Medieval, Viking Bronze Stirrup Mount with Face
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Selected by Peter Reynaers
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Estimate € 280 - € 350
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Medieval Viking bronze stirrup mount with a human face, dating to the 9th–10th century, 39 × 28 mm, in good condition.
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Description from the seller
Medieval Viking Bronze Stirrup Mount with Human Face
Culture / Period: Medieval, Viking
Date / Period: 9th - 10th century
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: 39 × 28 mm
Condition: Good condition
No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid.
Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 843
The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the Stirrup Mount with Face from E.R. in Doesburg, the Netherlands.
The previous owner, E.R. from Doesburg (the Netherlands), stated that the object had been in his collection since the 1990's.
According to the previous owner, the object had previously been in a private collection in the Netherlands since the 1990's.
No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.
Background Information:
This cast bronze stirrup mount dates to the 9th–10th century and belongs to the decorative horse harness fittings of the Viking Age. The mount is ornamented with a stylised human face, featuring pierced circular eyes and a prominent rounded brow, a design characteristic of Scandinavian and Anglo-Scandinavian decorative traditions in which simplified anthropomorphic masks frequently appear on personal ornaments and equestrian equipment.
Originally attached by rivets to the leather strap passing over the stirrup, mounts of this type reinforced the harness while serving as visible decorative elements. Horses played an important role in Viking society for travel, warfare, trade, and status, and richly ornamented harness fittings reflected both skilled craftsmanship and the social standing of the rider.
Animal and human mask motifs are well documented in Viking art, where they likely served not only as decoration but also as symbolic protective devices. Although the precise meaning of individual faces cannot usually be determined, such imagery formed part of the distinctive artistic vocabulary that spread across Scandinavia and the Viking settlements of England, Ireland, and the North Sea region.
Cast in bronze using reusable moulds and finished by hand, stirrup mounts were produced by specialised metalworkers and fitted to high-quality riding equipment. Surviving examples are considerably less common than ordinary dress fittings, particularly those retaining clear facial decoration.
This piece provides a direct and tangible connection to the Viking world, where decorated horse equipment combined practical function with artistic expression and accompanied its owner in travel, trade, and warfare across medieval Europe.
Medieval Viking Bronze Stirrup Mount with Human Face
Culture / Period: Medieval, Viking
Date / Period: 9th - 10th century
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: 39 × 28 mm
Condition: Good condition
No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid.
Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 843
The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the Stirrup Mount with Face from E.R. in Doesburg, the Netherlands.
The previous owner, E.R. from Doesburg (the Netherlands), stated that the object had been in his collection since the 1990's.
According to the previous owner, the object had previously been in a private collection in the Netherlands since the 1990's.
No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.
Background Information:
This cast bronze stirrup mount dates to the 9th–10th century and belongs to the decorative horse harness fittings of the Viking Age. The mount is ornamented with a stylised human face, featuring pierced circular eyes and a prominent rounded brow, a design characteristic of Scandinavian and Anglo-Scandinavian decorative traditions in which simplified anthropomorphic masks frequently appear on personal ornaments and equestrian equipment.
Originally attached by rivets to the leather strap passing over the stirrup, mounts of this type reinforced the harness while serving as visible decorative elements. Horses played an important role in Viking society for travel, warfare, trade, and status, and richly ornamented harness fittings reflected both skilled craftsmanship and the social standing of the rider.
Animal and human mask motifs are well documented in Viking art, where they likely served not only as decoration but also as symbolic protective devices. Although the precise meaning of individual faces cannot usually be determined, such imagery formed part of the distinctive artistic vocabulary that spread across Scandinavia and the Viking settlements of England, Ireland, and the North Sea region.
Cast in bronze using reusable moulds and finished by hand, stirrup mounts were produced by specialised metalworkers and fitted to high-quality riding equipment. Surviving examples are considerably less common than ordinary dress fittings, particularly those retaining clear facial decoration.
This piece provides a direct and tangible connection to the Viking world, where decorated horse equipment combined practical function with artistic expression and accompanied its owner in travel, trade, and warfare across medieval Europe.
Details
Culture
Medieval, Viking
Century/timeframe
9th - 10th century
Name of object
Stirrup Mount with Face
Acquired from
Private collection
Year acquired
2026
Material
Bronze
Country acquired from
Netherlands
Condition
Good
Previous owner acquired from
Auction house
Previous owner - year acquired
1990
Previous owner - country acquired from
Netherlands
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
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The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
