hreintarfur necklace

necklace made from natural icelandic* reindeer antler.

In most cervid species, only males grow antlers. though this piece being called hreintarfur (icelandic for reindeer bull) the reindeer is actually the only cervid species in which females also grow them normally. They retain their antlers longer than males, keeping them until after calving in the spring. Antlers help female reindeer defend their feeding areas and may also play a role in social interactions within the herd.

*Reindeer are not native to Iceland but introduced from Norway and Lapland at the end of the 18th century.

This was a dark time for Iceland, the island ravaged by famine and natural disasters. The locals tried becoming reindeer herders like the Sami in Lapland, but the adaptation proved too difficult, and the reindeer ran wild.

delivered in a hand made svartbysvart-branded wooden box.

this piece is one-of-a-kind