Silvermuseet in Arjeplog Silvermuseet in Arjeplog The Silver Hall is the museum’s treasury. Sámi silver glimmers under the blue vaults. Riches and prosperity hidden within collars and belts, jugs, mugs and spoons.
Silvermuseetss collection of Sámi silver is the largest of its kind and includes close to 700 individual items from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Magnificent silver collars are the highlight of the exhibition and its belts’ gilded ornaments sparkle in their display cases. The silver is referred to as Sámi silver because it is, or has been, the possession of Sámi. Also, the appearance of certain objects, such as the kåsa drinking scoops, is typical of Sámi design. The silver collars are examples of a Sámi way of incorporating silver into traditional dress and some forms of ornamentation, such as those with a latticework pattern, can be said to be typically Sámi. Combined, these factors allow us to speak of ‘Sámi silver’ as its own category.
Payment for the Sámi’s reindeer hides and reindeer cheese, furs and dried fish might take the form of axes and knives, pots, salt and flour, hemp and wadmal cloth. If the trade resulted in a profit, the profit was invested in silver.
The silver included in formal attire reflected success in reindeer herding and trade. Magnificent silver belts and richly-decorated silver collars served as status symbols and the weight of silver jugs earned their owners respect. The value of silver could be counted in reindeer. A silver belt cost fifteen to twenty reindeer. Wealth, safety and security could all be measured in silver.
Silver was also believed to protect its owner against evil beings. Silver balls sewn onto the woven bands over cradles (gietkam), for example, protected small children from malevolent forces. The tinkling of the small pendants and rings that are often found on silver balls, spoons, jugs and jewellery were also meant to keep evil forces at bay.
The silver jug's weight earned its owner respect