Sterling Silver Lindholm Serpent Pin

This piece is very similar to a brooch from Lindholm, Hoge in Denmark taking the form of an animal of the Urnes style, the final ornament style of the Viking period. The Urnes style which lasts from the middle of the 11th to the middle of the 12th century takes its name from the Norwegian Stavechurch at Urnes. The portal of this church is bounded about by an intricate carving of this design. This design initially appears during the early iron age around 700 A.D. This is often interpreted as Christianity in battle against Paganism - the latter of course represented by the serpent. This piece is approximately 1 1/2" Across.