c. 900-1100 AD. Viking Age. Twisted gold ring comprising of circular hoop separating at the shoulders into three, interwoven strands. This ring was intended to evoke the form of a snake. In Norse mythology, Jormungand (pronounced “YOUR-mun-gand;” Old Norse Jörmungandr, “Great Beast”), also called the “Midgard Serpent,” is a snake or dragon who lives in the ocean that surrounds Midgard, the visible world. He was so enormous that his body forms a circle around the entirety of Midgard. He is one of the three children of Loki and the giantess Angrboda, along with Hel and Fenrir. All samples correspond to the metal content of the period specified; no modern trace elements were detected in the patina; expertly cleaned and conserved. Excellent condition; wearable. Size: D: 16.51mm / US: 6 / UK: M; 13.55g; Provenance: Property of a professional London art expert; obtained from an old British collection formed in the 1970s.