Help me find out more information about Icelandic pattern art and craftwork?

June 2, 2007 11:30 PM

One of my favorite books is a collection called _The Sagas of Icelanders_. The cover is here. There is a beautiful embossed set of work on the cover which i'd like more information about (i'm considering a design along these lines for a tattoo) and i'd also like more information on the design/carving of the (sword hilt, walking stick, etc) shown on the cover. There appears to be no information about either in the book.
posted by arimathea to Society & Culture (5 answers total)

Sure there is. Check the back flap - the carving is the Oseberg Ship Burial Animal Head post.
posted by zamboni at 12:51 AM on June 3, 2007

Zamboni is correct; you can see the original (which is behind glass) at the museum just south of downtown Oslo by taking a ferry to Bygdøy. It was the subject of much conservation effort so if you go to a research library and check out the journal cites you might get a good-quality technical drawing in one of the articles.
posted by squid patrol at 2:15 AM on June 3, 2007

Response by poster: The carving is. But what about the embossed on the front?
posted by arimathea at 6:30 AM on June 3, 2007

Sketch of random Viking ornamentation - you'd have to ask the credited graphic artist to be sure. I'm no Early Norse scholar, but it kinda looks like Jelling.
posted by zamboni at 7:14 AM on June 3, 2007

Not an answer to your question, but I just wanted to recommend a fantastic book by Stuart W. Mirsky called "The King of Vinland's Saga." I'm sure you will really enjoy it.
posted by WyoWhy at 5:44 AM on June 4, 2007