Ca. 900-1000 AD A penannular type bronze bracelet. The outer side is decorated with parallel grooves and incised motifs. In Viking society, bangles and bracelets were not only decorative but also served to mark loyalty between a ruler 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 a means of payment in a time before the widespread availability of coinage. Size: L:56mm / W:45mm ; 17.91g Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old London collection formed in the 1990s.