|
Our knowledge about arms and armour of the Viking age (8th to 11th centuries Europe) is based on relatively sparse archaeological finds, pictorial representation, and to some extent on the accounts in the Norse sagas and Norse laws recorded in the 13th century. Viking Age is the term denoting the years from about 800 to 1066 in Scandinavian History[1][2][3]. // The Vikings have been much maligned in European history, due in large part to their violent attacks on Christians in the first centuries of their excursions out of Scandinavia. ...
(7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ...
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ...
The Norse sagas or Viking sagas (Icelandic: Íslendingasögur), are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking voyages, about migration to Iceland, and of feuds between Icelandic families. ...
(12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ...
According to custom, all free Norse men were required to own weapons, as well as permitted to carry them at all times. These arms were also indicative of a Viking's social status. A wealthy Viking would have a complete ensemble of a helmet, shield, chainmail shirt, and animal-skin coat, among various other armaments. A lesser off man, however, could only afford a single weapon, and perhaps a shield. For other uses, see Viking (disambiguation). ...
A person wearing a helmet. ...
A shield is a protective device, meant to intercept attacks. ...
David rejects the unaccustomed armour (detail of fol. ...
The bayonet, still used in war as both knife and spearpoint. ...
The spear and shield were the most basic armaments of the Viking warrior; most would probably also wear a knife of some description, commonly of the seax type. As an alternative, or perhaps in addition, to the spear a warrior might carry a bow or axe. The wealthiest Vikings would have worn a sword in addition to his primary arms and have had access to body armour, such as a helmet and a mail hauberk. For other uses, see Spear (disambiguation) and Spears (disambiguation). ...
A shield is a protective device, meant to intercept attacks. ...
This article is about the tool. ...
Some Merovingian seaxes The remains of a seax together with a reconstructed replica A Seax (also Hadseax, Sax, Seaxe, Scramaseax and Scramsax), was a type of Germanic single-edged knife. ...
This image depicts a typical bow, as made by the Huns, lying against a tree. ...
Axe For other uses, see Axe (disambiguation). ...
Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
A person wearing a helmet. ...
Hauberk, Museum of Bayeux. ...
Arms
Bow Bows were used both for hunting and in battle. They were made from yew, ash or elm trees. The draw force of a 10th century bow may have reached some 90 pounds force (400 N), resulting in an effective range of at least 250 m. A bow found at Viking Hedeby is probably a full-fledged war bow, with a draw force of well over 100 pounds. A unit of length used in Icelandic law (the Grágás) called a bowshot (ördrag) corresponded to 480 m. This image depicts a typical bow, as made by the Huns, lying against a tree. ...
Species Taxus baccata - European Yew Taxus brevifolia - Pacific Yew Taxus canadensis - Canadian Yew Taxus chinensis - Chinese Yew Taxus cuspidata - Japanese Yew Taxus floridana - Florida Yew Taxus globosa - Mexican Yew Taxus sumatrana - Sumatran Yew Taxus wallichiana - Himalayan Yew Yews are small coniferous trees or shrubs in the genus Taxus in the...
Species See text European Ash in flower Narrow-leafed Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) shoot with leaves Closeup of European Ash seeds 19th century illustration of Manna Ash (Fraxinus ornus) An ash can be any of four different tree genera from four very distinct families (see end of page for disambiguation), but...
Species See Elm species, varieties, cultivars and hybrids Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees making up the genus Ulmus, family Ulmaceae, found throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Siberia to Indonesia, Mexico to Japan. ...
Hedeby (Haithabu in Old Norse; Heidiba in Latin; in Germany the name Haithabu is frequently used) was a Danish settlement and trading centre on the southern Baltic Sea coast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of a narrow, navigable inlet, the Schlei (Danish: Slien) in the province of Schleswig...
Arrowheads were typically made from iron and were produced in various shapes and dimensions, according to place of origin. Most arrowheads were fixed onto the arrow shaft by a carefully produced socket at its base. Shafts were made of wood, supplemented with feathers, and carried in cylindrical quivers. For other uses, see Quiver (disambiguation). ...
The earliest find of these relics were found in Denmark, seemingly belonging to the leading-warrior class as per the graves in which they were discovered.
Spear The spear was the most common weapon of the Viking warrior. Spears consisted of metal heads usually on wooden shafts of two to three meters in length. The heads could measure between twenty centimeters and sixty centimeters, with a tendency towards longer heads in the later Viking age. Spear heads with wings are called krókspjót joe (barbed spear) in the sagas. Some larger-headed spears were called hoggspjót and could also be used for cutting. For other uses, see Spear (disambiguation) and Spears (disambiguation). ...
The spear was used both as a throwing weapon and as a thrusting weapon. They were used one-handed just as well as two-handed, if not better (the shield could be slung to the back to free the left hand).
Shield The shield was the most common means of defense. The Viking shield was typically round, being a successor to earlier germanic shields with a diameter of around 80–90 cm or more and a thickness of 1–2 cm, made of planks of coniferous wood (fir, pine) or linden. It usually contained a hole at the center that supported a handgrip at that point, covered by a metal boss. Some shields have also been found covered with rawhide or leather. The Gokstad ship has places for shields to be hung on its railing, and the Gokstad shields have holes along the rim for fastening some sort of non-metallic rim protection. Viking shields seem to have been decorated by simple patterns, although some skaldic poems praising shields might indicate more elaborate decoration. Towards the end of the Viking age, the Norman kite shield came into fashion. A shield is a protective device, meant to intercept attacks. ...
History Gokstad viking ship -excavation. ...
Norman conquests in red. ...
A kite shield was a distinct type of shield from the 10th-12th centuries. ...
Knife See also: Seax, Dagger and Knifethe shield was the least used armour ever but in the 20 th century it is used every day for riots and policing. Some Merovingian seaxes The remains of a seax together with a reconstructed replica A Seax (also Hadseax, Sax, Seaxe, Scramaseax and Scramsax), was a type of Germanic single-edged knife. ...
Bold text This article is about the weapon. ...
This article is about the tool. ...
Sword -
Owning a sword was a matter of high prestige. A sword mentioned in the Laxdæla saga was valued at half a crown, corresponding to the value of 16 milk-cows. The Viking sword was for single-handed use to be combined with a shield, with a blade length of typically 60–80 cm. Its shape was still very much based on the swords of the Dark Ages and on the Roman spatha, with a tight grip, long deep fuller, and no pronounced cross-guard. The Spatha is a type of straight sword, measuring between 75 and 100 cm, in use throughout the 1st millennium AD. Introduced in the late Roman Empire, the Spatha remained popular throughout the Migration period and the Viking Age, until it evolved into the knightly sword of the High Middle...
Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
Laxdæla saga is the saga of the clan/family of Laxdal. ...
The Spatha is a type of straight sword, measuring between 75 and 100 cm, in use throughout the 1st millennium AD. Introduced in the late Roman Empire, the Spatha remained popular throughout the Migration period and the Viking Age, until it evolved into the knightly sword of the High Middle...
Petrarch, who conceived the idea of a European Dark Age. From Cycle of Famous Men and Women, Andrea di Bartolo di Bargillac, c. ...
For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ...
The spatha was a type of straight sword with a long point, measuring between 0. ...
Axe Based on the everyday tool for splitting wood, axes specialized for use in battle evolved, with larger heads and longer shafts. Some axe heads were inlaid with silver designs. In the later Viking era, there were axe heads with crescent shaped edges measuring up to 45 cm, called breið-exi (broad axe).it was also one of the first weapons ever made in the world Axe For other uses, see Axe (disambiguation). ...
See also: Danish axe The Danish long axe went by many names, including Dane-axe, English long axe, Viking axe, and hafted axe. ...
Armour
Helmet Helmets from the Viking Age are very rare - only one example is known to exist. This Viking helmet was made of iron and was in the shape of a rounded or peaked cap made from four plates after the spangenhelm pattern, and was excavated from Gjermundbu, Norway, and dated to the 10th century. This helmet has a rounded cap with a small 2 cm spike on top and has a "spectacle" guard around the eyes and nose, in addition to a possible mail aventail. The eyeguard in particular suggests a close affinity with the earlier Vendel period helmets. From runestones and other illustrations, we know the Vikings also wore simpler helmets, often peaked caps with a simple noseguard. Unlike what is often shown in movies and other media, Viking helmets never had horns mounted on them. A person wearing a helmet. ...
A spangenhelm with nasal and cheek flaps. ...
An aventail is a flexible curtain of chainmail on a helmet, that extends to cover the neck and shoulders. ...
Ohtheres mound Vendel is a parish in the Swedish province of Uppland. ...
Mail Once again, only a single complete chain mail shirt has been excavated in Scandinavia, from the same site as the helmet - Gjermundbu in Norway. Scandinavian Viking age burial customs seems to not favor burial with helmet or mail armour, in contrast to earlier extensive armor burials in Swedish Valsgärde. The mail shirt is elbow-and-knee length. Probably worn over thick clothing, the mail shirt will protect the wearer from blows that get past his defense. Mail was very expensive in early medieval Europe, and would only have been worn by rich warriors.Chain mail armor is called a Brynie For other uses, see Chainmail (disambiguation). ...
Valsgärde is a farm at the Fyris river, ca 3 km north of Gamla Uppsala, the ancient centre of the Swedish kings and of the pagan faith in Sweden. ...
Archaeological finds Gamla Uppsala is an area rich in archaeological remains seen from the grave field whose larger mounds (left part) are close to the royal mounds. ...
The Gokstad ship is a late 9th century Viking ship found in a burial mound at Gokstad farm in Sandar, Sandefjord, Vestfold, Norway. ...
The Oseberg longship (Viking Ship Museum, Norway) vantage exactly from the front - one of the most stunning expressions of Norse art and craftsmenship The Oseberg ship was found in a large burial mound at the Oseberg farm near Tønsberg in Vestfold county, Norway, in 1904. ...
Sutton Hoo ceremonial helmet (British Museum, restored). ...
The Thorsberg moor (Thorsberger Moor, Tosbarch, Tåsbjerre Thors hill; ) near Süderbrarup in Anglia, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD served as the location of votive deposits by the Angles and is hence the location of important Roman Iron Age finds...
Valsgärde is a farm at the Fyris river, ca 3 km north of Gamla Uppsala, the ancient centre of the Swedish kings and of the pagan faith in Sweden. ...
Ohtheres mound Vendel is a parish in the Swedish province of Uppland. ...
Saga accounts
Battles The Battle of Hafrsfjord has been a very central event in the history of the unification of Norway. ...
Combatants Norway Jomsvikings Commanders Hákon Sigurðarson EirÃkr Hákonarson Sveinn Hákonarson Sigvaldi jarl Vagn Ãkason Búi digri Strength 180 ships 60 ships The Battle of Hjörungavágr (Modern Norwegian HjørungavÃ¥g) is a semi-legendary naval battle that took place in the late...
The naval Battle of Svolder or Swold took place on 9 September 1000 in the western Baltic Sea, between Norway and the other Scandinavians. ...
The Battle of Nesjar was a sea battle off the coast of Norway in 1016. ...
The Battle of Stiklestad (Old Norse Stiklarstaðir) in 1030 is one of the most famous battles in the history of Norway. ...
Duels Kormáks saga is one of the Icelanders sagas. ...
Egill SkallagrÃmsson engaging in holmgang with Berg-Önundr, painting by Johannes Flintoe HolmgÃ¥ng (or holmganga) was a duel practiced by Norsemen. ...
Images A rune stone Rune stones are somewhat flat standing stones with runic stone carvings from the Iron Age (Viking Age) and early middle ages found in most parts of Scandinavia. ...
The Bayeux Tapestry (French: Tapisserie de Bayeux) is a 50 cm by 70 m (20 in by 230 ft) long embroidered cloth which depicts the events leading up to the 1066 Norman invasion of England as well as the events of the invasion itself. ...
This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...
The Goths, Gepids, Vandals, and Burgundians were East Germanic groups who appear in Roman records in Late Antiquity. ...
External links - Viking Age Arms and Armor (hurstwic.org)
- Arms and Combat in the Íslendingasögur
- Viking Weapons and Warfare (bbc.co.uk)
- The 'Viking Shield' from Archaeology by Peter Beatson
|
Feeds |
Contact