10th-13th century AD. A sturdy round-section shank and vertical shaft, both decorated with ropework collars and rings of granules; the shaft composed from similar collars and granules in graduated sequence with a large granule finial. 9.40 grams, 47mm (2"). From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. Cf. 10th-early 11th century earrings from Veliko Gradiste (Serbia) in Albani, J. Elegance Over the Borders: The Evidence of Middle Byzantine Earrings in Entwistle, C. & Adams, N. Intelligible Beauty, Recent Research into Byzantine Jewellery, London, 2010, plate 13. Varangians or Varyags (Old Norse: Væringjar; Greek: ????????, ????????, Varangoi, Variagoi) is the name used by Greeks and East Slavs to Scandinavian and Baltic peoples who created the medieval state of Rus' in eastern Europe in the 9th century. Young men from among them formed the Byzantine Varangian Guard who protected the emperor. They formed an important link in the trade network connecting Byzantium with the Baltic and modern Russia.

Fine condition.