historical viking scabbard -- myArmoury.com

Etienne Hamel · Posted: Mon 26 Oct, 2009 6:44 pm Post subject: historical viking scabbard

Hi gentlemen, i would like to know how was supended the viking sword scabbard was it like the middle age sword or maybe more simple like just attach it on a belt or else with a frog ( i don't think so but it is an hipothesis...)

Brogdon Combs · Posted: Mon 26 Oct, 2009 6:48 pm Post subject: Re: historical viking scabbard

Hadrian Coffin · Industry Professional

Great question! A but difficult to answer though... The problem really is that there are only a few scabbards from the viking era. Most reconstructions are based off of earlier Vendel and Migration period scabbards and sketchy period art. The largest collection of viking era sword scabbards I can think of is in the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin. If I remember correctly most if not all had the same type of suspension system, a thin non-ferrous strap bridge attached to the wood core of the scabbard with the leather covering stretched over. If you can find it, Scabbards and Sheaths from Viking and Medieval Dublin by Esther Cameron is the best book on the subject. If you are looking for later viking era scabbards sort of 10th century or later you could look at the scabbards represented in the Bayeux Tapestry. Peter Johnson, I believe, had a drawing out with a few belt/baldric interpretations...
Below are a few pictures of mine and a fabulous article by Peter Beatson
http://www.nvg.org.au/documents/vv/vv_issue_30.pdf
Cheers,
Hadrian

Ken Speed · Posted: Tue 27 Oct, 2009 4:49 am Post subject:

I, too, was wondering about Viking age scabbards but when I went to Valiant Armories' website I wasn't able to see a picture of the Hedemark. The website said it was "in production". Is there a place I can see a picture of this sword?

Etienne Hamel · Posted: Tue 27 Oct, 2009 6:11 am Post subject:

http://www.imperialweapons.com/product/CF405.html

i found this yesterday after i made some research because i too was not able to find it

when we look at it it seems that the sword would be placed in a straight perpendicular way, was it like this or is it disposed at an angle like their medieval cousins?

Ken Speed · Posted: Tue 27 Oct, 2009 7:07 am Post subject:

Etienne,

Thank you, that's a beautiful sword and scabbard but they're running out of 2009 pretty quickly.

i recently read in VIKING WEAPONS AND COMBAT TECHNIQUES by William Short that scabbards were hung from a baldric (essentially a shoulder strap) in the early Viking period and later were hung from a belt but what the suspension system looked like isn't addressed.

Etienne Hamel · Posted: Tue 27 Oct, 2009 9:29 am Post subject:

ah! i should have thought of it like in the beowulf movie (don't know if the suspension system is accurate enough tough...)

Ken Speed · Posted: Tue 27 Oct, 2009 10:29 am Post subject:

Etienne,

Look at it this way, who's going to tell you you're wrong? When was the last time you met a real Viking Laughing Out Loud

Etienne Hamel · Posted: Tue 27 Oct, 2009 1:01 pm Post subject:

is anyone ever experienced the jelling dragon's viking sword scabbard? http://www.jelldragon.com/scabbards.htm

R D Moore · Posted: Tue 27 Oct, 2009 5:48 pm Post subject:

Here are some examples I've bookmarked. Some, if not all, may be from Peter Johnsson but I don't really have the time to research their origins at the moment. Please forgive me Peter!!!!