c. 900-1100 AD. Viking Age. Twisted silver ring comprising of circular hoop comprised of interwoven strands of silver which were melded into a single strand at the shoulders. 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: 17.4mm / US: 7 / UK: O; 5.1g; Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s.