Rock Crystal Jewelry
Q.I'm sure people wore crystals as jewelry in period; I know I've seen period jewels set with crystal. But were they wearing them, as the PA Dutch say, "chust for pretty", or for magical purposes?
A.It depends. Archaeologists have certain things they look for when they decide something was an "amulet". Only one in a grave, for example, and worn differently from other jewelry, is one clue. Amulets also frequently are found *not* worn, but at the knees or feet of the body, for example. It is noteworthy that the majority of Thorr's hammer amulets were found in hoards and house-sites rather than graves, perhaps as a dedication to Thorr, but more likely as a measure of protection from thieves. Beads made of jet, amber, and rock crystal have been interpreted at times as amulets by modern investigators. In Norwegian graves, jet beads tend to appear singly, emphasizing the possibility of their use as an amulet. Jet was considered by the Vikings to be a form of amber, and hence sacred to Freyja. In Sweden, single pieces of amber are found, and are sometimes assumed to be amulets, because even when there are a large number of beads present in the find, there will be only the one piece of amber. In Gotland, small grave amulets are sometimes found: men's graves yield amber axes and adzes, possibly associated with Thórr, while women's graves may have amber tokens depicting a vulva, which is probably associated with fertility and Freyja. These grave amulets were not meant to be worn, and are usually found at the foot of the grave. Some rock crystal pendants and "crystal balls" of rock crystal are occasionally interpreted as amulets. The rock crystal pendants are probably expensive ornaments, while the globes of rock crystal may in fact represent amulets.
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