16-part gold jewellery from Hiddensee

• found in Neuendorf on Hiddensee, district of Vorpommern-Rügen,
  gold (in total 595.5 g);
• Nordic-Scandinavian, 2nd half of the 10^th century
• Solid collar, gold; outer diameter: 13.5 cm
• Disc brooch, gold plate; diameter: 8.0 cm
• Links, gold plate; length: 2.3 cm
• Crucifix pendants, gold plate; length: 5.1-6.9 cm

The gold jewellery from Hiddensee is made of pure gold and consists of 16 individual pieces. It is purchased successively between 1873 and 1874; reports suggest that it surfaced following the two devastating storm surges of 1872 and 1874 in Neuendorf on Hiddensee. The collar is found in a double coil, which indicates it may have been kept in a ceramic receptacle. All of the jewellery items show signs of wear. It is impossible to tell whether they were worn by one person or belonged to a family estate.

The disc brooch and the crucifix pendants bear an ornament that combines the Scandinavian style of animal portraits with western European braiding patterns and Christian symbolism. Despite varying details, all of the jewellery items were manufactured in one workshop. The substantial crafts skill demonstrated in these finds, also the quantity of gold involved, suggest that they originated around one of the major Viking centres of power. It is extremely likely that they were hoarded at their find site.