The bear and the female : Bear-tooth pendants in late iron age Finland

Finnish Late Iron Age bear-tooth pendants made of bronze occur mainly in cemetery contexts. Contrary to earlier interpretations, it is claimed that these pendants belonged only to women. The woman-bear symbolism is discussed using examples from Finno-Ugric folklore and mythology. The gendered view of nature, which is apparent in the folklore, is seen as the reason for the gender-specific use of the pendants. It is suggested that the use of the pendants was not related simply to a symbolism of strength and power of the bear, but to the old myths of the bear and the special relationship between the bear and the female. The bear acted as a mediator between culture and nature, between this world and beyond. Women, through their birth-giving ability, also stood on the border between worlds. Bear-tooth pendants hanging on the waist, close to the belly and genitalia, were part of symbolic boundary definition and protection.