9th-10th century AD. A bronze brooch and pendant assemblage comprising: two elliptical bronze tortoise brooches, each domed with raised ornament of four Borre-style faces with pellet eyes to the centre of a panel of body parts and hatching with two more faces to the narrow ends, wide flange, catchplate, pin hinge and pendant attachment bar to the reverse; two openwork triangular-shaped pendants each with an apex loop and five lower attachment loops, each pendant joined by three double-link chains; to one side two additional chains of double-links join a bronze equal-arm brooch with two trapezoidal arms, each with raised Borre-Style geometric ornament, masks to the ends and central domed panel, hinged pin to the reverse, pierced lug to accept the chain, and a bronze fire steel with two large perched ravens facing each other on the handle, remains of the iron striker below; to the other side two additional chains of double-links join an iron key and a pair of iron sheers. See MacGregor, A. et al., A Summary Catalogue of the Continental Archaeological Collections, Oxford, 1997, item 4, for oval brooches; cf. Ewing, T., Viking Clothing, Stroud, 2007.527 grams total, 8.6-42cm (3 1/4 - 16 1/2"). From the family collection of a UK gentleman, by descent in the early 1970s; previously acquired before 1960; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no. 10511-170962. Scandinavian women's display jewellery in the Viking age comprised both utilitarian and symbolic items. The brooches were worn high on the chest, supporting an apron-type overdress (hangerok) with the beads and chains strung between them and various small items attached. The pendants probably symbolised the authority of the female in the domestic sphere (key, coin, spindle whorl), and in husbandry (model animal, crotal bells, model knife"). [3]