For millennia, Sámi metalwork has been an important part of craftsmanship, way of life and spiritual practice across the whole of Sápmi – the Sámi area that stretches across Scandinavia and northern Russia. The metals silver, iron, brass and tin each have their own special place in Sámi culture, both as practical tools, jewelry and magical objects of protection. Here you will get a complete picture of the role and significance of the metals in Sámi belief and tradition.
The place of metals in Sámi life
Silver has been the most valuable and legendary metal in Sámi culture. It was not only a piece of jewelry, but also an important symbol of protection and good fortune. Silver is used for rings, brooches, buttons and especially for the komsekule – a small silver ball that is hung on the komsa (the cradle) of newborn children to protect them against evil forces and spiritual threats. The komsekule, or šiella, is today a cherished piece of jewelry and a traditional christening gift, and it has roots going back to the Middle Ages, when it was used against illness and plague. Inside the komsekule one could also place herbs or moldy bread to strengthen its protective power.
Brass has also been used to a great extent, particularly as rings, amulets and ornamental objects. The brass ring, known as miessikrikkas or viejkkerikkas in Lule Sámi, was hung on the komsa to protect the child, and in many areas the brass ring was a common godparent's gift. Brass was regarded as a sacred metal, and it was used both for everyday objects, ornamentation, religious purposes and in folk medicine. The brass ring was used in the first bath of newborn children, and it was said to have healing powers against mouth sores and blisters. In rituals connected to bear hunting, one was only allowed to look at the bear and the hunters through a brass ring, in order to protect oneself against evil forces. The brass ring could also be used practically, for example by milking a goat or reindeer through the ring if the milk had blood in it, until the milk became white again.
Iron has been central to Sámi craftsmanship and tool production throughout the entire Iron Age and later. The Sámi produced and worked iron into tools, weapons and other practical objects, and traces of Sámi forges have been found in both Sweden and Finland. Ironwork has been an important part of Sámi education and culture, and metalwork has been taught at Sámi upper secondary schools, including in Jokkmokk and Inari. Iron was also used in a magical context, for example as protection against evil forces, and it was often placed in cradles or used in rituals to ensure good fortune and health.
Tin has a unique place in Sámi craftsmanship, particularly in the form of pewter thread embroidery. This is a traditional technique in which tin is spun into thread and embroidered into textiles, especially in the South Sámi and Lule Sámi areas. Pewter thread embroidery has long traditions, and examples of cast and spun tin thread have been found on various objects from the early Middle Ages. Traditionally, molten tin was poured into alder or birch twigs from which the pith had been removed, and the tin rods were drawn through horn plates with smaller and smaller holes to make long threads. The tin thread was spun around sinew thread of reindeer sinew and used in ornamentation and decoration on clothing and textiles.
The use of metal in Sámi belief and magic
Metals have always been more than just materials in Sámi culture – they have been symbols of protection, healing and good fortune. Silver, gold, brass and tin were regarded as metals that could ward off evil forces and bring good fortune, and so babies were given small rings, amulets and spoons in these metals. The metal objects were worn on clothing, used in rituals and placed in important locations to protect against illness, evil spirits and other threats.
In Sámi belief, it was important to protect children against the underground beings – spiritual creatures who could exchange the child for one of their own. For this reason, silver balls, brass rings and other metal objects were hung on the komsa to ensure the child's safety. The metals were also used in rituals connected to hunting and trapping, for example by looking through a brass ring during a bear hunt, or by carrying iron or silver to protect oneself against danger.
The role of metals in Sámi craftsmanship and trade
Sámi metalwork has been dependent on trade and exchange with neighboring peoples. In the Iron Age, the Sámi were active in hunting, trapping and trade, and they obtained iron and other metals through trade with Norse peoples and later with peoples from the southeast, especially via Novgorod in Russia. The Sámi exported oil from blubber, hides and furs from reindeer, and received in return metals such as iron, silver, brass and tin. These metals were used to make tools, jewelry and other objects that were important for daily life and culture.
Sámi metalwork has developed over the centuries, and today it is still an important subject in Sámi education and craftsmanship. At Sámi upper secondary schools, students learn to work with iron, brass, tin and silver, and the traditions are kept alive through teaching and practical work.
Sources
Ironwork in Sámi tradition
girji.info/ruovdi/jern1.htm
Provides a comprehensive overview of Sámi metalwork, with an emphasis on iron, brass, tin and silver, and the significance of metalwork in Sámi culture.
Silver use in Sápmi – Samiske veivisere
samiskeveivisere.no/solvbruk-i-sapmi/
Describes the use of silver, gold, brass and other metals as protection and good fortune in Sámi culture, with a focus on the komsekule and šiella.
Lule Sámi gákti – Samiske veivisere
samiskeveivisere.no/lulesamisk-kofte/
Provides insight into the use of the brass ring as magical protection, rituals and practical use in Sámi culture.
Pewter thread embroidery – Nasjonalt senter for kunst og kultur i opplæringen
kunstkultursenteret.no/ressursbase/tinntrdbroderi/
Describes Sámi pewter thread embroidery and the traditional use of tin in Sámi craftsmanship.
Komsekule No. 6 – JUHLS SILVER GALLERY AS
juhls.no/products/komsekule-nr-6
Provides historical and cultural background for the komsekule and its role as a protective amulet in Sámi culture.
Sámi history in the Iron Age – Wikipedia
no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samisk_historie_i_jernalderen
Provides an overview of Sámi history, trade and metal use in the Iron Age, with an emphasis on iron and other metals.
