Description
Viking Age belt distributor set from Gotland.
This replica of a three-piece belt distributor set was made after a Viking Age example from Kopparsvik on Gotland (Sweden). The Viking Age belt distributor set consists of three parts made of high quality decorative bronze. The single distributor fitting has the dimensions: 4.2 x 1.9 cm. The ring has a diameter of 2.5 cm. The set is suitable for straps of 3 - 4 mm thickness and 2 - 3 cm width. 8 brass pins for fastening are included. Belt distributors were quite common in the Viking Age and were used in Birka and on Gotland as well as in Russia and other Viking settlement areas. In the Viking Age, such belt distributor were used to attach shorter pieces of strap to longer belts as well as the individual straps of a sword hanger or the suspension for a sax. In order to attach the Viking distributor fittings to the leather, four brass pins are included with each manifold. These are simply inserted through the corresponding holes in the belt strap and shortened by about 1 mm on the back. The pins can then be pressed with a hammer with even strokes all around and the fittings can be fastened securely to the leather in this way. If necessary, the result can be smoothed with a fine file.
