Images of Viking Age Norsewomen

Below is a small collection of images I have been able to put together, largely due to the kindness of people using Creative Commons licenses. The images are sorted by modern-day country, or island.

Denmark

No specific dating

Left: A figure with knotted pigtails. Centre: Horse riders facing a figure, the left is from Tissø (Nationalmuseets Drama i Oldtiden), dated to the 10th century (Langer, 2000). Right: A 'valkyrie' from Nygård, Bornholm (Nationalmuseet Danmark).
Photographs by :bloodofox: at Wikimedia, edited for contrast by myself.

England

Undated

Above: A silver pendant from Suffolk. For more information, see pages 24 and 58 of the 2001-3 Annual Report of the Portable Antiquities Scheme [Comment in 2022: This is an Internet Archive link to a PDF.]

11th century

Above: Believed to be a depiction of the goddess Sigyn, on the Gosforth Cross.
Artwork by Julius Magnus Petersen, believed to be in the public domian.
See Also Another panel on the cross, showing a women, and a Valkyrie from Norfolk.

Norway

9th century

See: The Oseberg Tapestry, and a reconstuction.

10th century and later

See: The Tu runestone from Rogaland, N 228. Stylistically dated to ca. 990-1010 AD (Rundata, 1993).

Russia

10th century

See: A 'Valkyrie' amulet from the Gnezdovo hoard. In The Way to the East [PDF].

Sweden

8th century

Above Left: Strap-fitting from Solberga, Östergötland, showing a giantess wearing a shawl. Dated to the 8th century by Holmqvist (1960).
Photo by John Ljungkvist SHMM
Above Right: The centre-right silver pendent is from Sibble, Södermanland. Dated by Holmqvist (1960).
Photo by Statens historiska museer SHM
See Also: Guldgubber figures found in a post-hole, dated 710-720 CE from Slöinge, Halland. Figures 6 and 27 from Hupfauf (2006).

8-9th century

Above: Silver-gilt pendant from Tuna, Uppland. Dating by Holmqvist (1960).
Photo by:Statens historiska museer SHM

9-10th century

Above: Silver earspoon from Birka grave Bj 507. Dating by Holmqvist (1960).
Photo by: Ulrik Skans SHMM

10th century and later

Above Left: Silver pendant from Klinta, Öland. Dating by Holmqvist (1960).
Photo by: Statens historiska museer SHM
Above Right: Silver pendant from Birka grave Bj 968. Dating by Holmqvist (1960).
Photo by: Statens historiska museer SHM

Above Left: Silver pendant of Freya from Aska, Östergötland. Dating by Holmqvist (1960).
Photo by: Christer Åhlin SHM
Above Right: Silver pendant from Birka grave Bj 825. Dating by Holmqvist (1960).
Photo by: Statens historiska museer SHM

Sweden (Gotland)

8-9th century

Left: Gotlandic picture stone from Tjängvide, dated to the 8-9th c. (Holmqvist, 1960). Photograph by “Berig” at Wikimedia.
Right: Picturestone from Etelhem, date taken from information plaque at Fornsalen Museum, Visby. Photograph by Wolfgang Sauber at Wikimedia.

No Specific Dating

Left: Hildr on the Smiss picture-stone. Centre: Hildr on the Stora Hammars I picture-stone. Right: Image from the Hunninge (I) Runestone.
Photographs by “Berig” at Wikimedia.

Bibliography

• Holmqvist, W. 1960. “The Dancing Gods” Acta Archaeologica 31; 101-127.
• Hupfauf, P.R.M. 2006. "Signs and Symbols Represented in Germanic, Particularly Scandinavian, Iconography Between the Migration Period and End of the Viking Age." (University of Sydney: PhD Thesis.)
  http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/handle/2123/662.
• Langer, J. 2010. "Símbolos religiosos dos Vikings: guia iconográfico" História, imagem e narrativas 11
  http://www.historiaimagem.com.br/edicao11outubro2010/simbolos-religiosos-vikings.pdf [Internet Archive PDF]
• Rundata. 1993. Samnordisk Runtextdatabas (Uppsala: Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala Univeristy.) https://www.nordiska.uu.se/forskn/samnord.htm/

©2010-11 Rebecca Lucas. See above images for their respective licenses.