Viking
Swords
The swords of the Vikings stir the imagination of many,
in part because of the central role that the sword played in Viking
culture.
The Vikings prized swords above all other weapons, and
many were given names such as "Gramr" ('fierce'), "Fotbitr"
('leg-biter') and "Meofainn" ('ornamented down the middle,'
probably referring to a pattern-welded blade). Swords were valuable
family heirlooms, handed down from father to son with accompanying
stories of heroic deeds performed.
Early Viking swords from the 1st to the 4th century
likely descended from designs common during Roman times, such as the
short gladius and the spatha, a long sword used by cavalry. Surviving
examples of these swords have handles with a distinctive narrow waist,
often with raised horizontal ribs to fit the fingers.
Gradually, Viking swords began to evolve and develop
their own character. Most Viking swords had broad, double-edged blades
with rounded points and a fuller down the blade. There were, however,
some single-edged Viking blades. A good example is the Scandinavian
Seax or Sax, which typically featured a straight
edge and sharply tapering point.
These blades were made using pattern-welded steel for
the core of the blade, with the edges then welded onto this core.
After grinding and polishing, an acid wash brought out the twists
and folds in the steel of the core.
As the centuries passed, ornamentation began to play
a more important role in hilt design. By the 8th and 9th Centuries,
simple crossguards were still common, but some quillons began to curve
downward. More elaborate pommels and decoration also began to emerge.
Geometric patterns, animals and interlace patterns were worked in
relief on pommels, which were often pyramid shaped or triangular.
Inscriptions and symbols are also found on many of these sword blades.
That such effort and care was expended on their swords
reflects their importance and central place in the world of the Vikings.
In many ways, the swords
of the Vikings were the progenitors of the sword
design that predominated during the 13th and 14th centuries. These
later swords were broad-bladed, with a double fuller running the length
of the blade, and often inlaid with letters or symbols. They had simple
cross guards and wheel pommels, a variation that emerged around 1100
and became the standard over the next century.
The
lasting influence of the Vikings can be seen in many of the swords
that we make here at Angel Sword. Many of our European style swords
incorporate design elements from the Viking
swords of old, and they are among our most popular.
(Source: Swords and Hilt Weapons, Barnes &
Noble Books, 1993)
