Jellinge Style in Scandinavia:

There are three main styles of which travelers in Scandinavia will find recurring themes: Jellinge, Ringerike and Urnes. Jellinge is named after Danish royal grave in Jutland and is based on heavy animal designs, of which the Great Beast (to be seen on the famous Jellinge rune-stone itself) is one variety.

Ringerike Style in Scandinavia:

The Ringerike style is characterized by foliage ornaments and interlacing.


It is named after the district in Norway in which it is represented in local sandstone. The influence of the Ringerike style is also well represented in English manuscripts, and there are also a few exceedingly competent carvings in ivory.

Urnes Style in Scandinavia:

Detailed designs in carved doors of Urnes Church in the Sognefjord, Norway was the namesake of the final style. The distribution of this style in Scandinavia is wider than the name may suggest. It had an equally important place in English Christian art.

About Art in Scandinavia:

Jellinge, Ringerike and Urnes are the three main styles of which travelers find recurring themes everywhere in Scandinavia.

A blanket term for the artistic style in Scandinavia during the Germanic Iron Age, and the Viking Age is "Norse Art". During the Norse era, various styles of artistic decoration were developed. These styles were used for jewelry as well as a wide variety of other decorative items. The expression "Norse Art" is sometimes even used when describing objects from the Nordic Bronze Age.

Art during the Viking Age is also known as "Viking Art". This style refers to the sculpture and design of the Vikings, dating from the 8th to 11th century. Viking artists are known for woodcarving and finely wrought personal ornaments in gold and silver, and for an intricate interlacing decorative style similar to that found in Celtic art. A dragonlike creature (the "Great Beast") is a common motif.