Hack Silver Style Rings
Silver finger rings inspired by Viking-age hack silver, made for largesse.
Why I Made Them
I wanted to make something for the Crown to give away—wearable wealth with historical resonance. I donated a set for the Coronation of Randal and Iuliana.
Let’s Be Honest
The archaeological evidence for hack silver is overwhelmingly about arm rings (bracelets), not finger rings. The Hiberno-Norse broad-band arm rings (c. AD 880–930) are the classic hack silver type—bands of silver designed to be hacked into pieces and weighed for transactions. They appear in major hoards like Cuerdale and Galloway.
What I’m making is a creative adaptation: finger rings inspired by the concept of portable silver wealth, sized for practical gift-giving.
Reference Images
- Cuerdale Hoard arm rings – British Museum
- Galloway Hoard broad-band arm rings – National Museums Scotland
Sources
- Graham-Campbell, James. The Cuerdale Hoard and Related Viking-age Silver and Gold from Britain and Ireland in the British Museum. British Museum Press, 2011.
- Goldberg, Martin, et al. The Galloway Hoard: Viking-Age Treasure. National Museums Scotland, 2021.
- National Museums Scotland. “How ‘Viking’ is the Galloway Hoard?”
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