Material: 925 sterling silver, stamped
Production: Handmade, limited and numbered.
Migration period scandinavian bracteate fused with Iron Age celtic coin style.
Ancient european mythology is very rich in horse stories and characters. For celtic tribes, their germanic neighbours and up to the end of Nordic Paganism in the Viking Age the horse was an omnipresent being in everyday and spiritual life. Studying the cultures of our ancestors, we come across horses in pairs, flying horses and of course the most famous eight legged horse, grey in colour and able to ride on water, through the air and to the underworld- Sleipnir.
Among the Buryats in Siberia to the songs of the Gondi people in India, the eight legged horse is mentioned.
I agree with H.E.Davidson that the eight-legged horse can be seen as the typical steed of the shaman. In the shaman's journeys to the heavens or the underworld, a shaman is often depicted as riding on some bird or animal. While the creature may vary, the horse is fairly common in cultures where horses are in general use, and Sleipnir's ability to ride through the air is typical of the shaman's steed.
Some cultures also refer to the drum as the horse of the shaman. The drum i play on stage with Heilung is made from horse skin.
There are several depictions known on celtic coins of three-tailed horses, with adding the eight legs i fuse styles and stories of the Indo-European cultures. Everything is connected...
We all need a ride from time to time, if we need to move in the real world or travel in our minds. I choose the eight legged horse as the logo of Old-Norse. The superior vehicle to excel, not compete.
Original design by Kai Uwe Faust.
See more of Viking Kristal’s jewellery collection on his web site.