Their armor is thick and their shields broad

Perhaps the best guess we can make is that the combined length of shaftДЄnd head of Viking age spears was 2 to 3m (7-10ft) long, although oneД¬an make arguments for the use of spears having both longer and shorter Spear on the left has a shaft of that length, while the other spear in the photo Language used suggests that such a long shaft was uncommon. Long-shafted that a man's outstretched arm could touch the rivet. Chapter 6 of GГsla saga tells of a spear so The archaeological evidence is negligible, and the sagas are, for the However, there is little evidence that tells us the length of the shaft. With a diameter of 2-3cm (about one inch). The surviving spear heads suggest that the shafts were typically round, Spear heads were fixed to wooden shafts using a rivet. Right shows inlaid copper and silver on the rib, and leafy foliageДecorations on the surface of the blade, which at one time, covered the blade. Although most of theДecoration has fallen off in the intervening years, the close-up to the The historical Viking age spear head shown above wasД¬learly a magnificent work of art at one time. The overlap in the socket of a 10 th century spear is This material was formed around a mandrelДЄnd usually was welded to form a solid socket. The head tapered smoothly to a sharp edge on either side ofДЄfter forming the head, the smith flattened and drew out With a thick central rib, clearly visible in the 10 th century spearhead shown to In cross-section, spear heads were lozenge shaped, Precious metals or with scribed geometric patterns (right). They were frequently decorated with inlays of The spearheads were made of iron, and, like swordД«lades, were made using pattern welding techniques (described in the SpjГіtsprika, sometimes translated as 'puny spear'. LaxdГ¦la saga (chapter 64) said that Hrappr carried a Some spearheads were quite small, seen both in the archaeological findsДЄnd in the sagas. Through ГћГіrir and into Г–gmundur with a single thrust, right up to the wings.Д«oth men were killed by the thrust, as is told in chapter 19 of Grettis saga. Spear with a blade so thin and long that he was able to pierce all the way

TheseДЄre called krГіkspjГіt (barbed spear) in the stories. Some spear heads, including all those in the photoДЄbove, had 'wings' on the head, useful for a variety of tricks. Spear for himself which could be used for cutting, thrusting, or hewing. In chapter 8 of KrГіka-Refs saga, Refur made a Spearhead in the photo is 38cm (15in) long, giving a sense of scale. Heads, illustrating the variations in size and shape. The photo below shows an assortment of Viking era spear In chapter 55 of LaxdГ¦la saga, Helgi had a spear with a blade Earlier spearheads wereДЄbout 20cm (8in) long, while later ones were as long as 60cm (24in). The top photo to theДЄn 11 th century spearhead, while the bottom photo to the Modern reproduction, typical of the late Viking age. The spear was the most commonly used weapon in the Viking Until we find time to make the needed updates to this page, we strongly encourage readers to look at this topic as it is presented in our new book, Men of Terror, available now from your favorite book seller. These replaced in the 14th century by smaller heater shields, such as bouches and pavises, and eventually abandoned in battle, favoring mobility and two-handed weapons.Much of the text presented on this page is out-of-date. The Normans introduced the kite shield around the 10th century, giving protection to the userвЂ™s legs. In the early European Middle Ages, round shields made with light wood and reinforced with leather were designed for intercepting incoming blows to deflect them. The heavily armored Roman legionariesВ used large shields to create a tortoise-like formation, great for protection against missiles but not ideas for swift movement. On the other hand, the Ancient Greek hoplites used a round, bowl-shaped wooden shield that was reinforced with bronze. The Mycenaean Greeks, for example,В used two types of shields: the вЂњ figure-of-eightвЂќ shield and a rectangular вЂњ towerвЂќ shield. Lightly armored warriors would generally carry light shields, either small or thin, while heavy troops might rely on robust shields that covered most of the body. Historically, sizes and weights have varied greatly. Shields were used from prehistory to protect against attacks by swords, axes and maces, sling-stones, or arrows.

Their armor is thick and their shields broad