Wikingerzeit Anthropomorphe Maskenpassung – Äußerst gut erhaltene Metallarbeit – Sammlerstück (Ohne mindestpreis)

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Anthropomorphes Maskenbefestigung – Außerordentlich gut erhaltene Metallbearbeitung – Sammlerobjekt

Objektart: Anthropomorphes Maskenfitting / Aufhängungselement
Kultur: Skandinavisch / Nordisch (Zuschreibung)
Periode: Wikingerzeit / Frühmittelalter (Vorgeschlagene Zuschreibung)
Material: Metalllegierung
Technik: Gießen, Relief- und Linienzierungen
Dekoration: Stilisiertes menschliches Gesicht mit eingefassten Augen und ribbusigem Kopfputz
Ikonografischer Kontext: Anthropomorphes Maskenmotiv

Cultural and Iconographic Assessment Certificate: available upon request before shipment (PDF format)
-All shipments are sent fully insured
-During photography, a warm-toned lighting setup reminiscent of museum display illumination was used to emphasize the object's surface details and historic character in a natural manner.
-The suspension cords, connecting rings, and other display accessories shown in the photographs are used solely for presentation purposes and are not part of the object.

Dimensions:
H: 21.62 mm ±
W:09.17 mm ±
D: 17.11 mm ±
Weight: 5.80 g ±

Description
This cast metal-alloy object features a finely modelled anthropomorphic face with deeply recessed circular eyes, a prominent nose, a defined mouth and three transverse bands representing a stylised coiffure or headdress.

The composition is associated with the broader tradition of anthropomorphic ornament in Viking-Age and Early Medieval Northern European metalwork. Its pronounced lateral loop indicates an attachment or suspension function, placing the object within the typological category of decorated fittings and mounts. The facial decoration is classified as a mask motif, a recognised element of northern European ornamental art.

The mask's schematic modelling and pronounced relief give the object a distinctive sculptural character. Its iconography is considered within the wider Scandinavian decorative tradition without assigning the figure to a specific deity or mythological identity.

The object is exceptionally well preserved in its principal decorative features. The eyes, nose, mouth, transverse bands and attachment loop remain clearly defined. Extensive patination and age-related surface deposits retain its characteristic archaeological appearance.

Its substantial construction, legible anthropomorphic decoration and remarkable preservation make this a distinctive collector's piece of Early Medieval metalwork.

Information
The offered object was acquired in 2026 through an auction associated with A.N. Auction House in Germany and was transferred to us in 2026 by its previous owner, N.A., based in the Netherlands

The object has been documented using high-resolution equipment; no intervention has been made to its form or structural integrity, and only limited color-balance adjustment has been applied.

Upon request, museum-standard technical photographs may be provided during the auction; if requested prior to shipment, an expert report and a signed ownership document issued in the buyer’s name can be supplied in PDF format within 3–5 business days

Statements regarding dating, function, symbolic interpretation, and material identification represent high-probability academic assessments based on typological comparisons, parallels in museum collections, and expert opinion; definitive conclusions require advanced laboratory analysis and fall outside the scope of the platform’s sales process.

Prospective buyers are advised to evaluate the images in conjunction with the stated measurements, as high-resolution photography may influence perceived scale. Throughout the presentation and sales process, principles of scholarly consistency, transparency, and good faith are observed, and no object is knowingly offered as a copy or imitation.