Norse Art: Research and Reconstruction

Here we explore real archaeological finds, the stories behind ancient Norse jewellery, and how these objects are brought back to life through careful study and hands-on reconstruction.

Each piece usually begins with a specific reference, a museum example, an excavation report, or a photographed artefact that raises questions about how it was made and worn. We look at proportions, surface details, tool marks, and material choices before moving into the workshop.

The practical stage follows the research. Casting, carving, shaping, and finishing are approached with attention to historical logic, but also with a feel for the material itself. Bronze behaves differently from silver. Bone carries its own texture and resistance. Working through that process is physical and direct; decisions happen at the bench, not on a screen.

Over time, certain forms start to make sense in your hands. You begin to understand why a curve sits where it does, why a line was cut deeper, why a surface was left slightly uneven. That understanding shapes the next piece. Working through that process is physical and direct; most decisions develop naturally at the bench as the material takes shape.
At some point, the research stops being theory and becomes a real object in hand.