Good day everyone!
I am currently planning on reproducing a viking era spear head from Birka, grave 605B (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&langpair=sv|en&u=http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/bild.asp?uid=338936).
[ Linked Image ]

As you can see the socket looks almost square shaped, and I've never seen one like this before..

I was wondering if it's the original shape? Or do you think it took some kind of damage?

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I realize I am replying to a post from 2019 in 2021, but I didn't see a reply.

My thought is that the square socket might be intentional. I don't have experience with Viking era spears; however, I know that square and octagonal shafts were used on Renaissance-era edged polearms. Having a flat surface on the haft allowed the user to align the cutting edge by feeling the flat edges of the haft. Perhaps this Viking-era spear used a square haft for similar reasons.

I will admit that I am guessing based on an entirely different time period.

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