Viking Woman Triquetra Key

This Viking key is a copy of an elegant Norwegian find from Oppland, dated to the 9^th – 10^th centuries.

Keys in the Viking Age were a symbol of female authority. The woman, as head of the household, carried the keys to the locks in the house. Such locks were not used on doors, as they were in later centuries, but on strongboxes that held the silver and other items valuable to the household. As an important symbol of a woman’s responsibility and honour, many decorative keys have been found that were worn as jewellery.

This unusual key with a striking triquetra design is a very rare type, perhaps indicating the connections between Norway and Ireland at the time. The three cornered knot was originally a pagan motif used by both Germanic and Celtic peoples, an ancient symbol of tripartite myths (later developed by Christianity to represent the Holy Trinity).

LENGTH 52mm (approx. 2 inches)

Weight of Sterling Silver 10g (Weight may vary from piece to piece)