Pre Christian Art Style Art Characterized by Twisting Interlocking Shapes Called Interlace

Westwardhile some know them as pirates, seafarers, invaders, raiders, pillagers, barbarians, savages, and bang-up disguised men, most of u.s. know them as the Vikings. They have received quite an infamous reputation in history, and rightfully so because they did invade and pillage most of European lands and towns. However, they left backside more than ruins in their seafaring trails, but tales of a culture rich in history, mythology, and art.

Table of Contents

• i The Northmen: A Viking History
• 2 Viking Artwork
• three Viking Art Styles
  • 3.1 Oseberg Manner (c. 775 – 875 CE)
  • 3.2 Borre (c. 850 – 975 CE)
  • iii.3 Jellinge (c. 900 – 975 CE)
  • three.4 Mammen (c. 960 – chiliad/1025 CE)
  • iii.five Ringerike (c. 990 – 1050 CE)
  • 3.six Urnes (c. 1050-1125 CE)
• 4 The Viking Age Declines and the Romanesque Age Begins
• 5 Oftentimes Asked Questions
  • v.one What Is Viking Art?
  • 5.2 What Were the Styles of Viking Fine art?
  • five.3 What Are the Characteristics of Viking Fine art?

The Northmen: A Viking History

Earlier we discuss Viking Art, it is useful to understand who these "Northmen" were. The term "Northmen" was used to designate the Norsemen, otherwise, the Norse people, who inhabited medieval Scandinavia, a commonage of the Northern European countries of Kingdom of denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

The Vikings were Norsemen and a group of seafaring "warriors" who invaded Europe and prominent areas similar the British Isles – they too went as far equally Russia and Canada in their conquests. It is important to understand that the Vikings were simply a part of the whole of this Norse culture and there was more to them than the mod-day understanding of them as vehement, barbaric "pirates".

The term "Viking" has been given multiple meanings over the ages and a full general understanding of its origins will provide better context. "Viking" has been used as a noun and verb in certain contexts. Information technology is peculiarly defined every bit "pirate" and derives from the Old Norse word vikingr.

The word vikingr is also derived from the word vík significant "inlet" or "bay" and the suffix –ingr connotes someone who "belongs to" – the significant can loosely exist given that information technology is someone of the bay, which is where the Vikings were perceived to come from when they crossed the seas to invade new lands.

Norsemen Landing in Iceland(1909), a black-and-white reproduction of a painting showing Norsemen in a transport;Oscar Wergeland, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Viking Age started around 793 to 1066 CE with the notable 793 CE invasion of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland, North East England. This was the onset of the Viking invasions and the severity of what these "Northmen" were capable of. They pillaged and killed the people from the island and desecrated what was considered holy without whatsoever reverence to the Christian religion practiced throughout England.

Although the Vikings raided many coastal areas, they too invaded inland. It was in 799 CE when they invaded the monastery of St. Philibert on the tidal island, Noirmoutier, in France – this was recorded as the start continental assail. The Vikings reached far and broad across Europe and were involved in many wars and trades in different countries.

Their settlements were placed widely throughout the British Isles in places similar Scotland and Ireland, they also founded, traded, and settled in cities like Dublin. Their expansion also reached into Russia and North American countries like Greenland and the northern part of Newfoundland in Canada.

The Viking civilization, or Norse civilization, was diverse and non solely designated to pillaging and raiding. They were as well farmers and traders with skills in blacksmithing, weaving, carpentry, music, crafts, and more.

The Viking longships also became one of their near innovative constructions, used to navigate the seas and have them to distant lands. It was a significant part of the Viking culture as most of their expeditions required considerable seafaring navigation. The longship's design was platonic for lightness and speed on the bounding main. Information technology was long and narrow in construction with oars running forth the boat's length intended for rowers.

Carving of a Viking send at body of water, with shields hanging along the railing; Sjöhistoriska museet, CC BY-SA three.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The longships were also versatile, each terminate was designed similarly, which minimized the effort of ever needing to turn a boat around, furthermore, the gunkhole's draft was shallow, enabling it to be on shallow waters. There were varying types of longships and made from different types of wood depending on the area of construction.

The Vikings' history is rich with religion and mythology, and at that place are 2 principal texts that provided a framework about the Norse (Scandinavian) history overall. The Eddas are Icelandic manuscripts, namely, the Prose Edda and Poetic Edda. The Prose Edda'due south origins get back to during the early 1200s CE and the Poetic Edda's origins go back to the late 1200s CE.

Both texts were written by dissimilar authors; the Prose Edda was written by Snorri Sturluson, a poet and historian from Iceland. The author for the later text is still unclear and with many theories pointing to the work compiled by various poets, who also passed downwardly the stories orally.

LEFT: Title page of a manuscript of the Prose Edda, showing Odin, Heimdallr, Sleipnir, and other figures from Norse mythology, 18th century;Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Correct: A miniature particular from the Poetic Edda; Gilwellian, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Viking Artwork

Some of the main characteristics of Viking Art include its functionality. This is evident in the wide option of fine art (or ornamentation) portrayed on various everyday objects like drinking vessels, armor, weapons, storage containers, jewelry, transport equipment, and parts like oars, piece of furniture, and much more. Viking artwork, or more broadly Norse artwork, combined with their daily life and represented their beliefs most the world.

The Viking civilisation had a Heathen belief organization, which was dominantly the Scandinavian conventionalities system. However, the Vikings would accept encountered Christianity during their raids of various monasteries along the coasts of England. The Viking culture somewhen adopted the Christian belief system. The Scandinavian belief system is known for its Norse Mythology with gods like Odin and Thor. These are as well mythological characters alive today through pop culture and mod Viking concept art.

Picture stone from Tjängvide, Alskog Parish, Gotland, Sweden; Berig, CC By-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Another important characteristic of Viking Art includes the utilization of symbolism. Objects appear decorated with elaborate bathetic designs of animals, birds, humanoid figures, and patterns. A mutual pattern seen in Viking design is the intertwining of shapes or spiral-like motifs, this is also referred to as Norse knotwork.

Norse knotwork was a common motif within Norse Fine art in full general and bore influences from Celtic Art knotwork, notwithstanding, there are differences between the ii design styles. For example, Celtic knotwork (Icovellavna) depicts more lines flowing in a seemingly ordered pattern. Norse knotwork shares similar blueprint patterns, but besides includes other visual motifs like animals, faces, or other significant symbolic objects.

Most of Norse Art, and similarly Viking artwork, was skilfully carved in woods. In fact, woodworking was an of import occupation and skill in Viking culture. Other materials utilized were metals, stones, ivory, os, including textiles. We detect the Viking designs on many of their objects, including objects for burials and their seafaring ships.

Elaborate interlace of ane of 5 unique carved fauna-head posts institute in the Oseberg burial mound well-nigh Tønsberg, Norway (100 km southwest of Oslo) when excavated in 1904. The find as well consisted of the Oseberg transport, numerous other wooden and metal artifacts, textiles, and sacrificed animals used as offerings to the two buried women;William Allen, Image Historian, CC Past-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Viking Fine art Styles

Viking artwork has been categorized into six distinguishing art styles based on the evolution of the Viking knotwork and design. The styles are also based on the names of where the Viking objects were found. Furthermore, the styles are ordered by their date of occurrence, and it is important to note that these dates overlap with each other (much similar the overlapping Viking designs). Below we discuss each style and how the Viking design evolves throughout each.

Oseberg Style (c. 775 – 875 CE)

The Oseberg Style is the first noted mode in traditional Viking Art, the name derives from the burial mound discovered at Oseberg, located near the city of Tønsberg, Vestfold County, Kingdom of norway during 1904 and 1905. The discovery is marked past the founding of the Oseberg Viking longship fabricated of oak wood.

The transport was made for funerary purposes for two women whose skeletal remains were excavated in the burying site. It also included various objects, or "grave appurtenances", accompanying the burial, these ranged from decoratively carved wooden bedposts, sleighs (or sleds), a wagon made from oak, wooden chests, and various other paraphernalia like wooden buckets with ladles and apples inside, as well every bit textiles and garments from the buried women.

A pic of the Oseberg longship;National Library of Norway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The wooden buckets were made from yew wood with contumely inlays, but one saucepan stood out from the rest, referred to equally the Buddha Bucket, also made from yew with brass handles. Each stop of the brass handle is attached to the back of the head of two Buddha-like figures, sitting in what is seemingly a "lotus posture".

These metal figures are referred to equally escutcheons, which are used as decorative and protective metal covers effectually various functional objects like handles, doorknobs, keyholes, or in this case the saucepan'southward handles. Furthermore, the torsos of the 2 figures appear as ornamental squares, decorated in enamel, which is referred to every bit cloisonné enamel.

What is unique almost the Buddha-similar figures is their shut resemblance to Asian culture, and it is debated whether this was influenced by information technology, particularly the Buddhist civilisation.

Scholarly sources point it derives from Celtic and Early Christian influences. The figures may, in fact, be representations of the god Cernunnos from Celtic mythology who is often depicted every bit sitting in a lotus-like posture. The decorated trunk as well derives from similar Celtic designs.

Anthropomorphic contumely ornamentation at the handle of the "Buddha-saucepan" (Buddha-bøtte), institute with the Oseberg transport burial (ca. 800 CE);Thorguds, CC Past-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Other decorative elements from the Oseberg Mode include the Norse knotwork designs, specifically the "gripping beast" and "ribbon beast" motifs on the ship's bow (forepart) and stern (dorsum). These motifs appear every bit animal-similar animals with circles for optics (often described equally "zoomorphic"), interlocking, snaking around one some other, and seemingly engulfing other winding parts. This creates a more abstracted and geometric appearance as well equally a patterned effect forth the ship's bow.

There are two notable sculptors (otherwise also referred to as "carvers" because of the importance placed on wood etching every bit a primary skill) prevalent during this menses, they are named the "Academician" and the "Baroque Master". Both artists carved animal head posts, which have been compared in stylistic differences. The Academician is described as having a traditional Viking Art style and the Bizarre Master is described every bit more "innovative" in his style.

Prows of Viking ships and medieval boats moored to the pier in the harbor of the small city of Tønsberg, Norway. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: "Saga Oseberg" , a full-scale replica of the "Oseberg Ship" , a Viking ship from virtually AD 820 discovered in a burying mound near Tønsberg, with the prow ending in a spiral-shaped serpent's caput; "Saga Farmann" , a reconstruction of the " Klåstadskipet " ship from almost AD 820; and "Sæheimr", inspired by the "Fjørtoftbåten" boat from about AD 860, decorated with a dragon's head on the fore stem; Wolfmann, CC Past-SA iv.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Academician carved an brute head postal service, the caput appears to be a beast with an open oral cavity. It is decorated with interweaving carved patterns while the rest of the body is apparently wood. The patterns appear more every bit a atypical motif utilized.

The Baroque Master likewise carved what is referred to equally a head mail service, but it depicts multiple motifs to decorate the caput. The decorations too run further down the neck compared to the Academician's head post. There are more than figures and animals intricately carved in overall circular designs.

The Oseberg style is sometimes also referred to as the Broa style due to the finding of 22 gold-bronze harness mounts in Broa, a town in Gotland, a Swedish isle. The harness mounts were institute in a grave belonging to a man. The Broa style is ofttimes used alongside the Oseberg way.

Borre (c. 850 – 975 CE)

The Borre Viking style was named after the discovery of bronze bridle mounts from a ship'southward grave in the Borre Mound Cemetery located in Borre in Vestfold County, Norway. This way is a continuation of the previous style with similarities in the Viking blueprint, however, there are too notable differences compared to the previous mode.

Nosotros will notice the characteristic "gripping-beast" motif in various objects, just there are other stylistic motifs evident. The various forms are depicted in what is described as tighter arrangements, giving more compactness. This in plow reduces the spaces in the background, this is a notable divergence versus the previous fashion where in that location were more than open spaces in the background.

When we look at the type of figures, or forms, portrayed, they also interlock with the other. The facial features of some of the figures appear with larger, rounded optics, heads in more triangular shapes, too as ears that are more pointed. This is evident in an instance from Gotland in Sweden, the Silvery Disc Brooch.

Cast silver disc brooch equanimous of a dished plate, overlaid with Borre-style interlace and three-dimensional animal and human figures. The disc has a raised beaded edge;Unknown author Unknown author, CC By-SA four.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This brooch has several homo and beast-like figures arranged in a circular pattern, some protruding more than others. There are iv four-legged animals and four human figures, each bundled in-between the other. The animals appear equally if their heads are bending all the way to their back with their tongues licking their backs.

The homo figures appear squatted, holding a 5-shaped object around their cervix area. In an aerial view of this object, we notice the human figures announced to exist looking upwards as we find their full oval (or triangular) shaped faces with rounded optics and big noses.

Other objects from this style include the Gilt Spur with the "ring-chain" pattern on it – a design feature of this manner. The "ring-chain" pattern is also called "ring-braid" and appears every bit diverse intertwining and interlacing circles.

The Borre style became prominent in other areas non merely restricted to Scandinavia, for case, the British Isles and Baltic areas like Russia.

Jellinge (c. 900 – 975 CE)

The Jellinge Viking way is often characterized as being continuous with the Borre style, and it is named later a argent cup from a royal burying mound in the town called Jellinge in Denmark. The silver cup depicts the characteristic S-shaped animal with a caput and big circular eyes. The animal creatures surround the whole exterior circumference of the cup, interlacing with the other to course a fluid patterned effect.

"Found in the huge double barrow in which the heathen king Gorm the Old, founder of the Danish monarchy (c. 900-936), and his Christian wife Thyra, were buried side by side at Jellinge at Jutland. […] The loving cup is of silverish, gilt inside, and ornamented with an onetime half mythological blueprint of twisted snakes and fantastic animals.", quoted by J. R. Green'southwardA Brusque History of the English language People (1902); See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Eatables

We will also detect their serpentine bodies curling around the cup accept dots in the center or metal-like "beading". When we expect at their heads, they appear to have large lips crimper upwardly with a long ponytail-similar protrusion interweaving behind their bodies to create a pattern.

Furthermore, these long "ribbon-animals" as well announced to have legs or artillery with a paw or hoof as their appendages, similar to the "gripping-animal" motif. Some sources indicate these announced similar "mitts". The hip joints are represented as spirals, like that of the Borre fashion, however, unlike the Borre style, the Jellinge way offers more of an open up background with more simplified figures and animals.

Mammen (c. 960 – chiliad/1025 CE)

The Mammen Viking way was given the proper noun from an ax caput discovered in a grave in Mammen Village in Kingdom of denmark. The ax caput is notable for its inlaid designs, which are washed in silver. This besides suggests it was used for ceremonial purposes and non functional purposes, as axes were widely utilized past the Viking culture (or the Norse culture in full general).

The decorations on the ax head appear on both sides. One side appears mainly with interlacing tentacle-similar formations, these are besides described as "foliate" patterns. The other side depicts what appears to be a giant bird-like figure with similar tentacle-like (foliate) formations intertwining with it.

Again, we run into the large screw shape at the hip articulation with a stylized caput and round optics. The entire bird-like figure and "foliate" patterns accept dots ("beading") running through the centre equally well every bit decorating the torso (upper and lower "torso") of the bird. This limerick also allows more background space, like to the Jellinge manner before information technology.

Reproduction of an ax head inlaid with silvery, from Denmark (Viking Age);Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

One of the principal characteristics of this style is seen on the large-scale runestones chosen the Jelling Stones, which were discovered in Jelling town. These stones have become the cornerstones of the Mammen style due to the pregnant motif referred to as the "Great Animal".

On the ane side of the stone, we notice a large animal or hybrid of an animal due to its many different features of different animals. For example, its head is adorned with a set of what appears to be antlers and 2 small, pointed horns; along the neck, we notice a mane of hair as we find on a equus caballus'south neck; the feet, and what we assume are hooves, appear equally claws.

The tail of the hybrid creature curls upwardly into an elaborate display of quasi-emblematic curls. We also notice a serpent-like figure around the torso, neck, and tail of the creature. The major mobility, hip, areas are depicted with the characteristic spiral shape. Lastly, the effigy'southward caput appears triangular (with a triangle as a snout and a circle as an middle) and its oral fissure seems to exist open up with a large curling L-shape coming from it, which could besides be a continuation of the antlers above its caput.

The "Peachy Brute" is often referred to as representing power, which is understandable when placed inside the context of how these Jelling stones came to be. The above-mentioned Jelling stone was erected by Male monarch Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson in honor of his parents when they died. It was besides erected to award and celebrate his victory of existence King of Norway and Denmark.

Furthermore, King Bluetooth also introduced Christianity in Denmark with an increased number of people converted – the King himself was a devout Christian. This also explains the other side of the Jelling stone, which depicts the crucified effigy of Christ. The inscriptions on the stone give farther testify of the conversion from Paganism to Christianity.

Jellinge is the minor urban center where Harold Bluetooth had the giant Jellinge stones erected to accolade his parents and to tell that he turned the Danes to Christianity; National Museum of Denmark from Denmark, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Eatables

When we await at the Christ figure, we notice his broad and open arms and the familiar tendril-like, sinuous, formations running around his artillery and torso (these could besides exist the same foliate-manner we see in other examples mentioned).

Christ's facial features appear severe in manner, depicted as a noticeable elongated chin, two small horizontally planed oval eyes, straight-fix lips for the mouth, and an elongated olfactory organ. Christ'south overall facial features appear neutral in expression.

Other examples from the Mammen style include 2 caskets, namely, the Cammin Catafalque and the Bamberg Casket. During World War 2, the Cammin Catafalque was reported as destroyed during fires in the Cathedral of Saint John, located in Cammin, where it was housed.

The Cammin and Bamberg caskets are similar in appearance, both are chests with lids that are slightly domed. These are made from ivory and os with statuary strips along the edges and midlines of the chests as reinforcements.

Ringerike (c. 990 – 1050 CE)

The Ringerike mode is named after the Ringerike commune in Norway. This is also the location where more runestones were erected due to their increment in popularity. Animals and foliate designs appeared thinner without the dots or decorative "chaplet" in-between, referred to as "double contour lines". The animals continue to appear beast-similar, and struggling with the serpentine creatures encircling their bodies, similar the to a higher place-mentioned beasts we encountered in the previous styles. There are boosted animals included in the rock-carved compositions.

St Paul's Churchyard Runestone, London;David Bristles MA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

An example of the higher up is in the carved rock at St. Paul's Churchyard located in London. Here we see a beast-like animal appearing equus caballus-like, seemingly in a constricted land, overwhelmed by diverse other figures fastened to it. Its caput and neck are reared facing behind it with what seems to be its tongue flicking out of its rima oris, curling at the stop tip.

At that place is more dynamism in this stone etching due to all the figures filling upwardly the limerick. Nosotros also discover other fauna-like figures near the bottom of the composition holding onto the animate being's legs. Likewise, we notice the feature tendrils with hook-like ends. The major mobility areas on the Nifty Beast are depicted every bit spirals.

Another example in this style is the Vang Stone located in Vang, which is role of the Valdes region in Norway. It is a large rune rock with cherry-red patterns roofing almost of the surface. Over again, nosotros detect the familiar tendril-like, sinuous, patterns with most hook-similar ends intertwining, reminiscent of the Norse knotwork so characteristic of the Viking culture. The top department of the rock's limerick includes the panthera leo-like animal in its heraldic stance with its oral fissure broad open as if it is roaring.

A photograph of the Vang Stone in Norway;Mariusz Hermansdorfer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Urnes (c. 1050-1125 CE)

The Urnes Viking fashion is the last of the categorized Viking artwork styles, and it is named after the Stave Church in the village called Urnes, in the Vestland county in Norway. The church'due south northern face depicts carvings done in wood in an elaborate relief way.

Hither we encounter 3 familiar narrative motifs, namely, the beast-like creature, or "Great Fauna", also described as sharing features to a "Greyhound", the serpentine figure curling its way around the composition, and thinner tendril, foliate-like, ribbons adding additional stylistic detail.

The primary action taking place is at the bottom of the wooden carving where we notice the beast-like figure and snake, both seemingly biting or gripping the other. The ophidian's rima oris is around the beast's neck, and simultaneously the beast'southward mouth is around the snake's neck expanse. This coaction creates a patterned effect and then familiar to the Viking artworks, but information technology also provides more particular to the narrative and the relationship betwixt these two creatures.

Carvings in the north wall portal of the Urnes Stave Church;Bjørn Erik Pedersen, CC Past-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What is different nigh these styles is that the designs are more refined and sleeker in appearance. We also see a finer delineation of curves and the characteristic spiral that accentuates and defines the hip areas of the four-legged animate being appear smaller.

The serpentine figures still have an appendage fastened to their bodies, but this appears more than streamlined with its joint area highlighted past a spiral. Maybe the aphorism of "less is more" creates a stylistic departure in this catamenia versus the preceding periods.

The animals are depicted in a finer and more delicate essence of spirals and curves. There appears to be more emphasis on the lack of accent placed on portraying the curves and lines in a thicker style. Furthermore, the eyes are more oval, almond-similar, in shape. The four-legged animal has smaller anxiety compared to the previous styles where information technology had grabbing (often intimidating) hook-like feet.

This style likewise occurred in countries similar England and Republic of ireland. A popular example is the Pitney Brooch, which was found in Somerset, England, in a churchyard during the 1870s. It is 39 millimeters in diameter and fabricated from gilt and copper alloy.

This brooch depicts similar motifs characteristic to the Norse artwork. It portrays the serpentine effigy, or snake, intertwined with a slimmer appearing ribbon-like animal. The snake is biting its own body. We can distinguish the snake by the metal chaplet running along the dorsal (upper) side of its body.

The intertwining animals and foliate designs are kept within the scalloped border of the round frame of the brooch. The brooch too appears asymmetrical in design, which is some other characteristic characteristic of this Viking design way.

The Pitney Brooch, a dished golden copper-alloy disc brooch in Urnes style;Unknown author Unknown author, CC Past-SA four.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Viking Age Declines and the Romanesque Age Begins

It is important to note that during the Urnes period in that location was an increase in the spread of Christianity across Scandinavia. The Viking culture started to decline due to various religious and political upheavals. Traditional Viking Art and its influence lessened, furthermore, with Christianity as the dominant religion and cultural influence the Romanesque Fine art period started and informed much of how art and architecture should be according to Christian ideals.

Vikings Heading for Land (1873) by Frank Bernard Dicksee;Frank Bernard Dicksee, Public domain, via Wikimedia Eatables

The Romanesque Art period is believed to have started around the middle of the 10^th Century. Information technology was focused on building more churches, sculptures, and icons for the religious education of the masses. Romanesque architecture was one of the dominant stylistic trends.

The Viking Age certainly left its mark on the Modern Age, the idealistic portrayal of a seemingly barbaric race of men and women has get a pop-cultural tendency. From flick, alive re-enactments, and replicas of various aspects of the Viking civilization similar weapons, artifacts, and coins. Furthermore, Viking concept art has get a trend among many fans, we run into many Viking designs on jewelry including the online infinite in computer games and graphic design.

The Viking culture was amid the most unique cultures in history and each cultural antiquity is like a window into the Vikings' history, their lives, and ideals. The Vikings made their way from the peripheral lands of Europe, reaching its shores, and staking a claim to what they wanted. Although they are remembered as barbaric, the Viking culture had a lot more than going for them and no 1 will forget them as they live on in the tendrils of modern history.

Ofttimes Asked Questions

What Is Viking Art?

Viking Art occurred during the period of the Viking Age, betwixt 793 and 1066 CE. During this period, when the Vikings invaded other parts of Europe, there was a rising in the dissemination of Viking artwork also every bit influences from other countries like England and Republic of ireland. Viking Art is categorized into half-dozen dominant styles to emphasize the evolution of the distinct Viking designs seen on their woods carvings and other items like chests, jewelry, as well every bit runic stones.

What Were the Styles of Viking Art?

There are six primary Viking styles, each one named after a specific expanse where a notable item was plant. The half-dozen styles are, namely, Oseberg Style (c. 775 – 875 CE), Borre (c. 850 – 975 CE), Jellinge (c. 900 – 975 CE), Mammen (c. 960 – g/1025 CE), Ringerike (c. 990 – 1050 CE), and Urnes (c. 1050 – 1125 CE).

What Are the Characteristics of Viking Art?

There are various characteristic features of Viking Art that are notable across all half-dozen creative styles, namely two distinctive motifs called the "Gripping Beast" and "Ribbon Animal". These are beast-like creatures that appear to hold on, or grip, to the borders of the limerick, but over time this beast besides appears lion-similar. There are also snake-like creatures that coil themselves around the brute and other ribbon-like motifs that appear equally leaf. Other characteristics include functionality, Viking designs are usually on items utilized for everyday living and it has been considered that Viking artwork is not as much "art for art'due south sake" as we see in and so many other cultures.

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Source: https://artincontext.org/viking-art/