Artistic Influence or Close Trading Contacts? Latgallian Penannular Brooches and Gotland (the Ninth to Eleventh Century)

Abstract

Penannular brooches with rolled terminals are known in Latgallian areas from the eighth century, and brooches with polygonal (faceted and funnel-shaped) terminals from the middle of the ninth century. At the same time, they were widespread in a large area, including Scandinavia. Penannular brooches on Gotland have been analysed, and these are very similar to those of the Latgallians. Although the origin of the polygonal terminals of brooches is unclear, the same ornamentation can be found on Gotland, and in a broader context in the Scandinavian Vendel Period patterns of ornamentation. The new ideas appeared in the form of Latgallian penannular brooches at the same time or a little later than on Gotland. The new pattern of ornamentation also influenced the ornamentation of bracelets, or vice versa. The contacts between Latgallians and Gotland or Scandinavia were possibly long-standing, lasting about three centuries. If Latgallian artisans were themselves producing this kind of penannular brooch, then they were not creating new forms, but imitating existing ones. Key words: penannular brooches, polygonal, faceted, funnel-shaped and star-shaped terminals, ornamentation of the hoop of the brooch, Gotland, Latgallians. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/ab.v23i0.1306