Brooch based on motifs from a stave church portal from Norway, around 1200 AD

Description

Brooch made after the stave church portal of Hyllestad, Norway. The rich carving tells the story of the Völsungen, a 13th-century Icelandic saga containing elements of the Nibelungenlied. The depiction here shows Sigurd slaying the dragon Fafnar. The carvings were probably made around 1200. The portal of the church, demolished in 1838, is now in the Museum of the University of Oslo. The diameter of the brooch is 5.3 cm. Can also be used as a pendant, as it has a hidden eyelet in addition to the strong pin on the back made of spring-hard bronze.