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.
⅖ real size.
Fig. 782.—Sword-hilt of iron. The pommel and hilt inlaid with bronze.—Norway.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fig. 788.—Hilt of a double-edged sword, ⅓ real size, inlaid with silver, placed over an urn containing burnt bones.—Bohuslan.
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).
⅓ real size.
Fig. 790.—Hilt of a double-edged sword inlaid with silver; in a tumulus with an axe.—Norway.
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).
Fig. 792.—Hilt of sword ornamented with silver and gold. ½ real size.—Scania, Sweden.
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).
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.
Fig. 795.—⅛ real size.—Norway.
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.
Fig. 797.—⅖ real size. Single-edged sword of iron, found with a spear-head of iron, &c.—Norway.
Fig. 798.—⅙ real size. Sword with runic letters on the blade.—Norway.
Whetstones were used from very early times to sharpen their weapons or tools of iron, for these are quite common in the finds.
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.
Fig. 800.—Sharpening stone encased with bronze. ⅔ real size.—Upland.
Fig. 801.—Real size.
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.
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.
Fig. 804.
Fig. 805.
Fig. 806.
Fig. 807.
Fig. 808.—Ornament for scabbard. Real size.—Upland.
Fig. 809.—Ornament of gold for mouth of scabbard; real size.—Vestre Slidre, Norway. Weight, nearly 2½ oz.
Fig. 810.
Fig. 811.
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.
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.
Fig. 814.—Pommel of the sword. Real size.—Götland?
Fig. 815.—Ornament of bronze gilt, with round garnets. Real size. Endregårda, Götland.
Fig. 816.—Buckle of gilt bronze with garnets enchassés. Real size.—Endregårda, Götland.
Fig. 817.—Pommel of sword, in gilt bronze and silver.—Falköping, Vestergötland. ½ real size.
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.
Fig. 819.—Silver ornament for scabbard, real size.—Norway.
Fig. 820.—Pommel of sword of massive gold, ornamented with garnets enchassés. Real size. Earlier iron age.—Bohuslan.
Fig. 821.—Reverse view of Fig. 822.
Fig. 822.—Silver ornament (both sides shown) found in the sand. Real size.—Scania.
Fig. 823.—Silver thong aiguillette. Real size.
Fig. 824.—Gold ornament of sword belt. Real size.—Thureholm, Södermanland.
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.
Fig. 826.—Ornament of gilt bronze, with border in silver, found in a mound. Real size.—Öland.
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.
Fig. 828.—Ornament of gilt bronze, real size.—Norway.
Fig. 829.—Ornament of gilt bronze, ⅔ real size; found in a tumulus, with fibula, horse’s bit, &c.—Norway.
Fig. 830.—Ornament of solid gold for the mouth of a scabbard.—Malby, Vestergötland.
Fig. 831.—Reverse view of Fig. 830.
In all ornamentation one side is not similar to the other.
Fig. 832.—Massive ring of gold (probably fixed at the mouth of a scabbard); weight, 5 oz. Real size.—Vestergötland.
Fig. 833.
Fig. 834.—Reverse of Fig. 833.
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:—
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.
Fig. 836.—Sword, found in a tumulus with two spear-heads, shield-boss, and a garniture of a shield handle.—Norway.
Fig. 837.—Found amongst some burnt bones and objects of iron; ⅕ real size.—Norway.
Fig. 838.—Sax found in a small tumulus with a human cranium; two spear-points; ¼ real size.—Norway.
Fig. 839.—Sword-hilt with an outer sheet of thin silver, very much injured by fire; nearly ⅓ real size.—Norway.
Fig. 840.—Sword-hilt with wood and bronze bands; nearly ⅓ real size.—Norway.
Fig. 841.—Sax or single-edged sword found with an umbo shield boss of iron in a cairn. ⅕ real size.—Långlöt, Öland.
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.
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:
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.
Fig. 844.—⅔ real size.
Fig. 845.—Spear-head. ½ real size.
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.
Fig. 847.—Spear-head. In a tumulus. The upper line in the handle has been filled with silver. ⅓ real size.—Norway.
Fig. 848.—Spear-point, with lower part plated with silver and gold. ⅓ real size.—Götland.
Fig. 849.—Spear-head, found with two swords, iron knife, and three bronze buckles. ¼ real size.—Götland.
Fig. 850.—Spear-point, ⅓ real size, found in Kragehul bog.
Fig. 851.—Spear-head. ½ real size.—Norway.
Fig. 852.—Spear-point. ⅓ real size.—Norway.
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.
Fig. 854.—Spear-head of iron. ⅔ real size.
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.
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.
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.
Fig. 858.—Triangular arrow-point. ½ real size.
Fig. 859.—Iron spear-point. ¼ real size.—Karleby, Upland.
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.
Fig. 861.—Iron arrow-head. ½ real size, found with 11 others of the same shape.—Vestana, Upland.
Fig. 862.—Spear-point. ¼ real size.—Hade in Gestrikland, Sweden.
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—
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.
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 most celebrated axe in later times was that of Skarphédin, called Rimmugýg (the war-witch).
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.
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.
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.
Fig. 868.—Axe head, ⅔ real size.—Sweden.
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.
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.
Fig. 871.—¼ real size. Iron axe.—Norway.
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).
Fig. 873.—Iron axe. ¼ real size. Found in a field with another axe, &c.—Karleby, Upland, Sweden.
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 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.