WEAPONS.
Arms of offence—Defensive weapons—Swords: Their rich
ornamentation—Scabbards—Belts—Figurative names of
swords—Supernatural qualities attributed to weapons—Weapons as
heirlooms—Spears: Their figurative names—Axes: Their figurative
names—Bows and arrows: Their figurative names—Mythical
arrows—Slings—Shields: Their figurative names—Coats of mail: Their
figurative names—Helmets: Their figurative names.
The finds, as well as the Sagas, fully corroborate the fact that from
the earliest times the Northmen were a very warlike people.
[Illustration:
⅖ real size.
Fig. 782.—Sword-hilt of iron. The pommel and hilt inlaid with
bronze.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
⅓ real size.
Fig. 783.—Hilt of iron inlaid with silver.—Hedemarken, Norway.
]
Their arms of offence were the sword, the axe, the spear, the bow and
arrow, the sling, &c., &c. Those of defence were the coat of mail, the
shield, and the helmet. The weapons are often described as being
ornamented and inlaid with gold and silver.
[Illustration:
⅓ real size.
Fig. 784.—Double-edged sword of iron inlaid with silver; found with
balance in a tumulus with charcoal, burnt bones, iron pincers, and
remains of twine of lamp-threads.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
⅓ real size.
Fig. 785.—Double-edged sword-hilt, inlaid with silver and bronze, with
broken blade. In a tumulus with an axe, a spear-head cut and bent,
three shield-bosses, two horses’ bits, two stirrups, a hammer, the
end of a chain, a piece of a two-edged sword, &c.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
⅓ real size.
Fig. 786.—Double-edged sword-hilt. In a round tumulus with fragments
of bronze kettle, two sharpening stones, a pin with a mobile ring of
bronze, amber bead, glass beads, remains of textile stuff with
thread of gold weaved into it, two bronze fibulæ. About 2 feet
higher were found an anvil, several hammers, pincers, two gimlets, a
spear-head, a quantity of rivets; clinch nails and charcoal were
scattered all over in the tumulus.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
⅓ real size.
Fig. 787.—Double-edged sword with hilt inlaid with silver; in a
tumulus with a hook of iron, a spear-head cut on purpose on one
side; an axe, a shield-boss damaged with blows of an axe, a horse’s
bit, a scythe blade, fragments of an iron kettle. These antiquities
lay in a kind of sepulchral chamber. A big chain of iron, &c., was
also found.—Norway.
]
The hilts of the swords were of iron, bronze, or wood, often inlaid and
ornamented with precious metals, garnets, ivory, &c., &c.; when made of
wood they were sometimes adorned with silver-headed nails. The handles
of some of those swords belonging to the period of the earlier iron age
are nearly identical in form with those of the bronze age.
[Illustration:
Fig. 788.—Hilt of a double-edged sword, ⅓ real size, inlaid with
silver, placed over an urn containing burnt bones.—Bohuslan.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 789.—Hilt of a double-edged iron sword, ⅖ real size, inlaid with
silver, found with a spear-point of iron.—Södermanland, Sweden.
]
The scabbards were of wood, covered with skins, often richly ornamented
with gold and silver. The men carried them in a belt across the
shoulder, which by means of a double button could be lengthened or
shortened. The luxury of the ornamentation on their weapons corresponds
with that of the countries whence the forefathers of the race claimed to
come.[92]
“Eyvind Urarhorn was in the winter at the Yule-feast with King Olaf, and
received rich gifts from him, Brynjolf Ulfaldi was also there, and got
as Yule-gift from the king a gold ornamented sword, and also a farm
called Vettaland, which is a very large farm” (St. Olaf’s Saga, ch. 60).
“There were in the house not a few gold ornamented swords. Sigvat made a
stanza, in which he said he would accept a sword if it were given to him
by the king. The king took one and gave it him; the hilt was bound with
gold, and the guards were gold ornamented; it was a very costly weapon”
(St. Olaf’s Saga, 172).
[Illustration:
⅓ real size.
Fig. 790.—Hilt of a double-edged sword inlaid with silver; in a
tumulus with an axe.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
⅓ real size.
Fig. 791.—Hilt of a sword. Hilt of iron ornamented with carved and
raised notches, the first of bronze, the latter of silver, partly
destroyed.—Norway.
]
The swords were carefully tested before use.
“Thórólf took his own sword and gave to Thorstein; it was a fine and
well-made sword. Thorstein took it, drew it, and catching its point,
bent the blade between his hands so that the point touched the guard; he
let it spring back, and it did not straighten again. He gave it back to
Thórólf, and asked for a stronger weapon....” (Svarfdæla, ch. 2).
[Illustration:
Fig. 792.—Hilt of sword ornamented with silver and gold. ½ real
size.—Scania, Sweden.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 793.—Double-edged sword handle. ½ real size.—Götland.
]
From the following we see how careful the people were in polishing their
swords, so that they might be very bright:—
“Thorir was the herdman of King Olaf, and was greatly honoured. As a
token of it the king gave him the sword which his kinsmen had owned for
a long time and been very fond of. It was called Thegn; it was both long
and broad, sharper than any other, and three times polished” (An
Bogsveigi’s, Saga, ch. 1).
[Illustration:
Fig. 794.—⅛ real size. Found in a tumulus with an axe, the teeth of an
iron comb for weaving linen, &c., and a glass bead.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 795.—⅛ real size.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 796.—⅛ real size. Found with a file in a round mound, a fragment
of a shield-boss, three arrow-heads, a horse’s bit,
a gimlet, the end of a chain, &c.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 797.—⅖ real size. Single-edged sword of iron, found with a
spear-head of iron, &c.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 798.—⅙ real size. Sword with runic letters on the blade.—Norway.
]
Iron Swords.
Whetstones were used from very early times to sharpen their weapons or
tools of iron, for these are quite common in the finds.
[Illustration:
Fig. 799.—Sharpening stone, found with 108 Roman coins
(Vitellius-Commodus), with small bits of bones, under a stone which
was part of a double circle of stone.—Götland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 800.—Sharpening stone encased with bronze. ⅔ real size.—Upland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 801.—Real size.
]
[Illustration:
Real size.
Fig. 802.—Buckle for belt, plated with silver and gilt, ornamented
with coloured glass, found by the side of a skeleton, with fragments
of a sword and spear-heads.—Upland.
]
Silver Ornaments for Sword Scabbards.
[Illustration:
Fig. 803.—Bronze button to sword-hilt, ⅔ real size; enamelled in blue,
white, and red, with the centre originally enamelled: found in a
round tumulus with several ornaments of swords of bronze, a
shield-boss of bronze, plaqué with silver, &c.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 804.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 805.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 806.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 807.
]
Ornaments of silver for scabbard of sword, partly gilt and niellé;
found in a tumulus, with sepulchral chamber of wood, with the
following objects:—Among the principal objects were, a spiral gold
bar used as money, two gold rings, four clay urns, four or five
wooden buckets with bronze fixtures, bronze fixtures for a
drinking horn, bronze fibula inlaid with silver, pieces of a
leather belt with bronze traps, a large mosaic glass bead,
fragments of a two-edged sword, three shield-bosses, fragments of
garments and furs, fragments of a balance, sharpening stone, &c.
Real size.—Norway.
[Illustration:
Fig. 808.—Ornament for scabbard. Real size.—Upland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 809.—Ornament of gold for mouth of scabbard; real size.—Vestre
Slidre, Norway. Weight, nearly 2½ oz.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 810.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 811.
]
Gold ornaments in filigree for sword-handle, found with the
neck-ring. Real size.—Thureholm, Södermanland, Sweden.
[Illustration:
Fig. 812.—Norway, real size. Silver mounting to a scabbard.—Horseus.
It lay under a large clayurm filled with bones, together with a
damaged double-edged sword, spear-point, arrow-point, shield-boss,
all of iron, fragments of iron shears, and mountings to a drinking
horn of bronze.
]
Swords seem to have been prized above all other weapons; occasionally
their genealogy was carefully kept. Some swords caused death every time
they inflicted a wound, from which we must infer that their blades had
been poisoned, either during or after the forging.
[Illustration:
Fig. 813.—Double-edged sword, with handle hilt of silver and bronze
gilt; found by the side of the remains of a skeleton, with a
spear-head, several arrow-heads, and a knife—all of iron; a glass
cup, a gilt bronze fibula, and bones of a dog, &c. ⅙ real
size.—Götland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 814.—Pommel of the sword. Real size.—Götland?
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 815.—Ornament of bronze gilt, with round garnets. Real size.
Endregårda, Götland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 816.—Buckle of gilt bronze with garnets _enchassés_. Real
size.—Endregårda, Götland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 817.—Pommel of sword, in gilt bronze and silver.—Falköping,
Vestergötland. ½ real size.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 818.—Part of a massive gold pommel of sword found in a field in
Leijeby, Halland. Real size.
]
The _mækir_, the _sverd_, and the _sax_ seem to have been the three
kinds of swords used by the people.
[Illustration:
Fig. 819.—Silver ornament for scabbard, real size.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 820.—Pommel of sword of massive gold, ornamented with garnets
_enchassés_. Real size. Earlier iron age.—Bohuslan.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 821.—Reverse view of Fig. 822.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 822.—Silver ornament (both sides shown) found in the sand. Real
size.—Scania.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 823.—Silver thong aiguillette. Real size.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 824.—Gold ornament of sword belt. Real size.—Thureholm,
Södermanland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 825.—Bronze mounting to a belt, found, when ploughing, with a
short single-edged sword, four arrow-heads, a shield-boss, iron bit,
a round fibula of bronze, and thirty glass beads, &c. Real
size.—Götland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 826.—Ornament of gilt bronze, with border in silver, found in a
mound. Real size.—Öland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 827.—Mounting of thong, ⅔ real size, with leather still attached
to it, in gilt bronze with red enamel. With it were an iron sword
with gilt bronze handle, two bits, two stirrups, more than 100
clinch nails of the size of those in the Ultuna mound, a clay urn
with burnt bones, and the unburnt jaw of a dog, &c.—Scania.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 828.—Ornament of gilt bronze, real size.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 829.—Ornament of gilt bronze, ⅔ real size; found in a tumulus,
with fibula, horse’s bit, &c.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 830.—Ornament of solid gold for the mouth of a scabbard.—Malby,
Vestergötland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 831.—Reverse view of Fig. 830.
In all ornamentation one side is not similar to the other.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 832.—Massive ring of gold (probably fixed at the mouth of a
scabbard); weight, 5 oz. Real size.—Vestergötland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 833.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 834.—Reverse of Fig. 833.
]
Ornaments for the mouthpiece of a scabbard seen from both sides. The
two sides are always unlike. Real size.—Thureholm.
[Illustration:
Fig. 835.—Double-edged sword-hilt and mounting of scabbard of gilt
bronze and of silver. ½ real size.—Ultuna, Upland.
]
The sax had only one sharp edge in contrast to the sverd, which had two.
Upon the swords more than upon all other weapons the poets lavished
their most figurative and poetical names; they are called:—
Odin’s flame:
The gleam of the battle;
The ice of battle;
The serpent of the wound;
The wolf of the wound;
The dog of the helmet;
The battle snake;
The glow of the war;
The injurer of the shields;
The fire of the shields;
The fire of the battle;
The viper of the host;
The torch of the blood;
The snake of the brynja;
The fire of the sea-kings;
The thorn of the shields;
The fear of the brynja;
The tongue of the scabbard.
Among the most celebrated swords were _Tyrfing_, the sword of Sigurlami,
son of Odin, which had come down to Angantyr and his descendants. It
shone like a ray of sunshine, and slew a man every time it was drawn. It
was always to be sheathed with man’s blood upon it; it never failed, and
always carried victory with it.
“In the battle Heidrek was in the foremost array, and he carried Tyrfing
in his right hand, and cut down the host of the jarl like saplings, and
neither helmet nor armour could resist; he went through the host; he
slew all who were near him” (Hervarar Saga, c. 10).
Some weapons had special names given to them, and the great fame they
had acquired was doubtless due to the personal bravery of the warriors
who had owned them, to the great skill with which they were handled, and
to their superior workmanship. People believed in their supernatural
qualities; some were even thought by them to have been forged by the
_Dvergar_, others were supposed to have been given by Odin himself;
while some had become infallible by _akvœdi_, that is, by charms and
incantations used over them while they were being made, or else by
_mal_, _i.e._, mystic signs engraved or inlaid upon them.
[Illustration:
Fig. 836.—Sword, found in a tumulus with two spear-heads, shield-boss,
and a garniture of a shield handle.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 837.—Found amongst some burnt bones and objects of iron; ⅕ real
size.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 838.—Sax found in a small tumulus with a human cranium; two
spear-points; ¼ real size.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 839.—Sword-hilt with an outer sheet of thin silver, very much
injured by fire; nearly ⅓ real size.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 840.—Sword-hilt with wood and bronze bands; nearly ⅓ real
size.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 841.—Sax or single-edged sword found with an umbo shield boss of
iron in a cairn. ⅕ real size.—Långlöt, Öland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 842.—Sax or single-edged iron sword, found in a stone cist of
over nine feet in height, with a skeleton, spear-point, clay urn,
&c. ¼ real size.—Öland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 843.—Double-edged sword, with bronze mounting for scabbard; found
by the side of a skeleton in a tumulus at Hammenhöj, Scania,
together with an iron shield boss, a clay urn, two bone dice, forty
bone checkers and other things. ⅕ of real size.
]
“Hraungvid said: ‘I have ravaged for thirty-three years, summer and
winter, and I have fought in sixty battles, generally gaining victory;
the name of my sword is _Brynthvari_, and it has never been dulled”
(Hrómundar Saga Greipssonar, ch. 1).
Grettir asked for a weapon, and Asmund, his father, answered:
“‘Thou hast not been obedient to me, and as I do not know what thou wilt
do with weapons, so I will not give thee any.’ Grettir replied: ‘Then
there is nothing to repay, where nothing has been given.’ Father and son
parted with little affection. Many wished Grettir farewell, but few safe
return. His mother followed him on the way, and before they parted she
said: ‘Thou art not fitted out from home, my kinsman, as I would like,
able as thou art; it seems to me the greatest want, that thou hast no
weapon fit for use, and my mind tells me that thou wilt need one.’ She
took an ornamented sword from under her cloak; it was very costly, and
said: ‘This sword my grandfather Jökul owned, and the old Vatnsdælir, it
used to give them victory. I will give thee the sword; use it well.’
Grettir thanked her much for the gift, saying he liked it better than
greater valuables” (Gretti’s Saga, ch. 17).
The jarl Viking said to his son Thorstein:
“The only thing that gladdens me is that no man will stand over thy
scalp (have thy head at his feet), although thou wilt have a narrow
escape. Here is a sword, kinsman Thorstein, which I want to give thee;
its name is _Angrvadil_, and victory has always followed it; my father
took it from the slain Björn Blue-tooth; I have no other remarkable
weapons, excepting an old spear which I took from Harek Jarnhaus, and I
know it is not manageable by any man” (Thorstein Vikingsson’s Saga, ch.
10).
“When Viking drew it (‘Angrvadil’) it was as if lightning flashed from
it. Harek seeing this, said: ‘I should never have fought against thee,
if I had known thou hadst Angrvadil; it is most likely it will be as my
father said, that we brothers and sisters would be short-lived, except
that one only who was named after him; it was the greatest misfortune,
when Angrvadil went out of our family;’ and at that moment Viking struck
down on the head of Harek, and cleft him in two from head to feet, so
that the sword entered the ground up to the hilt” (Thorstein Vikingsson,
ch. 14).[93]
“King Athelstan gave him a sword, with hilt and guards of gold, but the
blade was still better; with it Hakon cut a millstone through to the
centre hole,[94] and therefore the sword was afterwards called
_kvernbit_ (mill-biter). It was the best sword that ever came to Norway”
(Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga; Fornmanna Sögur).
Many were considered valuable heirlooms in families, and their
possession was so much coveted that even burial mounds were broken open
in order to get them.
Grettir had broken into the mound of the Norwegian chief Kár, with whose
son, Thorfinn, he was residing, and had taken therefrom a great deal of
property.
“Late at night he returned to his house, and placed on the table before
Thorfinn the property he had taken from the mound. Among the treasures
was a sax, such a good weapon that Grettir said he had never seen a
better. He wanted to have this very much, but produced it last of all
(the treasures). Thorfinn’s face brightened when he saw the sax, for it
was a great treasure, and had never gone out of his family; he asked how
he (Grettir) got it, and Grettir told him.... Thorfinn said: ‘Thou must
accomplish something that I think famous, before I will let thee have
the sax, for my father never allowed me to use it’” (Gretti’s Saga, ch.
18).
“Arinbjörn gave to Egil a sword called _Dragvandil_, which Thórólf
Skallagrimsson had given to him; Skallagrim had got it from his brother
Thórólf, and Grim Lodinkinni (shaggy-cheek) had given it to Thórólf.
Ketil Hœng, Grim’s father, had owned it, and carried it in
single-fights; it was sharper than any other sword” (Egil’s Saga, c.
64).
“He (King Magnus) was girt with a sword called _Leggbit_ (the
leg-biter); its guards were of walrus-tusk, and its hilt was covered
with gold; it was one of the best of weapons” (Magnus Barefoot’s Saga,
ch. 26).[95]
In time of peace warriors wrapped round their swords what was called
_Fridbönd_ (peace-band). This was a strap wound round the sheath, and
fastened to the hilt, but unfastened in case of war.
Thorkel, Gisli’s brother, was well dressed at the Thorskafjardar-thing.
“He wore a hat from Gardariki and a grey cloak and a gold fibula on his
shoulder, and he carried a sword in his hand.”
Two boys came walking up to him.
“The older boy said: ‘Who is the noble-looking man sitting here? Saw
never I a better-looking or more dignified man.’ Thorkel answered: ‘Thou
speakest well; I am called Thorkel.’ The boy said: ‘The sword in thy
hand must be very precious; wilt thou allow me to look at it?’ Thorkel
answered: ‘This is strange, but I will allow thee to look,’ and handed
the sword to him. The boy took the sword, turned a little aside,
unloosed the peace bands and drew the sword. When Thorkel saw this, he
said: ‘I did not allow thee to draw the sword.’ ‘I asked no leave from
thee,’ said the boy; and he brandished the sword and struck at the neck
of Thorkel, taking off his head” (Gisli Sursson’s Saga, ch. 55).[96]
A Valkyria says to Helgi:
I know swords lying
In Sigarsholm
Four less
Than fifty;
One is
The best of them all.
The harmer of war-knittings[97]
Covered with gold.
For him who gets it
A ring is in the guard,
Courage in the middle,
Terror in the point,
A blood-dyed serpent
Lies along the edge,
The serpent throws its tail
On the valbost.[98]
(Helgi Hjörvardsson.)
_Spears._—Different kinds of spears are mentioned, such as _kesja_;
_höggspjót_ (hewing-spear); _gaflak_ (javelin); _snœris-spjót_
(string-spear); which last was thrown with the aid of a string fastened
to the spear; _pál-staf_ (pole-staff), a pole provided with an iron
spike; _skepti-fletta_ (cord-shaft), a shaft with a cord attached to it;
_atgeir_, a kind of halberd.
The sockets were often richly ornamented with gold or silver inlaid in
beautiful patterns, sometimes with fine notches of silver, or were
covered over with sheets of silver, upon which were engraved the
serpentine ornamentation peculiar to the North.
[Illustration:
Fig. 844.—⅔ real size.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 845.—Spear-head. ½ real size.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 846.—Damascene spear-head, found with a fragment of a
single-edged sword with hilt, a key, a scythe, iron blade, &c. ⅓
real size.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 847.—Spear-head. In a tumulus. The upper line in the handle has
been filled with silver. ⅓ real size.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 848.—Spear-point, with lower part plated with silver and gold. ⅓
real size.—Götland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 849.—Spear-head, found with two swords, iron knife, and three
bronze buckles. ¼ real size.—Götland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 850.—Spear-point, ⅓ real size, found in Kragehul bog.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 851.—Spear-head. ½ real size.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 852.—Spear-point. ⅓ real size.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 853.—Spear-point. ⅓ real size. In a tumulus with two bent
double-edged swords, another similar spear-head, &c., &c., and the
bones of two horses.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 854.—Spear-head of iron. ⅔ real size.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 855.—Spear-point. ½ real size. In a round tumulus with a gold
ring, pieces of a glass cup or vase, fragments of silver repoussé
and gilt, and part of a bracelet.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 856.—Spear-head of iron, found with two other larger spear-heads,
a single-edged sword, and the bottom of a Roman vase in bronze, &c.
½ real size.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 857.—Spear-point. ½ real size. Found in a round tumulus with a
two-edged sword, &c.—Norway.
]
From the more numerous finds of spears, of which great numbers have been
discovered together, we gather that the spear was a more common weapon
than the sword. We also learn that spear-shafts were generally made of
ash, and that they were sometimes more than eleven feet long, while
their thickness rarely exceeded an inch; on some spears the centre of
gravity was marked by nails or strings, in order that the thrower might
quickly give the spear the right position in his hand.
[Illustration:
Fig. 858.—Triangular arrow-point. ½ real size.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 859.—Iron spear-point. ¼ real size.—Karleby, Upland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 860.—Iron spear-point, found with a skeleton, double-edged sword,
knife, two spear-points, and shield-boss, in a cairn at Folkeslunda,
Öland. ⅓ real size.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 861.—Iron arrow-head. ½ real size, found with 11 others of the
same shape.—Vestana, Upland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 862.—Spear-point. ¼ real size.—Hade in Gestrikland, Sweden.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 863.—Ornamentation of a spear-handle, ½ real size, from
Thorsbjerg bog.
]
Spears, like swords, had numerous poetical names. Odin’s spear was
called _Gungnir_. Some other names were—
The pole of Darrad (Odin).
The sounding fish of the armour.
The snake of the corpse.
The flying dragon of the wounds.
The snake of the attack.
The venom-thong of the fight.
The thorn of the wound.
The serpent of blood.
The serpent of battle.
The serpent of wound.
The serpent of shield.
The shooting-serpent.
These are of many shapes, and it is impossible to tell those which were
used for war, or for household, or for felling trees.
“It was seen from the Thing that a body of men rode down along Gljúfrá
(a river), and that shields glittered there. When these arrived a man in
a blue cloak rode foremost; he had a gilt helmet on his head and a
gold-ornamented shield at his side; in his hand a hooked spear; the
socket of its head was inlaid with gold; he was girt with a sword. This
was Egil Skallagrimsson” (Egil’s Saga, ch. 85).
_The axe._—The axe is frequently mentioned in the Sagas, and must often
have been a formidable weapon. Some were artistically and splendidly
made, and inlaid with precious metal, each side being made of different
patterns.
[Illustration:
Fig. 864.—Axe inlaid with metal, of silver mixed with gold. ½ real
size.—Bjerringhoï mound at Mammen, near Viborg.
]
One of the earliest forms of this weapon is probably the one here
represented (Fig. 865), for it was found with a bronze sword, and shows
the transition that was taking place, when iron was to supersede bronze
in the making of weapons.
They also had peculiar figurative names—
The fiend of the shield.
The witch of the battle.
The witch of the armour.
The witch of the helmet.
The witch of the shield.
The wolf of the wound, &c.
The most celebrated axe in later times was that of Skarphédin, called
Rimmugýg (the war-witch).
[Illustration:
Fig. 865.—Iron axe, ⅓ real size, probably of early iron age, found in
a small stone cist with a short bronze sword and burnt
bones.—Götland.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 866.—A little less than ¼ real size. Iron axe, with a celt, a
two-edged sword with hilt, a spear-head, an axe, two blades of
knives, a horse-bit, a scythe-blade, &c., all of iron.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 867.—A little less than ¼ real size. Iron axe, in a half-ruined
tumulus, with two other axes, a horse-bit, and a little
bell.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 868.—Axe head, ⅔ real size.—Sweden.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 869.—A little less than ¼ real size. Iron axe, in a tumulus with
charcoal, a spear-head, a knife-blade, a fire-steel, a single-edged
sword, and end of an iron chain.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 870.—⅓ real size. Iron axe, found with checkers in a round
tumulus with a stone vessel, which contained burnt bones and a
purposely-broken and bent sword, with hilt inlaid with silver, a
spear-head bent, two shield-bosses, a horse-bit, a pair of stirrups
defaced by blows of a hammer, two buckles, and an iron ornament for
a belt, fragments of bone comb, &c.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 871.—¼ real size. Iron axe.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 872.—¼ real size. Iron axe.—Norway.
]
“The jarl (Hakon) asked (Hallfred) who he was? He said: ‘I am an
Icelander; but my errand is, lord, that I have composed a song about
you, and wish you to listen to it.’ The jarl replied: ‘Thou lookest to
be a man who would be bold in the presence of chiefs, and thou shalt
have a hearing.’ Hallfred recited the poem; it was a _drápa_ (laudatory
poem); he delivered it with skill. The jarl thanked him, gave him a
large silver ornamented axe, and good clothes, and invited him to remain
with him over winter; and this Hallfred accepted” (Hallfred’s Saga, ch.
5).
“As they parted, the jarl (Hakon) gave him (Olaf Höskuldsson) a most
costly gold ornamented axe” (Laxdæla, ch. 29).
[Illustration:
Fig. 873.—Iron axe. ¼ real size. Found in a field with another axe,
&c.—Karleby, Upland, Sweden.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 874.—Small axe. ½ real size. Found with double-edged sword, 10
arrow-points, &c.—Forneby, Vestmanlan.
]
The bow (_bogi_) and the arrow (_ör_) were among the most important
weapons for war. The bows discovered are generally about six feet long.
Arrows were called by the poets—
The bird of the string.
The swift-flyer.
The hail of the battle.
The hail of the wound.
The herrings of the corpse.
The ice of the bow.
The rain of the string.
The twigs of the corpse.
The clutching one (one of three arrows of Orvar Odd).
The glad flyer.
The weapon of the Finns.
The work of Gusi (king of the Finns).
The followers of Gusi.
The flowing streams of the bow.
The rain of the bow.
The quick one of the shaft.
The fire of the bow, &c.
The quivers from the earlier iron age were occasionally of wood,
sometimes with bronze mountings, and were made to hold a score of
arrows. Some arrows were ornamented with gold, were long, and often
barbed with iron or bone. The arrow-shafts, of wood, were two or three
feet long, with four rows of feathers, fastened into pitched thread;
they, as well as the spears, often bore the marks of ownership; while
some were engraved with runes.
Svein (England’s conqueror), King Harald’s son, Pálnatóki’s foster-son,
went on warfare in his father’s realm and fought a battle at sea against
him near Bornholm. He was defeated and shut up in a bay, Harald’s ships
lying across it, each stem being fastened to the other.
[Illustration:
Fig. 875.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 876.
]
Arrow-heads. ⅔ real size.—Norway.
“The same evening Pálnatóki came to the island with twenty-four ships.
He laid his ships on the other side of the cape, and there tented over
his host (on board). Thereupon he went ashore alone with his bow and
arrows, and his sword at his belt. Now it must be told of King Harald
that he went ashore with eleven men. They walked into the wood, made a
fire there, and warmed themselves at it. They sat on a felled tree, and
it had become dark as the night fell on. Pálnatóki went into the wood
opposite where the king sat, and stood there. The king warmed himself at
the fire, and came with his back close to it. Clothes were laid under
him. He was on his knees, and stooped forward so low while warming his
back and shoulders that the hind part of his thighs stood out. Pálnatóki
heard the king’s voice, and recognised that of his father’s brother,
Fjölnir. He laid an arrow on his (bow) string and shot at the king, and,
it is told, that the arrow hit the king straight between his thighs and
came out of his mouth. The king fell dead, as was to be expected. When
his followers saw what had happened, Fjölnir said: ‘A great mishap has
occurred to the man who has done this deed, or caused it to be done. A
strange wonder is the way in which this deed has been committed.’ He
asked what should be done. They left to him to decide that, for he was
the wisest of them. It is told that he took the arrow out of the king’s
mouth, and put it by as it was. It was easy to know, for it was bound
with gold. Fjölnir said to the men: ‘I think it advisable that we all
tell the same tale about this event, and it seems to me we cannot do
better than say he was shot in the battle to-day. That is more likely
than the wonder which has occurred here.’ They all bound themselves
firmly to tell the same story” (Jomsvikinga Saga).
[Illustration:
Fig. 877.—½ real size. Arrow-head. In a round tumulus, with fragments
of two stone vases, pincers of iron for blacksmith, a two-edged
sword with hilt inlaid with silver, the blade bent and the inlaid
silver half melted; a bent spear-head, one axe, one shield-boss,
fifteen arrow-heads, a horse-bit, two stirrups, two spears, four
buckles for belts, and many ornaments for harness; two hammers, an
anvil, fragments of a stone mould, remains of a bronze balance, two
files, two blades of knives, and two celts of iron, a gimlet, two
sharpening stones, a piece of flint, an iron key, fragments of
checkers of bones, &c.—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 878.—½ real size. Arrow-head of iron.—Norway.
]
The most celebrated mythical arrows[99] of the Sagas were the Gusi
arrows, which had come into the possession of Ketil Hœng, and were owned
afterwards by his grandson, Orvar Odd.
There are several accounts of these wonderful arrows in the Sagas.
“Grím (father of Orvar-Odd) followed them (Odd, Gudmund, Sigurd) to the
ships and said: ‘Here are the costly things which I want to give thee,
Odd, my kinsman; they are three arrows which have a name and are called
Gusi’s nautar (Gusi’s followers).’ He gave the arrows to Odd, who looked
at them and said: ‘They are very costly.’ The feathers were gilded, and
the arrows flew off and on the string by themselves, and one never needs
to search for them. These arrows Ketil Hœng took from Gusi, the king of
the Finnar; they bite everything they are aimed at, for they are forged
by _Dvergar_. Odd said: ‘No gifts have I which I think equally fine.’ He
thanked his father, and they parted with friendship” (Orvar Odd’s Saga,
c. 4).[100]
_Slings and stones thrown._—Stone-throwing was an important means of
attack. Stones were sometimes thrown by hand, but oftener with slings,
particularly in sea-fights, and the art was brought to great perfection.
Slings were also used on land by bodies of men who had no other
weapons.[101] The stone-throwers are mentioned as occupying the flanks
in King Hedin’s army; and the slingers stood in the last ranks of King
Hring’s order of battle on Brávalla heath.
As heavy stones could not be thrown any great distance by mere muscular
strength, machines were employed, called _Valslöngva_.
The chief Sturla Sighvatsson was attacking his enemies, who defended
themselves inside a high wall.
“Sturla walked about outside, and took a stone; he threw stones better
than any man, and usually hit the mark. He said: ‘It seems to me if I
wished to throw a stone, that I, rather than you, would choose where it
should hit; but I will not try it now,’ and he then threw down the
stone” (Sturlunga, v., ch. 17).
“Búi (the son of Andrid, in Brautarholt) would never carry any weapon
but a sling, which he always wore tied round him. Búi was outlawed
because he did not want to sacrifice. Once when he was on a journey,
Thorstein, a son of the chief Thorgrim, attacked him with eleven men.
Búi had come to a hill called Kleberg, where he saw them pursuing him;
he stopped and gathered some stones. Thorstein and his men went fast,
and when they had passed a brook which was there, they heard the sling
of Búi whistle and a stone flew; it struck the breast of one of
Thorstein’s men and killed him. Búi sent more stones, and hit a man with
each one. By this time Thorstein had almost come up to him; Búi
retreated down the hill on the other side” (Kjalnesinga Saga, ch. 3).
_Defensive weapons._—The shield, the form of which, as we see from the
finds, was always round, and somewhat convex. Almost all shields were
probably covered with leather. They were of wood, the boards surrounded
on the rim by a ring of metal, sometimes of gold, and they were braced
and furnished with a boss and handle of iron or bronze. Many were
painted in different colours, or richly ornamented, and sometimes
covered with gold.
Many figurative names were given to them:—
The sun of the battle.
The moon of the battle.
The sun of Odin.
The moon of Odin.
The cloud of the battle.
The wall of the battle.
The board of victory.
The net of the spears.
The wheel of Hild (a Valkyria).
Hild’s wall.
The sun of the sea kings.
The leaf of the Vikings.
The land of the arrows.
The path of the spears.
The fence of the bardi (ironclad ship).
The hall-roof of Odin.
The one that shelters.
The battle-shelterer.
The glittering sun.
The fire-shelterer.
The burgh of the swords.
Thjódolf of Hvin, one of Harald Fairhair’s scalds, got as a gift from
the Norwegian chief Thorleif[102] a shield. The shield was painted with
subjects from Norse mythology. On these Thjódolf wrote the poem
_Haustlöng_ (autumn-long), which is preserved in the later Edda in two
parts. The first part tells about the journey of Odin, Loki, and Hœnir;
how on their way they met the Jötun Thjassi; and it also describes the
rape of Idun, and Thjassi’s death. This part of the poem winds up thus:—
This is painted
On my shield;
I received the coloured shield
From Thorleif.
The second part of the poem tells the fight of Thor with the Jötun
Hrungnir, and Thjódolf ends it with these words:—
I see distinctly
These events on the shield;
I got the coloured shield
From Thorleif.
(Later Edda.)
“When the jarl heard the poem, he gave Einar a most costly shield. It
was painted with old Sagas, and all the spaces between the paintings
were covered with plates of gold and set with stones.
“When he was ready he went to the seat of Egil, and hung the costly
shield there, telling the servants that he gave it to Egil, and then
rode away.
“It is said that Egil took the shield on a bridal journey to Vidimyri,
where it was spoiled by being thrown into a tub of sour milk; he had the
ornaments taken off, and there were twelve aurar of gold in the plates”
(Egil’s Saga, ch. 82).[103]
[Illustration:
Fig. 879.—Shield-boss of bronze, with handle of iron covered with
bronze. ½ real size.—Ultuna.
]
“Sigurd rode away, his shield had many layers, and was covered with red
gold, and on it was painted a dragon. It was dark brown on the upper
part, and light red on the lower, and in the same way were coloured his
helmet, saddle, and armour. He had a gold coat-of-mail (gullbrynja), and
all his weapons were ornamented with gold and marked with a dragon, so
that every one who saw the dragon might know who the man was, if he had
heard that Sigurd slew the large dragon which the Vœrings call Fafnir”
(Volsunga Saga, ch. 22).
[Illustration:
Fig. 880.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 881.
]
Shield boss with handle of bronze, found with the iron spear-point.
½ real size.—Folkeslunda, Öland.
[Illustration:
Fig. 882.—Shield boss of iron. ½ real size.—Hammenhoj, Scania.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 883.—Button of shield boss of bronze, plated with silver gilt;
the heads of the nails or notches are not gilt. ¾ real size—Norway.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 884.—Shield boss. ⅓ real size. Found in round tumulus with a
spear-head, &c.—Norway.
]
The shield of Bragi Boddason, presented to him as a gift by the famous
Ragnar Lodbrók, seems to have been divided into four sections, each
containing a separate subject:—Sörli and Hamdir killing Jórmunrek and
avenging Svanhild;[104] Gefjon ploughing Selund out of Sweden;[105] Thór
fishing the serpent (Midgardsorm); the everlasting fight between Högni
and Hédin, which last is as follows:—
“King Hédin, son of Hjarrandi, took Hild, daughter of King Högni, away
while he was absent from home. When Högni heard this he pursued him, and
found him on Háey (Hoy, High Island), one of the Orkneys. Hédin offered
him much gold as indemnity, but Högni said: ‘Thou offerest peace too
late, for now I have drawn the sword _Dáinsleif_, which was made by the
Dvergar, which causes a man’s death every time it is unsheathed; the
wounds cut by it are never healed.’ Hédin said: ‘Thou boasteth of thy
sword, and not of victory; I call every sword good which is faithful to
its master’ (owner). Then they began the battle called Hjadninga-fight,
and they fought all that day, and at night went to their ships. During
the night Hild went to the field of the slain, and with witchcraft
called all the dead to life again. The next day the kings went to the
battle-field, and all those who had been killed the day before fought
with them. Day after day the battle went on, and all the slain and all
the weapons in the battle-field and the armour changed into stones. But
at daybreak all the dead men rose and fought, and all their weapons
could be used. It is told in songs that the Hjadnings shall remain thus
till _ragnarök_ (the last fight of the gods)” (Later Edda,
Skaldskaparmál, ch. 50).
[Illustration:
Fig. 885.—Shield, Gokstad ship; about 3 feet in diameter.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 886.—Front view of shield handle of bronze, found by the side of
a skeleton.—Skogsby, Öland. ½ real size.
]
From some passages in the Sagas it seems that some of the shields were
so large that men could be laid on them, and that some were oblong, as
represented in wood-carvings and on the Bayeux tapestry.
“Then the king made ready and went along the valley; he selected a
resting-place for the night where all his men came together and lie in
the open air under their shields” (St. Olaf’s Saga, ch. 219).
“When Olaf was in the Syllingar (Scilly Islands) a hermit prophesied to
him ‘that he would get severely wounded in a fight, and be carried on a
shield on board his ship; that he would be cured in seven nights, and
then be baptized;’ and this proved to be true” (Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga
(Heimskringla), ch. 32).
_Brynja_, or ring coats-of-mail, are often alluded to, and the benches
in Odin’s hall were covered with them. We have seen from the finds that
_Brynjas_ were used at a very early period, probably even before the
Christian era. They were made long and short—some, in fact, were so
short as not to cover the stomach. Only in two instances is the
_spanga-brynja_, or plate coat-of-mail, mentioned. Occasionally brynjas
are described as being made of gold. We read that the loss of the famous
battle of Stamford Bridge by Harald Hardradi was attributed to his men
having left their coats-of-mail on board their ship. Many coats-of-mail
are described as being impervious to weapons, owing, no doubt, to their
wonderful workmanship and the hardness of the rings.
Some of the poetical names given to brynjas are:—
The woof of spears.
War-woof.
Ring-shirt.
Tent of Hlokk.
Shirt of Gunnar.
Shirt of Odin.
Grey clothes of Odin.
Cloak of kings.
Blue shirt.
Battle-cloak.
From the following account we see that some of these coats-of-mail were
made thicker than others:—
“Hjálmar said: ‘I want to fight Angantyr, for I have a brynja in which I
have never been wounded; it is set with fourfold rings’” (Orvar Odd’s
Saga, ch. 14).
In the sea-fight between Olaf and Svein jarl—
“The latter had more men, but the king had picked men on his ship, and
they were so well equipped that every one had a brynja; and on this
occasion they did not get wounded” (St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 47).[106]
[Illustration:
Fig. 887.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 888.
]
Bronze plates, with raised figures, found in Öland. ¾ real size.
Frey’s boar. The horned helmet similar to one in the British
Museum.
Helgi Hardbeinsson, was told by his herdsman that he had seen many armed
men, who had come to kill him, and he thus described the war-dress of
one of them, as they sat in a circle taking their morning meal
(day-meal):—
“He had on a coat of plate-mail[107] and a steel cap, the brim of which
was as wide as a hand’s breadth, and a shining axe on his shoulder, the
edge of which seemed to be two feet long. He had black eyes, and was
very viking-like in appearance” (Laxdœla Saga, c. 63).
Helmets (_hjálm_) are often mentioned; they were generally gilt, or of
gold. On the front of them was a _herkumbl_ (war-mark). From several
bronze plates we see that they were sometimes made in the shape of
animals. The Saga says of King Adils that he had a helmet called
_Hildigölt_ (war-boar). In the finds they are extremely rare; one of
silver has been found, and a fragment of another inlaid with gold, and
one or two of iron.
The viking Framar is thus described: “He wore a helmet on his head, and
was girt with a sword; had a gold-enamelled gull-smeltr shield, and a
spear in his hand” (Sturlaug Starfsamis Saga, ch. 11).
[Illustration:
Fig. 889.—Helmet of iron, ¼ real size, found in the decayed remains of
a small ship buried in the Ultuna mound not far from Upsala.
]
Olaf Haraldsson, when he was about to fight the battle at Ness against
Svein jarl:
“Had on his ship one hundred men, and they had on ring coats-of-mail and
Welsh (foreign) helmets. Most of his men had white shields, and on them
was the holy cross in gold, but some were painted with red or blue; he
had painted crosses in white on the front of all helmets. He had a white
standard which was a serpent” (St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 47).[108]
-----
Footnote 92:
In the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg there is a short,
double-edged sword, dug up in Southern Russia, the scabbard of which
is entirely of gold.
Footnote 93:
Cfr. also Thorstein Vikingsson’s Saga, ch. 15, 20.
Footnote 94:
Hole in middle of millstone.
Footnote 95:
Cfr. also An’s Saga Bogsveigis, ch. 1.
Footnote 96:
Cfr. Sturlunga, 111.
Footnote 97:
Harmer of brynjas = sword.
Footnote 98:
Valböst, an unknown part of the sword.
Footnote 99:
It was only in later times that cross-bows (_lás bogi)_ were used,
with a trigger or spring. They are mentioned about the year 1200.
Footnote 100:
Cf. also Ketil Hœng’s Saga, c. 3.
Footnote 101:
See Magnus the Good’s Saga, c. 31; also Sturlunga, v. c. 17; Færeyinga
Saga, c. 18.
Footnote 102:
Thorleif is mentioned in Hakon Adalsteinsfóstri’s Saga, ch. 11, as
“Thorleif the Wise,” who helped the king to establish the
Gulathing-laws.
Footnote 103:
Cf. Eyrbyggja Saga, c. 13.
Footnote 104:
Völsunga and Snorra Edda.
Footnote 105:
Ynglinga Saga.
Footnote 106:
Cf. also Færeyinga Saga, c. 24
Footnote 107:
_Spanga-brynja._
Footnote 108:
Cf. Olaf’s Saga, 216; Fornmanna Sögur, viii.