Ca. 900-1100 AD. Viking Age. A solid bronze bracelet decorated with geometric patterns. Good Condition; beautiful patina. In Viking society, arm rings and bracelets were not merely decorative but also served to mark bonds of loyalty between a lord and his followers in a culture where honour was a matter of life and death. Such items were also given to young men to mark their coming of age. Bracelets made of precious metals were also used as currency in a time before the widespread availability of coinage. For more information on Viking Jewellery, see Arbman, H. (1940). Birka I Die Gräber. Uppsala. Size: L:50mm / W:64mm ; 25.5g. Provenance: From the collection of a gentleman based in London; formerly in an old British collection; acquired in the 1980s.