figurines

New research challenges long-held assumptions about miniature Viking-Age figurines, revealing they were dynamic participants in Norse society rather than mere symbolic amulets. A groundbreaking study published in the journal Antiquity examines ten bronze and silver figurines from Sweden's collections, uncovering evidence of complex production methods, intentional modifications, and varied ritual uses that transform our understanding of these enigmatic objects. How a Viking Amulet Solved the Mystery of Thor's Hammer Viking Pendants Suggest Ritual Gender Roles, New Study Says Manufacturing Secrets Written in Metal Researchers employed cutting-edge techniques including microwear analysis and Reflective Transformation Imaging to examine figurines housed at the Swedish History Museum, reports Archaeology Magazine. The collection includes so-called " valkyrie" figures, a seated phallic form, a rare pregnant