10th-13th century AD. A matched pair of silver earrings, eachprising a round-section penannular hoop with beaded collars and central piriform ornamentposed of graduated pellets and ropework collars. Cf. Albani, J., Elegance Over the Borders: The Evidence of Middle Byzantine Earrings in Entwistle, C. & Adams, N., Intelligible Beauty, Recent Research into Byzantine Jewellery, London, 2010, pl.13, for 10th-early 11th century earrings from Veliko Gradiste (Serbia"). 16.2 grams total, 41-46mm high (1 1/2 - 1 3/4"). Private collection formed in Europe in the 1980s. Westminster collection, central London, UK. Varangians or Varyags (Old Norse: Væringjar; Greek: ????????, ????????, Varangoi, Variagoi) was the name ed by Greeks and East Slavs in reference to Scandinavian and Baltic people who created the medieval state of R in eastern Europe in the 9th century. Young men from among them formed the Byzantine Varangian Guard who protected the emperor. They formed an important link in the trade network connecting Byzantium with the Baltic and modern Rsia. [2, No Reserve]