 2021 lots of them are online! But it's a difficult game finding good, authentic looking Viking (or Anglo-Saxon, or Briton, or Frankish, or Irish) jewellery for your reenactment outfit.
Luckily, this is a walkthrough!
So join me as we look at some of the most popular types of Viking age brooches, and discuss what to buy, what to avoid, and what will make you the fanciest Viking in town whether it's in iron, bronze, silver or gold!
Also I filmed this in self-isolation as I was recovering from actual COVID-19, so apologies for being a sweaty mess of a Welsh Viking. And for the coughing.
Find me elsewhere:
Patreon: / jimmyjohnson
Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/thewelshviking
Insta: @littlewelshviking
The Bread and Thread Podcast: open.spotify.com/show/40wsrHE...
Adam: / blueaxereproductions
Business and collaboration email: thewelshviking1@gmail.com
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The Welsh Viking,
PO Box 821,
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Links to image sources:
smarthistory.org/viking-art/
finds.org.uk/counties/findsre...
www.britishmuseum.org/collect...
museum.wales/collections/onli...
www.bmimages.com/preview.asp?...
urd.priv.no/viking/brooches.html
www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/vik...
www.britishmuseum.org/collect...
www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
www.britishmuseum.org/collect...
emidsvikings.ac.uk/items/equa...
hug-renning.blogspot.com/2016/...
users.stlcc.edu/mfuller/Grissk...
museum.wales/collections/onli...
www.wikiwand.com/en/Breadalba...
finds.org.uk/database/artefac...
vikings stabbing people with their brooch pins 🤝 victorian women stabbing people with their hat pins
We could bring them back so we can stab muggers and other such annoyances
Dont forget just making a quick Run to the pharmacy to get some arsenic for tea 💅
To be more precise Irish and Scottishmen stabing people with their brooch pins.
Their national animal is a horse with a big pointy horn
They have a brooch designed to double as a stabbing weapon
They pick kings via punching eachother
Their flower is one you can use to pierce someone's throat
And they're famous for using very big swords
I love how Scottish culture seems to be driven primarily by asking "Can I use this for stabbing? And if not, how can I make it better for stabbing?"
Geishas stabbing people with their hair pins.
@Button I read an interview with a 60s wrestling heel called Bulldog Brower.
He talked about old Italian ladies in the crowd dipping hat pins in garlic before stabbing him with them on his way to the ring. It brings you up in golfball sized lumps, apparently
Adding to the chorus of, "thank you this video is awesome but please gods go back to bed sir" comments. Now I'm off to enjoy that link dump in the description... Please do not feel like you have to maintain any kind of schedule during recovery. Your health comes first and foremost.
Disc brooches, tortoise brooches: sounds like 4 elephant brooches away from perfection.
😃
+
And of course a pattern of the earth on the disc brooch lol
😂😂😂😂💙
Yay :D
It's interesting hearing you talk about how lots of people want to portray high class individuals, because wanting to know how ordinary people lived has always captured my imagination so much more. Not to mention, it's a lot less intimidating (and expensive!) from a costuming perspective! Perhaps I've just never convinced myself my sewing skill merited fine fabrics. 😄
Same here I've never been interested in been a princess but I am so interested in normal woman's day to day lives
And, when you 're a peasant, you don't have to worry about mud, eating or spilling drink on your dress... and when it's hot, you're fine, while the rich people perspire in their fancy clothes!
Most people who reenact tend to do a commoner impression first. Getting the proper gear together for a convincing commoner in any time period is comparatively cheap and easy (probably a hundred dollars or less for relatively accurate materials and the necessary tools to hand-construct period correct underclothes, overclothes, shoes, hat, belt, maybe a few other minor accessories that wouldn't seem out of place on a commoner. A wooden cup is good to have and some kind of knife to eat. You can buy clothing premade on etsy or somewhere of course, but any sense of authenticity is hard to find and is always going to be very costly. If people handcraft their own kit without any prior experience at crafting, they are going to learn a ton, about the period, about garment construction, and about themselves. The first set of gear is going to be on the rough side, but that only works in their favor while portraying a commoner back in the day. Once they have the basics, some people are done. They find other interests there like learning how to use a bow or out-drinking people bigger than them. Other people start working to improve or replace their original gear since they have learnt more and have developed their skill. Plus, there are always a plethora of skilled craftspeople at these events who make beautiful things. It is hard not to want to buy their wares and help support those incredible talents. Eventually many regular participants collect or craft enough cool gear to create convincing elite or even noble impressions. Getting better gear when they can find, commission, or make it is a real joy for some. People can put in the bare minimum though and still learn a lot and have a lot of fun. It's a rabbit hole just like any other hobby. How far to fall down into it, and what you get out of it, is entirely up to the individual.
the clothes of ordinary people are really fascinating. the stuff you have to come up with to solve problems when you can't just throw money at them... you are really poor but need a somewhat waterdeflecting cloak.. make one out of straw. the overlappig pieces of straw work like roof tiles. (saw that when I researched traditional, japanese common people clothles as inspiration for a capsule collection for school back in the day)
Another little episode from my "medieval" adventures. During a medieval fair that went pretty much without customers for some reasons, one of my fellow re-enactors/traders had the idea of playing an (according to him) historical ballgame: "Celtic Rugby" he called it. We had a ball made from cloth filled with sand, two goals, two teams and pretty much no rules - but a hell of a lot of fun. Of course we all still wore our re-enactment clothes. What we realized a little too late was that some parts of our clothes were actually pretty dangerous. I am talking about the pennanular brooches. One of the ladies who played with us got the ball, speeded in the direction of the goal (she was really fast, and therefore a good running back you might say) and I tried to stop her by tackling (my only chance, since I am pretty slow). My hand hit the brooch, i felt a sharp pain and we both went down. After we had untangled ourselves, it was clear that the needle went straight through my hand. To be precise, it was the flesh between my thumb and index finger - you may say I was literally skewered.
Luckily nothing serious was damged and we could even continue playing. Nevertheless, I still have the scar.
Well played, and even a souvenir of your dedication in battle. 🍻
A scar and a good story are great souvenirs!
"Galloway Hoard Inbound"
[FLAILING]
Edinburgh folks: Seriously, the exhibition at the national museum is so fantastic, and it's FREE!
Decoy hoards! Birds! People reacting badly to trumpets! MYSTERIOUS BALLS OF DIRT!! Other things that I won't even talk about because they left me completely GOBSMACKED to see going into it cold!!
P.S. Book recommendation for anyone wanting to gaze lovingly at more brooches: "The Work of Angels" (ed. Susan Youngs) has so many plates of gorgeous 6-9th century (Celtic) penannular brooches, and so many other stunning things, and I'm a bit obsessed with it.
P.P.S. Hope you feel much better soon, Jimmy
YES the dirt balls. The leopards on the jar. THE FABRIC ON THE JAR. The lil birb. All of it.
Also, you can get pins of the trumpeteer and of the reaction at the shop downstairs, and they both immediately joined my collection of historical music-themed pins
I am looking at it now and wow incredible finds!
@@lucie4185 aren't they ?! Now, if you go, make sure you have your glasses if you need them, because the detail on most objects is itty bitty. Though the lighting is pretty good, and so there isn't too much glare on the display cases
Thirding that the exhibition is fabulous. Also, if you have an obscene zoom lens on your camera, TAKE IT. (You are completely free to take photos in the exhibition, and because of the Covid number controls, it's not as crowded as the exhibitions sometimes get).
This is one of my favorite WV videos so far, but I’m also dying laughing at the auto-subtitles repeatedly interpreting “pennanular brooch” as “penile brooch.”
6:20 “everybody loves penannular broaches”… yep, and that was the first broach I got for my cloak… and your not dead! Thank you for not dying. Your existence brings me much joy/entertainment
Thanks for the plug Jimmy! Glad you're feeling better - Liz from Bread and Thread
I can imagine a scenario.
Guard - you can't bring that sword in.
Soldier- thats ok ill just pin my cloak with this really long sharp broach. 🤣😂😅
I kinda wanna think the mismatched pins were worn like friendship bracelets C:
That's really cute, and I refuse to believe it never happened 👍
I had a similar idea, but with lesbian couples!
Oh my goodness yes - like friendship bracelets! That's so clever and adorable.
The trifoil can double as a fidget spinner in a pinch😉
😂
I have no garb at all, but I do have a pair of turtle brooches that I wear on the straps of my sundresses, and a handful of penannular broochhes that I can't really wear since it's gotten warm. Although, the smallest one fits pretty well in my hair.
I am not a reenactor. I gotta have my fun where I can find it.
I'm also here just because I just bought a penannular brooch because it was pretty. I'm thinking I could wear it with a scarf.
I should think that if you don't enjoy doing to research for reenactment, but love the dressing up and living the life of a character, then maybe try your hand at larp? Larp's where I got started in costuming and is what has grown into a genuine love and fascination for viking age reenactment. (But seriously, larp is still great fun)
Glad to see you on the mend!
Penannular brooches are fun because with some thick copper wire, a ball peen hammer, and some pliers, you can make a yeet load of them.
Bronze wire would be a little more rigid. You'd make a killing at any sort of faire or craft show
Welcome back to the land of the living (well, very nearly)! Thank you for dragging yourself out of your sick bed to edutain us about brooches. Just... don't overdo it; COVID is nothing to mess around with. I recommend plenty of sleep and tea; take care.
Ah, the beautiful fidget spinner broach!
Huzzah! He lives! But with all thanks and praise for this, GET THEE BACK TO BED, SIR! We prefer a living Jimmy. We will all be here waiting. ✨
I am so glad you are feeling better!
Take care of yourself, and don't overdo it.
(now I'll actually watch it)
Dude, if you can afford that much coke on an academic income, I'm clearly in the wrong business ;) I make simple penannular brooches out of sterling silver, and I have to say I love them, so bloody ingenious. Also not to disparage your video effort (it was a good video and I enjoyed it a lot)but.......after about 5minutes, I just wanted you to go and take some medication and have a lie down. You looked so uncomfortable. Hopefully you'll be feeling better soon....and don't expect too much of yourself....Coronavirus has a lot of symptoms that linger long after the worst of the symptoms are done.
I want to make an apron dress, so I'm excited to start learning about the tortoise broches
Actually, I'm nonbinary, so I'm kinda wondering if i should wear a tortoise broch. Any thoughts?
I guess when you're reenacting, you're also playing a bit of a character, but what would i wear if i was nonbinary in the viking age (danish)
@@yeat7264 i can’t speak to understandings of gender in this time/place but i can say that if you want to make an apron dress with all the bling you should totally go for it, do what makes you happy and feel good ❤️
Personally I think if you want to, get all the pretties of both sides and decide what you feel like wearing at the time! The cool thing about the Vikings is that, from everything I’ve ever heard and read, just about everyone wore jewelry! So have fun with it!
There were many non-binary Vikings; Loki was, for example. Go for it and just be you. The Vikings enjoyed being themselves however they wanted to portray themselves.
I'm glad you are on the mend! Did you catch covid AND have a house emergency? If so TERRIBLE, if not SLIGHTLY less terrible!
Editing Jimmy is in fine form today :) We do love a shiny! I would happily watch videos on other jewelry if you decide to continue this into a series :) ...oh my god that can of stew picture!
Get better soon Jimmy. You seriously need to do the beads thing as I have seen so many things out there.
This dropped into my feed at the perfect time, thank you. I'd be interested in seeing you rate "wish" "Amazon" or "Ali express" items. We know that most of them will be rubbish but I'd be curious to see if you can find a few gems in there.
that does sound like an awesome idea!
It's good to see you back. Glad you're on the mend but please don't push yourself too hard. The designs on the brooches are so stunning and complex. How long would it have taken to produce the more elaborate ones?
Take it slow Jimmy,
Broaches are still very popular in Scotland, they are passed down in families and worn a lot, I love them❣️
Thanks for all the info- and please take good care of yourself ❣️
SO relieved to see you - but for goodness sake - don't do too much! We're more than happy to wait until you feel more able to record! You daft bunny! ^*^ The video was fascinating BUT GO LIE DOWN!! Take care, please
Welcome back! Happy you feel better!
you're looking so much better! I have several pairs of brooches; at some point maybe I'll mix and match them. :-)
Thanks for the heads=up about the Bread and Thread podcast. I’m heading into my third week of retirement and indulging myself in all sorts of non-work related research (so glad to read journal articles about things other than parasitic nematodes). I’ve found that I really enjoy listening to podcasts so thanks again!
I'm so glad you've done this video! After watching another video of yours, I got sucked into a rabbithole looking at the attachment mechanisms of tortoise brooches. I can't wait to hear what you have to say on the subject.
Glad you're recovering, do take it as easy as possible... a family member is currently in hospital with critical case of covid. I am, however, so excited to learn about brooches (they're why I love thinking about anglo-saxon and norse capes)!!!
Re: the restriction of length of the pin on penannular brooches in Irish law, I remember hearing something about that during my undergrad, can't remember if it was Adrián Maldonado at NMS, or my lecturer Stephen Harrison who talked about it, but one of them definitely did! I think whoever said it talked about it being some sort of Irish law, to prevent accidentally "poking someone's eye out" (Also really great recommended reading on Vikings, and Viking Age Britain, Ireland, and Scandinavia, Adrián does some blog posts for NMS, and both have published books and articles on varying topics, from graves to weapons!)
True story: Last autumn I was marathoning Time Team (as you do), and there was an episode where they found a tortoise brooch. My then-12yo saw it over my shoulder, and both she and her sister declared they wanted to be Vikings for Halloween. Since I don't have any tortoise brooches (when I was playing, I lived in a place where it was too warm for me to see the point of going Norse, and since I've moved to a cooler climate I haven't really played), I instead pulled out the 1" penannulars I've had for 25 years or so to fasten their dresses. Medieval safety pins ftw.
Designing, casting and forging Viking and Scottish brooches, and other items, is going to be one of the home-ed DT projects I'm going to be doing with my son 😁
Love this guy. I'm a goldsmith and would like to get into recreating the old arts. Very cool. Thanks
I’m happy to see you’re improving! Rest well :)
Resting!
That bicarb intro is SO relatable. I like working with silver, and having a bag of borox lying around can get real awkward, real fast...😂😉
I was having quite a rough day so my head wasn't picking up on everything you said, but just watching you talk passionately about a thing actually made me feel better. Thanks❤
In the past I've considered buying brooches and more cloaks just for the hell of it but this got me considering trying to make brooches a part of my everyday wear, especially as a very subtle expression of gender to those in the know. Like if I go really anachronistic and mix them with modern clothing, I don't expect most people to know that the very out-of-place bit of jewelry used to be women's jewelry.
And my next thought after that was about the tiny sword I pin my hair with, and how if brooches are the step that makes me start collecting pointy things to wear, I'll be very happy with that lol
Im also mixing ancient viking/norse/Welsh clothing with modern styles. Except, the "modern" part is slowing fading away. Who needs a Northface jacket when you have layers and layers of wool, held together by belts and brooches?
Your pronunciation of “Urnes” sounded like the relatively common Norwegian place-name Ørnes, which means “eagle headland”
Take care and feel better
Welcome back! Glad to see you on the mend. I for one would love to see a video on beads, when you have the time and energy for it
Wishing you a total recovery, with no lingering after-effects! I'll add my voice to those saying to please take the time you need to feel better, and not feel bound to an upload schedule. Covid sucks!
Came for the academic content but stayed due to you! Get well soon Jimmy!
This video reminded me I have a penannular brooch I got at a craft sale last year and a throw my friend pawned off on me. So now I'm walking around my house in a big fuzzy cape 👍
glad you’re on the mend and hope you heal up at warp speed :) I’m adding a vote for bead video omg yes please!!! loved this!
Thank you for sharing a cup of tea and your knowledge with us.
I'm glad you're quickly recovered to the degree that you can be bored and stir-crazy. (That is why this video exists right, you're not pushing yourself?) Remember that recovery is not necessarily linear, and may you find ways to keep your brain as busy as it wants to be, while taking breaks and resting your body.
I love your videos! Curently i'm in the binge watching mood so yay, expect more comments :) . Anyway, i don't know if you had anyone asking for it recently, but could you maybe sometime in the future make a video about food, food preserving, and the diet of viking on the land vs on their sea travels? Thank you and have a nice day :)
Honestly....
I fell into looking up glass beads and it's a right pit it is! I'll never be free of this need to hoard them now.
The Black with red eye Bead from Gotland reminds me of the pokemon Claydol. And the Norwegian black ones with speckles are I think still a thing in marbles for children?? I remember them from when I was a kid at least.
Glad to see that you are getting better but take it easy. Next time you go for a run try leaving the chain mail at home for a change.
Glad you’re feeling better and welcome back
Jimmy, so glad you're feeling better. I was very worried. Please take care and don't over do things, you need to rest. That being said, I really enjoyed the video and would love to see more videos on the subject when you're up to it of course.
Hey great video. I'm getting into Medieval reenactment and the character I'm creating is meant to be a traveler from Scandinavia. When you're better it would be cool to see a video on travelers and how they dressed and equipped themselves.
Glad to see you're on the mend. As always I enjoy your knowledge and research!
So happy to see you back, hope your recovery is super speedy! 💙
Happy recovery! Nice to see u back.
glad to see you're feeling better, another great video
Glad you're back❣
Hope you're doing well 💗
I'm super duper new, as in haven't-even-been-to-my-first-introduction new, but I absolutely love your videos as a solid base of knowledge to get me started!
So glad to see you’re on the mend. Please take care of yourself
Glad to seee you back, but please ca' canny! Good folk are scarce...
Christ man, I’m glad to see your back and able to upload again; I hope you not feeling too rough after covid.
Enjoyed as always. Thanks.
So sorry you got sick, take care and get better soon,
Thinking of you. Thanks for the brooch history. I appreciate your kind way of letting people know that doing their own research is part of reenactment. You are the third you tuber that has mentioned that people ask them to do their research for them. Wow! I did not know that was even a thing.
Thank you for sharing!
I made my tortoise brooches from old silver spoons, and a brooch from an old tent stake,
Break out the oregano tea and wrap some onions on them feet, stuff your gut with garlic,
Our ancestors were smart with all them cunning wits,
Yes!! Do a video in beads, PLEASE! 😍 Glad you're feeling better! 💖
Thank you for being willing to broach this subject at last. ;-)
This was a great video! And yes I would love a glass beads video :) I seriously hope you are feeling better and wish you all the luck for your speedy recovery
Good to hear you're recovering! And now I really shall have to catch up on bread and thread in order to get to your episode!
Shiny and Useful…the best of both worlds! Also, happy that you are in the mend
Awesome vid! I love hearing your thoughts about these details and some of the history there
Even though I'm not personally interested in participating in historical reenactment myself, I think it's awesome
Hope you feel better soon!
Take care! Also Editing Jimmy had a lot of fun on this one. :) Thank you for the info!
It's good to see you on the mend, and may I just add: it is so sweet of you to make an effort at pronouncing things in swedish! I've been listening to Bread and Thread all evening now, so thank you for that lovely recommendation. Please take care, don't stress it - I know recovery can be quite slow!
I require the beads video. Pleas make it a reality!
Also, so sorry about the evil 😭
Glad your feeling better!!
Just ordered my first penannular brooch and came back to this video for one of my reference points. Thank you for all the work you do in helping folks get started!
Penannular brooches have always been my favorite. Beautiful simplicity that can be used for many purposes.
Definite yes on the beads, and very glad that you are feeling much better now.
Sorry to hear you've been ill! Get well soon!
Been binge watching your videos today, here in sunny Glasgow....and hand on my old swedish heart I can honestly say that I absolutely love them!
Need to nip out the shops, which I was meant to do hours ago.... yes, YOUR fault, you and your....thinking.....thinking....you and your videos! 😉😆😂🤜🏻🤛🏻🍻
Glad your health is improving. That bead video idea sounds lovely. The bit on the beads you use for your impression in that one video a while back showed a well-thought out bit of characterization. It would be delightful to see someone go over how different styles/materials and such go in and out of fashion, or how it might reflect different regions and statuses. Also, beads are pretty and its fun to listen to you talk about this stuff.
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
I freaking love viking material culture! Their jewelry absolutely slaps!
Also, you had Covid? Dude keep careful. There can be some nasty long-term effects.
Wow... You had Covid? I'm glad you're feeling better mate! Take it easy and get even better soon!
Thank you for recording the video even thou ill, and thank you even more for editing it while struggling with the rona. Hope you feel better soon and have no left over issue with it. About the video, brooches are really beautiful, I think they're one of the most amazing item you can get, because they're not only beautiful but also practical, as a garment but also as a weapon, hehehe. I don't do reenactment, and I wouldn't go that far back, but I do plan on getting some brooches just to hold a clock in a splendorous way.
feel better soon!!!!
Yes. Covid sucks. There are so many different cool styles of brooches. Thanks so much for sharing all your wonderful information with us. Glad you are starting to feel better. It definitely takes awhile. Take care.
6 seconds in. Subscribed!
I don’t know how I missed hearing you were/are sick, but from one COVID survivor to another PLEASE take it easy. We’ll all still be here when you’re ready and “real” life is going to be rough for a while yet. Much love and many blessings from Nevada.
Earlier this week: Aww, my favourite viking is sick. I'm so sad! Expecting less posts, but I hope he takes some time and recovers real strong!
Today: WHAAAT are you doing GO REST!! Also, thank you... :D
YESSS MY LOVE, As a true Niffler at heart, I SO APPROVE of this video
Welcome back jimmy! Glad to see you're on the mend and producing the great content we all love.
Ps, I've got a real bad straight guy crush on you and I can't work out why 😅
Hope you're healing well! Rest up, and thanks for the video!
I'm so glad you're starting to recover - thanks for this video. If I've understood all the brooch info correctly, I don't have to fasten my apron dress with huge heavy tortoise brooches (not harp-friendly!) I could use a couple small trefoil brooches. I would really like that - hate the tortoise brooches.
I enjoy Editing Jimmy's sense of humor. Keep him on the payroll. 😄
I'm so glad that you're on the mend from the 'rona. Please don't overdo it and take good care of yourself! All best wishes for a speedy recovery :).
Hope you feel 100% better soon!
I've got a pair of tortoise brooches and one trefoil, love the shiny!
Happy to hear you are doing better. Don’t over do it. Hydrate.
Well done sir. Excellent information and the photos are amazing