08.01.2020
Knife Two distinct classes of knives were in use by Vikings. The more common one was a rather plain, single edge knife of normal construction, called a knifr . These are found in most graves, being the only weapon allowed for all, even slaves. Smaller versions served as the everyday...
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Viking halberd Höggspjót The höggspjót, literally "hewing spear", takes its name from Old Norse högg, "stroke, blow, slaughter, beheading" and spjót, "spear". Egil's...
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Atgeir An atgeir, sometimes called a "mail-piercer" or "hewing-spear," was a type of polearm in use in Viking Age Scandinavia and Norse colonies in the British Isles and Iceland. It is usually translated in English as...
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Spear The spear was the most common weapon of the Scandinavian peasant class. Throwing spears were constantly used by the warrior class; despite popular belief, it was also the principal weapon of the Viking warrior, an apt fit to their formations and tactics. They consisted of...
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Bows and arrows The bow and arrow was used both for hunting and in battle. They were made from yew, ash or elm. The draw force of a 10th-century bow may have reached some 90 pounds force (400 N) or more, resulting in an effective range of at least 200 metres (660 ft)...
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Viking arms and armour Knowledge about military technology of the Viking Age (end of 8th- to mid-11th-century Europe) is based on relatively sparse archaeological finds, pictorial representation, and to some extent on the accounts in the Norse sagas and laws recorded...
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