Bronze Tone Norse Tortoise Viking Shield Brooch

Description

Bronze Tone Norse Tortoise Viking Shield Brooch. 2.5 inch. $12.95.

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Learning About Norse People AKA Vikings. Shop our selection of Norse Viking Items HERE.

the Viking turtle fibula (also called oval brooches), you’re touching on a culturally and symbolically rich item—especially for Viking women.

What Is a Turtle Fibula?

• The term “turtle fibula” or “tortoise brooch” refers to the oval-shaped brooches worn in pairs by Viking women, usually on each shoulder to fasten their apron dresses.

• The name comes from the brooch’s domed, rounded shape, resembling a turtle shell—not because they depict actual turtles.

Symbolism & Mythological Connections

1. Spiritual Role of Women

• Viking women were keepers of the household and its magic—they often had roles associated with seiðr (magic), prophecy, and ancestor veneration.

• The turtle brooches sometimes held strings of beads, amulets, keys, and tools—symbolizing both practical power and ritual/spiritual authority.

2. Connection to the Norns and Seeresses

• Women who practiced seiðr (like the völva, a prophetess) were viewed with awe and fear. The gear they wore—sometimes including ornate turtle fibulae—may have echoed the attire of mythical female figures like the Norns(who control fate) or the goddess Freyja, who was associated with magic.

• Some scholars believe the symbolic placement and decoration of these brooches may have reflected a cosmic or ritual function—echoing the structure of Norse cosmology or feminine spiritual power.

3. Animal & Mythic Motifs

• Some turtle brooches are decorated with gripping beasts, serpents, birds, or stylized dragons—iconography tied to protection, fate, and the divine.

• These decorations may have been more than ornamental—they could invoke mythic creatures like:

  • Jörmungandr, the world serpent.

  • Protective spirits or totemic animals.

  • Freyja’s cats, Odin’s ravens, or other divine symbols.

Mythic Interpretation (Modern Scholarly View)

While there’s no specific myth about turtle fibulae in Norse texts, modern scholars and archaeologists interpret them as deeply symbolic items linked to:

• Status and identity of Viking women.

• Magico-religious roles, especially those connected to Norse cosmology.

• Visual language of myth, translated into everyday attire.

Also, here is a link to Wikipedia about The Norse people.

Bronze Tone Norse Tortoise Viking Shield Brooch. 2.5 inch. $12.95.