Urnes Style: Scandinavia, Animal Style, Urnes Stave Church, Uppland, Runestone, Runestone Styles, Jelling Style, Mammen Style, Oseberg Style, Ringerike Style - Tapa blanda

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. The Urnes style was the last phase of Scandinavian animal art during the second half of the 11th century and in the early 12th century. The preceding phases of Scandinavia''s Viking Age animal ornamentation are usually categorized as Oseberg style, Borre style, Jelling style, Mammen style and Ringerike style. The Urnes style is named after the northern gate of the Urnes stave church in Norway, but most objects in the style are runestones in Uppland, Sweden, which is why some scholars prefer to call it the Runestone style. The style is characterized by slim and stylized animals that are interwoven into tight patterns. The animals heads are seen in profile, they have slender almond-shaped eyes and there are upwardly curled appendages on the noses and the necks. The early style has received a dating which is mainly based on runestone U 343, runestone U 344 and a silver bowl from c. 1050, which was found at Lilla Valla.