#fibulae

"Hornelund" Bowl-shaped, circular gold fibula,

Iron Age (500 BC-1050 AD),

From Hornelund, Horne parish,

8.5 cm in diameter and weighs 60–75 grams,

Wodan Fibulae

This is just a small post about an archeological find that I saw last saturday, it fascinated me so much that I like to share some information about it.

This is a fibulae found in Heiloo, the Netherlands. This find is especially interesting because it shows a few mythological symbols. On this fibulae, we recognize the face of the God of war, magic, wisdom and death, Wodan.

Here are photos that show his two ravens, the face of his horse and the face of Wodan himself.

Pair of fibulae

Each of the two fibulae consists of a sliding tongue on an arch and a decorative body finished on the edge opposite the pin with a small ring intended to fix the chain that joined the two fibulae. The body of the fibula is ovoid and its decoration arranged radially. Four bezels in the shape of fleurons known as gharnati or roses of Rhodes set with two green fluorite stones and two garnets emanate from an oval medallion studded with a green fluorite stone. Foliate compositions consisting of double grooved palms and three symmetrical palms in the shape of fleurons also emerge from the centre. These are decorated with baroque pearls attached to the surface of the piece with gold wire fixed with a small golden ball. The edges of the fibula are decorated with double palms whose lobes curl in different directions to form a line of festoons.

This valuable, practical piece of jewellery was intended to hold up the bride's haik (robe) and includes a prophylactic symbol against the evil eye. In fact, the cruciform arrangement consisting of five stones suggests the five-fingered hand motif as well as the central eye that sees danger and scatters it to the four winds to protect the new bride or wife who wears it from any misfortune that the envious may wish upon her.

Credits: Naima El Khatib-Boujibar "Pair of fibulae" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.

Ein Blogeintrag zu meinen neuen Gjerstad-Fibeln :)