Finno-Ugrian Bronze Penannular Omega Brooch

10th - 11th century, Scandinavian or Baltic.

Magnificent and rare Finno-Ugrian bronze alloy penannular omega-type brooch featuring a free-moving central pin, connected to the circular body via a loop. Its terminals are shaped as a stylized animal heads, or upstanding leaf tendrils. The exterior of the body is decorated with diagonal grooves. Brooches such as this one were status symbols, tradable goods in lieu of currency, and are often found as grave goods to provision the dead for the afterlife. Penannular brooches feature a long pin attached by its head to a ring; the pin can move freely around the ring as far as the rolled terminals, which are close together. The brooches were worn by both men and women, usually singly at the shoulder by men and on the breast by women, and with the pin pointing up. With a penannular brooch, the pin is pushed through folds of the cloth, which are then pulled back inside the ring, the free end of the pin passes through the gap in the ring. 

Excellent condition. Intact. Age-related wear. Corrosion. Encrusted green patina. Size approx. 3,8cm x 2,8cm x 1,0cm.

Provenance: Swedish private collection.

For a similar examples see:

Penannular Brooch, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 53.78.5 (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/468453)

Penannular brooch, The British Museum, Accession Number: 1868,1228.471 (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_1868-1228-471)