Jonas Lau Markussen

Style II B

The Anatomy of Germanic Art

 

 

 

 

 

This article is a work in progress and will be updated.

 

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The Anatomy of Style II B

 

c. 550 – 650

 

 

 

Shapes

 

1. Spirals.
2. Animal-heads in profile.
3. Human-heads facing forward (inside hips).
4. Eyebrow-bow framing the eye.
5. Round Eyes.
6. Long straight or curling jaws.
7. Teeth occur.
8. Pointy chin.
9. Head-lappet
10. Almond-shaped hips.
11. Feather-like feet.
12. Curling back-toe.

 

 

Outlines

 

Even outlines without tapering or indents.

 

 

Flow

 

A preference for geometric curves.

 

A. S-shapes.
B. Single loops.
C. Figure-of-eights loops.

 

 

Pattern

 

  • Tight interlace with little visible background.
  • Single-stranded ribbons.
  • Double-stranded ribbons.
  • Triple-stranded ribbons.
  • Even fabric-like interlace patterns.

 

 

 

Composition

 

  • Clear and simple compositions of animal and human figures juxtaposed with geometry and occasional interlacing patterns.
  • Compositions based on line-symmetrical and/or 2-fold rotational-symmetrical S-shapes (A, D).
  • Triskellion or swastika compositions of 3-fold and 4-fold rotational-symmetrical animal heads (D).

 

 

 

Motifs

 

  • S-shaped ribbon animals (A, D).
  • Animal heads (A, C).
  • Four-legged animals resembling boars and wolves (A, C, D).
  • Birds of prey (A, B).
  • Human faces (B, D).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Examples

 

 

Examples on Gelmir.com →

A list of examples with photos, info and links to sources.

 

 

 

Undateable

 

Animal-shaped buckle — Eura

Eura, Satakunta, Finland.
Kansallismuseo, Helsinki, KM8811:1.

 

Animal-shaped buckle — Leväluhta

Leväluhta, Etelä-Pohjanmaan, Finland.
Kansallismuseo, Helsinki, KM2441:3.
Photo: Museovirasto (CC BY).

 

Animal-shaped buckle — Gulldynt

Gulldynt, Pohjanmaa, Finland.
Kansallismuseo, Helsinki, KM8562:1.

 

Animal-shaped sword pommel

Vesalihati, Pirkanmaa, Finland.
Kansallismuseo, Helsinki, KM 3005:6.

 

Animal-shaped sword pommel

Gulldynt, Pohjanmaa, Finland.
Kansallismuseo, Helsinki, KM1911:1.

 

Belt buckle — Åker

Åker, Innlandet, Norway.
Kulturhistorisk Museum, Oslo, C4901.

 

Belt buckle — Åker

Åker, Innlandet, Norway.
Kulturhistorisk Museum, Oslo, C21406.

 

Belt buckle — Sutton Hoo

Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, England.
The British Museum, London, 1939,1010.1.

 

Bird-shaped brooch — Foss Nordre

Foss Nordre, Viken, Norway.
Kulturhistorisk Museum, Oslo, C61472.

 

Bird-shaped brooch — Gaalaas

Gaalaas, Innlandet, Norway.
Kulturhistorisk Museum, Oslo, C61471.

 

Bowl

Vimose, Fyn, Denmark.
Nationalmuseet, København, 24452.

 

Brooch

Reinstrup, Sjælland, Denmark.
Nationalmuseet, København, DNF4/18.

 

Buckles

King’s Field, Kent, England.
The British Museum, London, .1094.’70.

 

Harness mount — Vallstenarum

Vallstenarum, Gotland, Sweden.
Historiska Museet, Stockholm, 362428.

 

Harness mounts — Sutton Hoo

Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, England.
The British Museum, London, 1991,0411.2871.a-d; 1991,0411.2877; 1991,0411.2880.a; 1991,0411.2880.b; 1991,0411.2881.a; 1991,0411.2881.b; 1991,0411.2882.a; 1991,0411.2882.b; 1991,0411.2885; 1991,0411.2886.c; 1991,0411.2887; 1991,0411.2888.b.

 

Harness mount — Vendel, 971412

Vendel, Uppland, Sweden.
Historiska Museet, Stockholm, 971412.

 

Harness mounts — Vendel, 273531

Vendel, Uppland, Sweden.
Historiska Museet, Stockholm, 273531.

 

Mount

Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, England.
The British Museum, London, 1991,0411.2203.

 

S-shaped brooch

Englerupgård, Sjælland, Denmark.
Nationalmuseet, København, C36406.

 

Shield mount — Rolex

Rolex, Gotland, Sweden.
Gotlands Museum, Visby, GFC3641.

 

Shield mounts

Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, England.
The British Museum, London, 1939,1010.94.

 

Shield mount — Åker

Åker, Innlandet, Norway.
Kulturhistorisk Museum, Oslo, C4903.

 

Shoulder clasps

Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, England.
The British Museum, London, 1939,1010.4; 1939,1010.5.

 

Sword — Sutton Hoo

Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, England.
The British Museum, London, 1939,1010.25; 1939,1010.27; 1939,1010.28; 1939,1010.29; 1939,1010.95.

 

Sword — Ultuna

Ultuna, Uppland, Sweden.
Historiska Museet, Stockholm, 265030.

 

Sword — Vendel, 122961

Vendel, Uppland, Sweden.
Historiska Museet, Stockholm, 122961.

 

Sword — Vendel, 264442

Vendel, Uppland, Sweden.
Historiska Museet, Stockholm, 264442.

 

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