15
Fuller, a central groove t hat makes
t he sword lighter and more flexibleGrip Pommel
Iron sword
from DenmarkCHAIN GANG
In this detail from the Bayeux Tapestry (p. 10), Norman warriors carry
weapons and chain-mail suits to their ships. The suits of mail (p. 13) are
so heavy that each one is carried on a pole
between two men. This also stops the
chain mail from getting tangled up.
Viking weapons would have been
similar to those shown above.Pattern-welded iron bladeHilt decorated
wit h geometric
patterns of
silver and
brassDouble-edged
sword from
Bjørnsholm,
Søndersø,
Denmark
'28%/(ʜ('*('6:25'
Swords were usually double-
edged. The smith (pp. 42–43)
sometimes pattern-welded the
blades for extra strength. He did
this by fusing several strips of iron
together. Then he twisted the
metal, hammered it out, and
polished it smooth. By adding
carbon to the iron while it was
red-hot, he produced sharp steel
edges. Hilts and pommels were
often highly decorated.Iron ax head from
Fyrkat, Denmark
Iron ax head from
Trelleborg,
DenmarkBroad iron
bladeRounded
pommelHole for wooden
handle, which has
rotted away$;(
Axes with long
wooden handles
were the most
common Viking
weapon. T-shaped axes
were usually used for working wood
(p. 43). But the example on the right is
so richly decorated that it must have
been used as a weapon—and a symbol
of prestige or power.Decorative knobGeometric patterns
of inlaid silver6+,(/'
Viking shields were round and made of wood.
Unfortunately, wood rots quickly, and very few
shields have survived. This one is a replica based
on fragments found with the Roskilde warship
(pp. 10–11). The iron boss (knob) in the center
protected the warrior’s hand. He held the shield by a
grip on the other side of the boss. Shields were often
covered in leather or painted in plain colors. A Viking
poem, Ragnarsdrápa, even describes a shield painted
with pictures of gods and heroes.Straight guardIron rivet