Soulless barbarians or subtly feeling creators? Today I plunged into the topic, what was the art at the Vikings` time.

I decided to dig into the Internet, and here's what I have found. In the era of the kings of the sea there were six main art styles:

• Broa (Oseberg);
• Borre;
• Jellinge;
• Mammen;
• Ringerike;
• Urnes.

1. Broa (Oseberg)

This style is characterized by the image of wavy lines of different thickness, asymmetric figures and ornaments.

Here is a modern work in this style. It's an interpretation of an archaeological find. The image of the beast in the form of eight, a characteristic feature of the Broa style.

The name of the style is in the honor of the found burial Ueberschall ship. The ship itself and the numerous wooden objects on it were carved. The photo shows Shetelig's Sleigh.

This is around 834 A.D. It is an example of the fact that the main thing is that hands grow out of the right place, not newfangled tools.

2. Borre Style

The main difference from the previous one is the absence of linear ribbon patterns. Characteristic feature — zoomorphic images with the heads of animals in the foreground. This style was on jewellery, equipment for horses.

Modern interpretation.

3. Jellinge Style

Royal style. Things found in the style were intended for the upper classes. These are dishes, jewellery, decorative elements, made with great artistic taste. Often, the objects were covered with gold leaf. The style got its name in the honor of the silver bowl found in the Royal mound in Jellinge (Denmark).

The main difference from the previous two — the head of the beast is depicted in profile. Often depicted animals look in the opposite directions. Jellinge style has floral elements, swirls.

4. Mammen Style

It is a continuation of the Jellinge style. A distinctive feature is a large body of the beast, the lack of symmetry and a greater bias in plant elements.

The style takes its name from the findings in Mammen (middle Jutland). It's an elaborately decorated axe.

Another example is the Kammen box.

Contemporary works by artists in the Mammen style.

5. Ringerike Style

It got its name from the found carved runic stone.

A characteristic feature is a spiral image of the beast's thigh.

Another discovery clearly represents the Ringerike style — the Söderala weather vane (Sweden).

A few of modern works in the Ringerike style.

6. Urnes Style

These are refined and smooth lines of a floral ornament, thin bodies of animals, the dragons twisted in a spiral. It is considered the most common style of its era. A striking confirmation of the fragments of the wooden Church of Urnes in Western Norway.

Another feature of the style — the asymmetry of the loop in the form of eight, uniform expansion and contraction of the lines.

On the runic stone in Denmark depicts the Great Mother of the Gods - "snake goddess" Scythians surrounded by snakes and lions.

Modern works I found in this style.

Art is an integral part of every era. Despite war and physically hard life, all peoples developed in the creative work, improving their skills and exchanging knowledge.