A very elegant Viking Age bronze amulet, formed as a stylised sacred leaf or heart-shaped openwork pendant, a motif widely associated in Norse belief with life, renewal, protection and wisdom. The openwork design, composed of balanced organic lobes radiating from a central axis, is reminiscent of mythological vegetation imagery, often interpreted by modern scholarship and tradition as symbolic of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, from which all life flows in Norse cosmology. Such pendants are commonly understood as protective amulets, worn close to the body and imbued with symbolic meaning rather than purely decorative intent. Such amulets were likely worn as personal talismans, reflecting the wearer’s connection to myth, nature, and protection in daily life. Note: Presented in an uncleaned state, preserving its original surface and historical integrity. Culture: Viking / Norse Period: Viking Age, c. 8th–11th century AD Material: Bronze Form: Openwork sacred leaf / heart-shaped amulet Condition: Good ancient condition; stable patina; wear consistent with age