Over the past twenty years, a number of intriguing metal artifacts have been discovered in Scandinavia, particularly in Denmark and Sweden, which differ significantly in form and decoration from the products typical of the Northern world. Closer examination of these objects suggests that they were made in the Western Slavic area (most likely in the Piast realm) and represent features of the so-called "animal style." Among these artifacts are, for example, elements of zoomorphic spurs, decorative strap distributors, and other goods associated with the milieu of militarised Slavic elite. The aim of this paper is to introduce this material to the Polish academic community, to present possible pathways and reasons for the influx of such items into Scandinavia, to analyse their symbolic significance, and to highlight the diverse and previously underestimated roles that Slavs might have played in the Northern world.
