help with markings Viking boat Broach

neilscot · Post by **neilscot** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 11:25 am

I have a small broach possibly silver, its of a viking longboat, plain silver outline with very fine silver rope coils to fill it in.
Has marking best described as 4 arrow heads, points to the middle so it looks like a cross, 917 F
I have searched and not found these markings anywhere, please can anyone help, thanks
neilscot

NOUFIE86 · Post by **NOUFIE86** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:52 pm

HI i also have the exact same markings on a silver filigree butterfly brooch, sorry i cant help you identify it though, help anyone?

kerangoumar · Post by **kerangoumar** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 2:19 pm

currently a google search turns up Indian coins that are marked for 917 fineness.
Before you think what can that possibly have to do with viking ships -
I have a Kashmiri silver vessel which is shaped remarkably like a Viking ship and is terminated in what appears to be a 'dragon's head'. the Royal Ontario Museum has an almost identical one in its collection, so it is not beyond reason that you might have such a confluence of marks and design.

byron mac donald · Post by **byron mac donald** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 3:01 pm

Sounds like the Maltese cross.

http://www.mirs.gov.si/fileadmin/um.gov ... EUzigi.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

kerangoumar · Post by **kerangoumar** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:22 pm

the mark in question may sound to be like the Maltese cross; Malta, however, does not have a 917 fineness, whereas that fineness has been in use in India - and possibly other jurisdictions.

byron mac donald · Post by **byron mac donald** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:52 am

I,m sorry-

With its finess already being defined as .917 I should have looked for another picture of a "Maltese Cross" other than the one I had. I meant to just describe it further than four arrow heads is all.
A Maltese Cross could have been used by anyone to describe something significant to only the person using it i.e. Christianity. My applogizes for the misleading information.

Regards- Byron

byron mac donald · Post by **byron mac donald** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 2:27 am

I just couldnt stand it and had to figure out what the Maltese Cross actualy stands for. I found out the eight points of the cross stand for:

Loyalty
Piety
Frankness
Bravery
Glory and honour
Contempt of death
Helpfulness towards the poor and the sick
Respect for the church

I found this very interesting and just had to post it.