The Viking shield from archaelogy

7/28/2019 The Viking shield from archaelogy

1/21

The 'Viking Shield' from Archaeology

Peter Beatson - NVG Miklagard

Introduction

The large circular shield of the Vikings was part of a conservative tradition of manufacture. The best known intact examples from the Viking Age are those that linedthe gunwales of the buried warship from Gokstad, Norway(Fig. 1) dated to c.905 AD(Bonde and Christensen 1993). They are similar to shields from Thorsberg bog (Raddatz1987) and other Danish weapon deposits of the Roman Iron Age. Though archaeologicalevidence dries up with the adoption of Christian burial rites, art sources (such as theLewis chessmen) indicate that kite shields were accepted in the Norse lands in thetwelfth century, along with a small round buckler (Karlsson 1993). Scandinavian settlersseem to have adopted different (native Insular?) designs in the Irish Sea region, judging by material from burials there. These variants may be discussed in a separate paper.

NEWS - A New Viking Shield Discovery

September 2008 - Wooden parts of a near-complete Viking shieldhave been found by excavators at the Viking ring-fortress of Trelleborg near Slagelse in Denmark.

e 85 cm broad shield is made of seven fir planks, 8mm thick near the centre but thinning to 5mm at the edges. Patcblue and white staining are visible on the boards and further testing may determine whether they are man-made, or tural discoloration from the soil. Any leather facing which may have existed does not survive but near the rim is a rsmall holes which could have fastened it, or a binding strip around the circumference. The central opening for the he boss is missing) is somewhat oval and is crossed by a short wooden grip, which spans somewhat less than half the

ield. The centre section of the grip is incised with basketwork-like interlaced design.e shield is currently undergoing conservation and study at the Moesgrd Museum near rhus. For images and to keepwith new developments, go here: Kongens Borge - Archaeologists Diary

Construction and dimensions

Boss

Handle or grip

Decoration

Combat Techniques

Tables
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.1http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.1http://www.kongensborge.dk/index.php?pageid=arkaeologens_dagboghttp://www.kongensborge.dk/index.php?pageid=arkaeologens_dagboghttp://www.kongensborge.dk/index.php?pageid=arkaeologens_dagboghttp://www.kongensborge.dk/index.php?pageid=arkaeologens_dagboghttp://www.kongensborge.dk/index.php?pageid=arkaeologens_dagboghttp://www.kongensborge.dk/index.php?pageid=arkaeologens_dagboghttp://www.kongensborge.dk/index.php?pageid=arkaeologens_dagboghttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Construction%20and%20dimensionshttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Construction%20and%20dimensionshttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Bosshttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Bosshttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Handlehttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Handlehttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Decorationhttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Decorationhttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Combat%20techniqueshttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Combat%20techniqueshttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Tablehttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Tablehttp://www.kongensborge.dk/index.php?pageid=arkaeologens_dagboghttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Tablehttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Combat%20techniqueshttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Decorationhttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Handlehttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Bosshttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Construction%20and%20dimensionshttp://www.kongensborge.dk/index.php?pageid=arkaeologens_dagboghttp://www.kongensborge.dk/index.php?pageid=arkaeologens_dagboghttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.1mailto:[email protected]


2/21


3/21


4/21

the Gokstad shields). Five nails were sometimes used, as in examples from Cronk Moar,Man and the ship cremation on the Ile de Groix, France (Bersu and Wilson 1966;Mller-Wille 1978).

The flange of some bosses were angled, perhaps to secure the boss to the board by placing tension on the nails (Dickinson and Hrke 1992), or possibly because they wereattached to convex shield boards. Flanges with decorative edgings of non-ferrous metalstrips were found in some Birka graves(Fig. 3-f,g), and nail heads were sometimesinlaid or tinned (Arwidsson 1986).

Figure 3 - Shield bosses.a. Boss with toothed flange, Telemark Norway (OsloOlsaksamlingen, pers. obs.).b-e. Ile de Groix, France. Nail points were flattened rather than clenched (from Mller-Wille 1978). f. Birka Bj544, showing tin applique on flange;
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.3http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.3http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.3http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.3


5/21

g. Birka Bj850, brass edging on flange;h. Birka Bj581, side view showing nailsclenched (bent) for attachment (after Arbmann 1940).

Handle or grip

Wood alone must have been used in the majority of graves where remains are lacking, asin the Gokstad shields where a thin lath of rectangular section is nailed (crossways withrespect to the planks) from edge to edge across the back face, it serves as a handle where

it crosses the central hole(Fig. l). On more elaborate shields a wooden core was covered by a gutter-shaped sheathing of iron (Arwidsson 1986), usually ornamented withembossed bronze sheet or silver inlay(Fig 4-a).
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.1http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.1http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.1http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.1


6/21

Figure 4 - Shield grips, 10th cent.a. Two fragments of a silver-embellished iron gripwith wooden core from Hedeby boat grave, Schleswig-Holstein Germany (from Mller-Wille 1976).b. Fragment of shield grip with spatulate terminal, Gokstad ship burial(from Nicolaysen 1886).c-d. Three-armed bronze fastenings for shield handle in theform of animal/human masks, Hedeby boat grave and Birka grave Bj944 (from Mller-Wille 1976, and after Arbman 1943).

The handle was long, often crossing the full diameter of the shield, and was taperedtowards both ends. The tips could be flattened out into a spatulate terminal which wasnailed directly to the board(Fig. 4-b), or be fastened down by separate bronze mounts(Fig. 4-c,d). Occasionally the nails fastening the boss also passed through the handle.The handgrip may have been wrapped with leather (eg. Birka grave Bj504, and asknown from early Anglo-Saxon finds: Arwidsson 1986; Hrke 1981).
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.4


7/21

Edge Reinforcement

Continuous gutter-shaped metal edge bindings like those known from Vendel,Vlsgarde, and Thorsbjerg were obsolete by the Viking Age. In the vast majority of finds there is no evidence of edge reinforcement, which must therefore have been absent,or of a perishable nature. On the Gokstad shields, small holes are bored about 2 cm infrom the edge, at intervals of c.3.5 cm(Fig. 1-a,b), presumably to fasten a rim, all other traces of which have perished. It can be speculated that the edge was bound with aleather strip fastened with stitches or thongs, or possibly very fine iron nails.

Figure 5 - Metal clamps from shield rims.a. Grave Bj944, Birka Sweden. Type A,simple U-shaped clamp.b. Grave Bj369, Birka. Type B with expansion for leather rim binding.c. Lindholm Hye 1112, Denmark. Raised punchmarks surround the rivet heads(a, b. from Arwidsson 1986;c. per. obs. Lindholm Hye Museum, Aalborg Denmark 1994).

Small clamps made of iron or bronze sheet are occasionally found in graves(Table 3; Fig. 5). Clamps were sometimes simply decorated by tinning, punching or engraving(Fig. 5-c). In Birka graves Bj 628 and 736 the clamps were butted to produce acontinuous edge(Fig. 6), however, only sections of the rim survive, perhaps indicatingdeliberate damage before burial.
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.1http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.1http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.1http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Table%203http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Table%203http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Table%203http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.5http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.5http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.5http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.5http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.5http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.6http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.6http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.6http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.6http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.5http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.5http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Table%203http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.1


8/21

Figure 6 - Birka grave Bj736, 10th cent.a. Shield remains as found on excavation (after Arbman, 1943).b. Reconstruction of shield, by author.

Sometimes several clamps are distributed evenly around the shield rim (Bj 842,Valsgarde 12), perhaps to fasten a leather edge binding, traces of which sometimesremain. Clamps from grave Bj 850 were fastened over a leather edging(Fig. 7), thoughtheir low number and uneven distribution suggests that this was not their primary purpose. Here they might have fastened joins between planks, or shored up a damagededge.


9/21

Figure 7 - Birka grave Bj850, 10th cent.a. Shield remains as found on excavation (after Arbman, 1943) 1 = boss; 2 = rim clamps; 3 = grip terminal, next to remains of grip.b.Reconstruction of shield, by author.c. Cross section of a bronze rim clamp from Bj850,enclosing organic material from the shield, including leather facings and edge strip (after Arbman, 1940).

Other Fixtures

Other metal fittings from shields, including nails (Fig. 8-a) are occasionally recovered.Some Birka graves contained one or two small rings held by eyelets(Fig. 8-b,c) which passed through the boards, and sometimes also the handle, with the ring projecting onthe rear side (Arwidsson 1986). They may have served to hang up the shield, or asattachment points for a guige strap.
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.8http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.8http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.8http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.8http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.8http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#%20Fig.8


10/21


11/21

Figure 9 - Fragment of gesso from shield face, Ballateare, Man 10th cent., after Bersuand Wilson (1966).

A recently discovered 10th C. chamber grave at Grimstrup, Denmark contained acircular wooden board which covered the corpse from head to hip (unpublished: I.Stoumann, Esbjerg Museum, Denmark, pers. comm. 1994). As no other traces(ie. boss)were found in an otherwise fully equipped male burial, it has been suggested that the board is a 'blank' or unfinished shield. The board was elaborately painted with interlace patterns(Fig. 10), though the overall design is no longer discernible. The backgroundcolour is dark blue, the interlace is grey-green edged with white lines. Some lines of red paint and white dots are also visible.


12/21

Figure 10 - Possible shield from Grimstrup chamber grave A, Denmark 10th cent. Twodetails of design painted on board. After photos on exhibit at Esbjerg Museum (pers.obs. 1994).

Representations of shields in Viking art(Fig. 11) are frequently marked with 'pinwheel' patterns of radiating curved lines (Fig. 11-a,b,c,d). These might possibly represent metalstrengthening bands (unknown from archaeology but required in later law codes for levyequipment: Dickinson and Hrke 1992; Nicolaysen 1882); or even seams in the leather facing; or may mark segments originally painted in contrasting colours, as shown in afew contemporary Frankish manuscripts (Fig. 12). Inspiration for decoration of a
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.11http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.11http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.11http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.11http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.11http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.12http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.12http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.12http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.11http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#Fig.11


13/21

reconstructed shield might also be sought in surviving painted wooden objects from theViking Age[7].

Figure 11 - Shields in contemporary art.a, b. Picture stones, Gotland 7-8th cent., after Magnusson (1979).c, d. Silver shield pendants, Birka Sweden 10th cent., after Duczko(1989).e. Bronze 'valkyrie' pendant, Hedeby Germany 10th cent., after Elsner (1985). f.From tapestry fragments, Oseberg Norwayante 834AD, after Hougen (1940).
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#footnote7http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#footnote7http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#footnote7http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#footnote7


14/21

Figure 12 - Spirally marked and segmented shields in theGolden Psalter of St. Gall,Frankishms., 10th cent., From Duby (1970).

Sheet metal decorations in the form of beasts or birds fixed to the shield face areconfined to the preceding Vendel period, though an applique of wooden strips wassuggested for the Cronk Moar shield (Bersu and Wilson 1966). Some examples of decorated metal parts (bosses, grips, clamps) from Viking Age shields have already been

mentioned above.

Combat techniques

Analysis of battle damage to weapons from the massive Roman Iron Age deposit of Nydham indicated the primary use for the large round shields was in fending off missiles, while sword duels were conducted blade on blade (Schlo Gottorf:

Archologische Landesmuseum der Christian-Albrechts Universitt, SchleswigGermany: pers. obs. 1994). However, the use of shields in hand to hand combat is


15/21

recorded in customs such as the holmgang duel. The heavy iron construction of theViking Age boss is unlike the Roman Iron Age examples of thin bronze, perhapsindicating a change to a hand-to-hand fighting style in which parrys with the boss were possible. The thin boards would split easily, and could perhaps have been deliberatelymade so, in order to snare an attacker's blade.

Table 1

Table 1. Estimated diameters of Viking age shields from archaeological finds. All dated10th century, except Tira (9th cent.) and Krimylda (11th cent.).


16/21

Table 2

Table 2. Thicknesses of Viking age shields from archaeological finds. Most of thesegraves are probably 10th century, except Tira (9th cent.). For comparison, shields from


17/21

(much earlier) pagan Anglo-Saxon graves average 0.75 cm thick (103 examples:Dickinson and Hrke 1992).

Table 3

Table 3. Metal clamps from shield rims: numbers, dimensions, distribution on shield rim(if known).

Bibliography


18/21

ARBMAN, H. (1940). Birka I: Die Grber. Untersuchungen und Studien. Tafeln. Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien (KVHAA): Stockholm.

ARBMAN, H. (1943). Birka I: Die Grber. Untersuchungen und Studien. Text. KVHAA: Stockholm.

ARWIDSSON, G. (1986). 'Schilde'. In: G. Arwidsson (ed.). Birka II: Systematische Analysen der Grberfunde, vol. 2. KVHAA: Stockholm.

BERSU, G. and WILSON, D.M. (1966). 'Three Viking graves in the Isle of Man'.Society for Medieval Archaeology, monograph 1. Society for Medieval Archaeology:London.

BONDE, N. and CHRISTENSEN, A.E. (1993). 'Dendrochronological dating of theViking Age ship burials at Oseberg, Gokstad, and Tune, Norway'. Antiquity 67 , p. 573-583.

BRNSTEAD, J. (1936). 'Danish inhumation graves of the Viking Age'. Acta Archaeologica 7, p. 81-228.

CHRISTENSEN, A.E. (1993). 'Kongsgrdens hndverkere'. In: A.E. Christensen, A.S.Ingstad and B. Myhre (eds.).Oseberg Dronningens Grav: Vr arkeologiskenasjonalskatt i nytt lys. Schibsted: Oslo, p. 85-137.

DICKINSON, T. and HRKE, H. (1992). 'Early Anglo-Saxon shields'. Archaeologica 110 , Society of Antiquaries of London: London.

DUBY, G. (1970). Histoire de la France: naissance d'une nation des origines 1348, vol. 1. Libraire Larousse: Paris.

DU CHATELLIER, P. and LE PONTOIS, L. (1908-9). 'A ship burial in Brittany'.Saga Book of the Viking Club 6, p. l23-161.

DUCZKO, W. (1989). 'Runde Silberblechanhnger mit punzierten Muster'. In: G.Arwidsson (ed.). Birka II: Systematische Analysen der Grberfunde, vol. 3. KVHAA:Stockholm.

ELSNER, H. (1985).Wikinger Museum Haithabu: Schaufenster einer frhen Stadt. KarlWachholz Verlag: Neumnster.

GRAHAM-CAMPBELL, J. (1980).Viking artefacts: a select catalogue. BritishMuseum: London.

HRKE, H. (1981). 'Anglo-Saxon laminated shields at Petersfinger - a myth'. Medieval


19/21

Archaeology 25 , p.141-144.

HOUGEN, B. (1940). 'Osebergfunnets billedvev'.Viking 4, p. 85-124. Oslo.

KARLSSON, U. (1993). 'Medieval round shields'. New Hedeby (January 1993), p. 26-27.

LOWE, S. (1990). 'Everything you wanted to know about Viking shields (and onehelmet) but were afraid to ask'.Varangian Voice (issue 17), p. 24-25.

MAGNUSSON, M. (1979).Viking: hammer of the north. Orbis: London.

MARXEN, I. and MOLKTE, E. (1981). 'The Jelling man: Denmark's oldest figure- painting'.Saga - Book of the Viking Club 20 , p. 267-275.

MULLER-WILLE, M. (1976). 'Das Bootkammergrab von Haithabu'. Berichte ber die Ausgrabungen in Haithabu 8. Karl Wachholtz: Neumnster.

MULLER-WILLE, M. (1978). 'Das Schiffsgrab von der Ile de Groix: ein Exkurs zumBootkammergrab von Haithabu'. Berichte ber die Ausgrabungen in Haithabu 12 , p.48-84.

NICOLAYSEN, N. (1882).The Viking ship discovered at Gokstad in Norway. Christiana: Oslo (reprinted 1971 Gregg International Publ.: Westmead UK).

OWEN, O. and DALLAND, M. (1994). 'Scar, Sanday: a Viking boat-burial fromOrkney'. Birka Studies 3, p. 159-172.

RADDATZ, K. (1987). Der Thorsberger Moorfund Katalog: Teile von Waffen und Pferdegeschirr, sonstige Fundstcke aus Metall und Glas, Ton- und Holzgefue,Steingerte. Karl Wachholtz: Neumnster.

RAMSKOU, T. (1976). 'Lindholm Hye gravpladsen'. Nordiske Fortidsminder Ser.B,Bind 2. Lynge & Son: Copenhagen.

ROESDAHL, E. (1982).Viking Age Denmark. British Museum: London.

THORVILDSEN, K. (1957). 'Ladby-skibet'. Nordiske Fortidsminder, Ser.1 v.6. H.J.Lynge & Son: Copenhagen.

YRTAN, V.A. (1961). 'Drevnie shchity na territorii Latviiskoe SSR'.Sovietskaia Arkheologii 1961(1), p. 216-224.


20/21

FOOTNOTES

[1] For comparison, dimensions of pre-Viking shields: from pagan Anglo-Saxon graves(23 examples) 42 to 92 cm diam. (Dickinson and Hrke 1992); Thorsberg moorfind,Denmark (7 examples, Roman Iron Age) 65 to 104 cm diam. (Raddatz 1987); Vlsgarde,Sweden (3 examples, Vendel period) 84 to 110 cm diam. (Arwidsson 1986).

[2] Softwood from conifers seems to have been used in most, but not all cases.

[3] A smaller number of broader planks would seem more practical: eg. the pine central plank of a pre-Viking shield from Vlsgarde was 52 cm wide (Dickinson and Hrke1992).

[4] A grip fragment from a more ornate shield was found within the grave chamber (see

Fig. 3-b.).[5] Circular on the Gokstad shields at least. Oval, 'figure-8', and 'D'-shaped openings areknown from pre-Viking material (Dickinson and Hrke 1992; Hrke 1981). The second(fragmentary) shield from Tira, Latvia had a quadrangular opening (Yrtan 1961).

[6] Red pigments in ancient paints seem to derive from mineral sources ie. red ochre(Fe2O3, as on the Jelling figurine: Marxen and Molkte 1981); or cinnabar (HgS, as on theIllerup shield of c.200AD: Forhistoriskmuseet, Moesgard Denmark: pers. obs. 1994).Also on the Jelling figurine were a dark blue paint made by mixing powdered white

chalk with burnt organic matter (charcoal?), and a yellow of orpiment (As2O3) in an oil base.

[7] Examples: Jelling figurine (see Footnote 6) and associated fragments; board with snake designfrom Hrning church, Denmark and painted runestone from St. Pauls churchyard, London(Graham-Campbell 1980); numerous painted objects from Oseberg and Gokstad, Norway(Christensen 1993; Nicolaysen 1882); painted board from Ladby ship burial (Fyn, Denmark:Thorvildsen 1957); casket in Birka grave Bj639 (Arbman 1943), see Fig. 13 below.
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#footnote6http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#footnote6http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#footnote6http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html#footnote6


21/21

Figure 13 - Painting on small casket from Birka grave Bj639 (after Arbman 1943,colours added according to notes). The style resembles the Ballateare shield.a. From19th c. sketches by Hjalmar Stolpeb. Paint flakes still on wood.

RETURN TO HOME PAGE

See the LATVIAN SHIELD (in case you missed it).

To Buy Medieval Jewellery and Accessories: click here

Peter Beatson, 1995-2009. All rights reserved by the author.

Webbed by Peter Beatson , 2000. All rights to materials herein belong to the original owners.
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/index.htmhttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/index.htmhttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/tirskom.htmlhttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/tirskom.htmlhttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/tirskom.htmlhttp://www.birkatraders.com/http://www.birkatraders.com/http://www.birkatraders.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/copyright.htmlhttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/copyright.htmlhttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/copyright.htmlhttp://www.birkatraders.com/http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/copyright.htmlmailto:[email protected]://www.birkatraders.com/http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/tirskom.htmlhttp://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/index.htm

Documents

The Viking shield from archaelogy