Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid. Early Medieval Viking Age silver lunula (crescent) amulet pendant formed in an open crescent shape. The body is evenly rounded and decorated with several transverse bands dividing the surface into segments. The upper section features an integral suspension loop allowing the pendant to be worn on a cord or chain. The terminals are slightly thickened and taper gently towards the ends, representing stylised serpent heads in a simplified zoomorphic form. -> Lunula pendants, named after the Latin word for “little moon,” were widely worn throughout the early medieval world. The crescent shape symbolised the moon and was associated with protection, fertility, and cosmic power. -> Crescent-shaped amulets are known from Viking, Baltic, and Slavic cultural contexts, where they were worn as personal talismans believed to provide protection and spiritual strength. Zoomorphic terminal forms, including stylised serpents, are characteristic of early medieval metalwork and may have carried additional protective meaning. Diameter: ± 31,5 mm Height: ± 32,1 mm (including suspension loop) Condition: Good solid condition, wearable. Signs of wear consistent with age and use. Certificate of Authenticity: available upon request (pdf-format). -> In the Viking Age, snakes and serpents held strong symbolic meaning and were often associated with protection, transformation, and cosmic power. In Norse mythology, the great serpent Jörmungandr encircled the world, representing both the boundary of the known world and the forces of chaos. Serpents were also linked to renewal and cyclical life due to their shedding of skin, and in art they frequently appear as protective, intertwining forms. As decorative motifs on jewellery and amulets, snake forms likely served an apotropaic function, warding off harm and embodying strength and continuity. Material: This object has been carefully examined for its material and surface characteristics. Laboratory analysis (e.g. XRF) is not routinely undertaken in private collecting, and destructive testing is avoided as it causes permanent damage to archaeological material. Before modern hallmarking, gold and silver alloys varied depending on local resources, recycling practices and economic conditions.