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Russ Ellis
Industry Professional
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 Posted: Fri 03 Dec, 2004 11:19 am Post subject: |
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| Kirk Lee Spencer wrote: | Russ... You're right, that is a much more exciting route... So many more people to plunder. But it is along way to carry a longboat and I am not sure that the orient express was running in the 10th century... :\ ;)
ks |
:surprised: Say it ain't so!
TRITONWORKS Custom Scabbards
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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Russ Ellis
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Mon 06 Dec, 2004 6:09 am Post subject: |
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It sure looks like it. In the full light of day it doesn't look much like the other picture at all..
TRITONWORKS Custom Scabbards
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Jack McGregor Lynn
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| Posted: Fri 17 Dec, 2004 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Patrick Kelly wrote: | | Einar Drønnesund wrote: | | Whoa, look at the size of those spearheads in the second pic. |
Yes, those really caught my eye as well. It would be nice to see spears of that size replicated. Pattern welded examples would be neat too! |
I'm going to try to remount the head of an African Samburu (I almost garentee I mispelled that) spear. It looks to be about that general size and shape. I have a Massai spear that I have actually removed the head of to use as a sword, it's around 2.5 feet long and has the leaf shape of some celtic blades.
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Sat 18 Dec, 2004 4:00 am Post subject: |
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| Jack McGregor Lynn wrote: | | Patrick Kelly wrote: | | Einar Drønnesund wrote: | | Whoa, look at the size of those spearheads in the second pic. |
Yes, those really caught my eye as well. It would be nice to see spears of that size replicated. Pattern welded examples would be neat too! |
I'm going to try to remount the head of an African Samburu (I almost garentee I mispelled that) spear. It looks to be about that general size and shape. I have a Massai spear that I have actually removed the head of to use as a sword, it's around 2.5 feet long and has the leaf shape of some celtic blades. |
In October Nathan Bell showed me a couple of African spearheads that he's planning on doing the same thing with. (Nathan B. is our resident Celt-ophile) With a little work some of those looked like they'd make pretty good representations of Celtic spears. Before talking with Nate I had no idea that some of those things could be so large. Lately I've been yearning for a nice example of a large Viking age spear.
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Greyson Brown
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| Posted: Sun 19 Dec, 2004 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Patrick Kelly wrote: | | Lately I've been yearning for a nice example of a large Viking age spear. |
Here, here! Especially an Atgeir or something that can be definately said to be a hewing spear. The hewing spear isn't so hard for me to visualise, but I would really like to see an Atgeir, as Oakeshott's description is just a bit too vague for my liking. I'd be content with a line drawing of an original Atgeir.
-Grey
"So long as I can keep the path of honor I am well content."
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The White Company
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Esa Etelävuori
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| Posted: Mon 20 Dec, 2004 8:36 am Post subject: Re: Pics of Viking stuff............ |
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[ Linked Image ]
But just look at the pommel of those swords, the 3rd from the left, and the 5th.
What are the blades which balance those swords!?
(I haven't felt how they did in real cutting.)
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Eric Meulemans
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Wed 05 Jan, 2005 6:57 am Post subject: |
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| Patrick Kelly wrote: | | Steve Grisetti wrote: | Neat stuff. Some of the blades appear (from a distance) to be in very good condition.
Images to the left of the last pic look strange. Any idea what they are? Large rings = Shackles from a dungeon/jail? |
I really have no idea what those things are. I agree with Alex that the one in the lower part of the photo appears to be a horse bit. Hard to tell what the other ones are. Some kind of horse tack as well? They're probably something as pedestrian as pot hangers :D |
I knew I had a photo of something like this around, but I was only recently able to dig it up, so please excuse the thread revival. The Vikings made use of rattles on their equestrian equippage and carts. One of these was found on the Oseberg ship (http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/rangle1.jpg), but is different in form from what could be seen in the picture in question here. It was in the book "Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga" by Fitzhugh (Ed.) that I found the following image which appears very similar to the rings under scrutiny.
The caption reads:
"A variety of noisemakers including rattles, like this one made of three layers of interlocking rings, and chain-link whip mounts were attached to the horse's saddle or to the carriage. The noise they generated was intended to strike fear into the enemy, whether the foe was evil spirits of the forest or opponents on the battlefield."
The photographic credits:
Iron; 27 cm; Viking Age
Oppsund, Telemark, Norway
Photograph by Peter Harholdt, NMNH
UOO C4444 (on exhibit)
 Attachment: 67.14 KB
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Johan S. Moen
Location: Kristiansand, Norway Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 259
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| Posted: Wed 05 Jan, 2005 9:48 am Post subject: |
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| Eric Meulemans wrote: |
I knew I had a photo of something like this around, but I was only recently able to dig it up, so please excuse the thread revival. The Vikings made use of rattles on their equestrian equippage and carts. One of these was found on the Oseberg ship (http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/rangle1.jpg), but is different in form from what could be seen in the picture in question here. It was in the book "Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga" by Fitzhugh (Ed.) that I found the following image which appears very similar to the rings under scrutiny.
The caption reads:
"A variety of noisemakers including rattles, like this one made of three layers of interlocking rings, and chain-link whip mounts were attached to the horse's saddle or to the carriage. The noise they generated was intended to strike fear into the enemy, whether the foe was evil spirits of the forest or opponents on the battlefield."
The photographic credits:
Iron; 27 cm; Viking Age
Oppsund, Telemark, Norway
Photograph by Peter Harholdt, NMNH
UOO C4444 (on exhibit) |
As far as I know, the primary function of rattles was to scare off wolves.
Johan Schubert Moen
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Borger Kruge
Location: Norway Joined: 13 Sep 2003
Posts: 20
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| Posted: Wed 05 Jan, 2005 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Björn Hellqvist wrote: | | Sean Flynt wrote: | | Steve Grisetti wrote: | | Images to the left of the last pic look strange. Any idea what they are? Large rings = Shackles from a dungeon/jail? |
Puppet clamps, or, in Swedish, "pøpenvisen"
;) |
That's Norwegian (at best)! |
I strongly reject that as Norwegian. Sounds floppy and undefinable, so it could be Danish :D
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Henrik Bjoern Boegh
Location: Agder, Norway Joined: 03 Mar 2004
Posts: 386
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| Posted: Fri 07 Jan, 2005 10:50 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Björn Hellqvist wrote:
Sean Flynt wrote:
Steve Grisetti wrote:
Images to the left of the last pic look strange. Any idea what they are? Large rings = Shackles from a dungeon/jail?
Puppet clamps, or, in Swedish, "pøpenvisen"
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Actually I think it sounds more German... Allthough then it would be spelled something like "pöpenwissen"... He he
Cheers,
Henrik
Constant and true.
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Marius R.
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| Posted: Tue 11 Jan, 2005 2:28 am Post subject: |
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| Johan S. Moen wrote: | | Eric Meulemans wrote: |
I knew I had a photo of something like this around, but I was only recently able to dig it up, so please excuse the thread revival. The Vikings made use of rattles on their equestrian equippage and carts. One of these was found on the Oseberg ship (http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/rangle1.jpg), but is different in form from what could be seen in the picture in question here. It was in the book "Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga" by Fitzhugh (Ed.) that I found the following image which appears very similar to the rings under scrutiny.
The caption reads:
"A variety of noisemakers including rattles, like this one made of three layers of interlocking rings, and chain-link whip mounts were attached to the horse's saddle or to the carriage. The noise they generated was intended to strike fear into the enemy, whether the foe was evil spirits of the forest or opponents on the battlefield."
The photographic credits:
Iron; 27 cm; Viking Age
Oppsund, Telemark, Norway
Photograph by Peter Harholdt, NMNH
UOO C4444 (on exhibit) |
As far as I know, the primary function of rattles was to scare off wolves.
Johan Schubert Moen |
And it has been sugested that they also scared away evil spirits. And perhaps had some use in heathen religion. (Just read it in this Oseberg book!)
Swords don't kill people, I do..
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David McElrea
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| Posted: Mon 28 Feb, 2005 11:58 am Post subject: Hewing Spear? |
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Could this be an example of a hewing spear? It is from the British Museum. The website provides the following details:
| Quote: | The blade is slender and tapering, with a long socket. The socket is completely covered with rings of twisted silver, and copper wires are inlaid into the iron surface in a herring-bone pattern. This decoration is typical of the craftsmanship of the Viking smiths in Norway. One substantial rivet attached the spear head to a long wooden shaft, making an effective weapon for both hunting and fighting.
Length: 53.5 cm |
That's almost 2' long for those of us who haven't quite managed to make the leap to metric yet (22", I think).
David
Attachment: 6.99 KB
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Elling Polden
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| Posted: Mon 28 Feb, 2005 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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That spear looks quite stabby to me... :confused:
The hewing spears would be broader, with cuting edges, more similar til a Partisan, as far as i recon.
Broad spearheads are generaly favored for hunting (they make larger wounds...), while a narrow point has better armour penetration.
The neatest thing about these spears are the sophisticated silver inlays on the thangs. There are a couple of these at the Bergen Historical museum, as well. They are very nice in deed...
Yours
Elling
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Greyson Brown
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| Posted: Tue 01 Mar, 2005 3:57 am Post subject: |
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David,
That is a really nice spear, and thank you for posting the picture, but I have to side with Elling that is more of a thrusting-type spear. Oakeshott described the hewing spear as being broad with a spatulate point. Now, I would not want to be poked with some of the swords that Oakeshott describes as having spatulate points, but they are still more rounded than that spear.
I, too, like the silver inlay on the "thangs." Sorry Elling, I just couldn't resist the jab (no pun intended).
-Grey
"So long as I can keep the path of honor I am well content."
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The White Company
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David McElrea
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| Posted: Tue 01 Mar, 2005 11:30 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Greyson and Elling,
I am also quite taken with the spear above (and the inlay). I have to admit I don't know much about "hewing spears" except they sound quite large :) . In which of Oakeshott's works are they described?
As a point of practicality, do you see them as hewing in the same sense as a sword (slashing and cutting) or do you see them as being used as spears but yioelding the same damage as a sword because of the width of the head? I ask because the standard spear shaft would seem to be not very suited to the cut (being around an inch in diameter). The hewing spear could, of course, have a shorter and thicker shaft...
It's all new to me, so any thoughts will be appreciated.
Oh, and Elling, I was in the Bergen Kulturhistorisk Museum myself last year. Great fun, that!
Cheers,
David
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Martin Wallgren
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| Posted: Tue 01 Mar, 2005 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Matt Corbin wrote: | | In the top picture, the sword is Vendel-I don't remember the find place off hand. The helmet is appears to be a Vendel/Valsgarde(sp) item and I don't believe I have seen the shield before although the design certainly fits the period and area. |
I was raised not more yhan 30 miles from the excavation site of those artifacts... =)
Swordsman, Archer and Dad
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Jurian Moller
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| Posted: Wed 02 Mar, 2005 4:24 am Post subject: |
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so you where raised among the viking swords and spears ;)
I'm also very interested in viking spears, was it normal to have silver inlays on the thang?
here is a viking spear, put under my scanner
25 cm, not the best condition, but intact.
http://imagevenue.com/loc145/020_vikspear.JPG
[ Linked Image ]
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David McElrea
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| Posted: Wed 02 Mar, 2005 8:24 am Post subject: |
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Hi Jurian,
You wrote: | Quote: | | I'm also very interested in viking spears, was it normal to have silver inlays on the thang? |
Firstly, I believe "thang" was a mistake (unless it translates "socket" in some other language) :)
As for the inlay, I have seen silver and copper used in quite a few Viking spears. Bronze inlay also appears in earlier European spears, but is used to decorate the head itself rather than the socket. In every instance it looks fantastic (to me)!
David
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This is a standard topic
