Borre ring-chain
An interlace of bands running through rings and lozenges, the signature motif of the Borre style of Viking art, about 850–950. It is named after harness mounts from a ship grave at Borre in Vestfold, Norway.
Meaning
Store norske leksikon describes the ring-chain as symmetrical interlace enclosed by circles and lozenges and ending in a face-on mask, one of the three leading motifs of the Borre style; it thinks this element probably came from Anglo-Saxon art. The other two motifs are a naturalistic animal in profile, looking back over its shoulder, and a single gripping beast. The style is found on jewellery and mounts of bronze, silver and gold. No swords or spears decorated in the Borre style have been found so far.
Origin and history
The Borre style spread across Scandinavia and into the Scandinavian settlements of the British Isles, the Continent and the Baltic and Russia, with its centre of gravity in the east. Store norske leksikon thinks it likely that people at the time linked the style with the Scandinavian settlements, and that it became “an important Norse marker of identity” in meeting other cultures.
When the style was in use
The two national encyclopedias date it differently. Store norske leksikon normally dates the Borre style to 830–950 and names it after harness mounts from a ship grave at Borre; the Danish encyclopedia Lex speaks of a boat grave and dates the style from about 850 to the end of the 10th century. Lex’s survey of Viking art gives about 850–975, and adds that the Borre and Jelling styles were in use at much the same time.
Read next
- Next in Norse and Viking symbolsGripping beastA lively animal seen face-on, its paws gripping everything within reach: a favourite motif of Viking art from the late 8th century for about 200 years.
- The same shape in Adinkra symbolsAnanse Ntontan (spider’s web)Ananse Ntontan, “spider’s web”, is the adinkra symbol of wisdom and creativity, after Ananse, the spider of Akan stories.
See also
Mjölnir (Thor’s hammer), Gungnir, Sleipnir, Huginn and Muninn, Yggdrasil, Valknut.
Sources
- Borrestil (Store norske leksikon), Store norske leksikon
- Borrestil (Lex), Lex, Danmarks Nationalleksikon
- Vikingekunst (Lex), Lex, Danmarks Nationalleksikon
The same shape elsewhere
Browse symbols formed from circles, diamonds or lines.
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed September 26, 2026. How we research
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