Info Favorites Register Log in
myArmoury.com Discussion Forums

Forum index Memberlist Usergroups Spotlight Topics Search
Forum Index > Historical Arms Talk > Viking sword in Bath museum? Reply to topic
This is a standard topic  
Author Message
Tim Lison




Location: Chicago, Illinois
Joined: 05 Aug 2004
Likes: 1 page
Reading list: 6 books

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,606

PostPosted: Wed 30 May, 2012 10:41 pm    Post subject: Viking sword in Bath museum?         Reply with quote

Does anyone have any information about this sword or more pictures? The one on the left is the actual sword, the black one on the right is a reproduction to show the inlay on the other side. I'm quite taken by it...


 Attachment: 58.2 KB
204726729_b613681e57_b.jpg


 Attachment: 40.83 KB
Bath-1597574.jpg

View user's profile Send private message
Matthew Bunker




Location: Somerset UK
Joined: 02 Apr 2009

Posts: 483

PostPosted: Thu 31 May, 2012 1:02 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I've got the excavation report at home:-
'A Viking period sword from Upper Borough Walls, 1981'

I'm overseas at the moment but will be home late next week so can scan and send to you then?
I live close enough to the museum for it to be no hassle if you want some better photographs?

"If a Greek can do it, two Englishman certainly can !"
View user's profile Send private message
David Huggins




Location: UK
Joined: 25 Jul 2007

Posts: 490

PostPosted: Thu 31 May, 2012 3:28 am    Post subject: Viking sword         Reply with quote

Nothing to add but just I was going to say if anyone had any informtion on the sword from that area it would be Mr Bunker..and lo and behold! See you in a couple of weeks at the Hoo Matt..and good luck with your new 'love' Tim.

best
Dave

and he who stands and sheds blood with us, shall be as a brother.
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Carl W.




Location: usa
Joined: 07 Aug 2008

Posts: 182

PostPosted: Thu 31 May, 2012 7:12 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

When you gentlemen dig up more info, please tell us the length of the grip area. Maybe its an optical illusion but it looks kind of long to me. Maybe it will help expand our "range of reasonable" on that issue.

Nice sword, thanks for letting us know it exists (& more photos someday)!
View user's profile Send private message
Robin Smith




Location: Louisiana
Joined: 23 Dec 2006
Likes: 4 pages
Reading list: 17 books

Posts: 746

PostPosted: Thu 31 May, 2012 9:03 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Carl W. wrote:
When you gentlemen dig up more info, please tell us the length of the grip area. Maybe its an optical illusion but it looks kind of long to me. Maybe it will help expand our "range of reasonable" on that issue.

Nice sword, thanks for letting us know it exists (& more photos someday)!

Doesn''t look too long to me. There a few in Swords of the Viking Age with grip lengths in excess of 10cm, and I don't think this one is any longer than that.

I am more interested in the inlay on the front. The back looks like the standard geometrics you see on the reverse of an Vlfberht, but the from doesn't look like it reads Vlfberht. Especially with the cross potent.

A furore Normannorum libera nos, Domine
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
Tim Lison




Location: Chicago, Illinois
Joined: 05 Aug 2004
Likes: 1 page
Reading list: 6 books

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,606

PostPosted: Thu 31 May, 2012 9:03 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Matthew Bunker wrote:
I've got the excavation report at home:-
'A Viking period sword from Upper Borough Walls, 1981'

I'm overseas at the moment but will be home late next week so can scan and send to you then?
I live close enough to the museum for it to be no hassle if you want some better photographs?


Wow! You are most kind! I would love some better photos. I have a spot in Robert Moc's queue coming up soon and this is the sword I had in mind. I really appreciate it!
View user's profile Send private message
Tim Lison




Location: Chicago, Illinois
Joined: 05 Aug 2004
Likes: 1 page
Reading list: 6 books

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,606

PostPosted: Thu 31 May, 2012 9:16 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Robin Smith wrote:
I am more interested in the inlay on the front. The back looks like the standard geometrics you see on the reverse of an Vlfberht, but the from doesn't look like it reads Vlfberht. Especially with the cross potent.


The inlay is indecipherable but appears to end with "ME FECIT". I looked at it pretty closely and it could say NISO? If I decide to have it made I would likely go with +ULFBERHT+ but +NISO ME FECIT+ is tempting...
View user's profile Send private message
Robin Smith




Location: Louisiana
Joined: 23 Dec 2006
Likes: 4 pages
Reading list: 17 books

Posts: 746

PostPosted: Thu 31 May, 2012 10:48 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Tim Lison wrote:
Robin Smith wrote:
I am more interested in the inlay on the front. The back looks like the standard geometrics you see on the reverse of an Vlfberht, but the from doesn't look like it reads Vlfberht. Especially with the cross potent.


The inlay is indecipherable but appears to end with "ME FECIT". I looked at it pretty closely and it could say NISO? If I decide to have it made I would likely go with +ULFBERHT+ but +NISO ME FECIT+ is tempting...
Personally, I think the +NISO ME FECIT+ would be cool, just so you can retain the cross potent.
A furore Normannorum libera nos, Domine
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
Matthew Bunker




Location: Somerset UK
Joined: 02 Apr 2009

Posts: 483

PostPosted: Thu 14 Jun, 2012 5:47 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Report scanned in.
If you'd like a copy of the pdf, PM me an email address. It's only a couple of pages, not very detailed I'm afraid. There is a full metalurgical write up on the fiche that came with the volume, but I haven't seen a microfiche reader for years.

Tim, let me know the specifics you want more detail of and I'll see if the museum will let me open the case and take some photos with a scale in shot.

"If a Greek can do it, two Englishman certainly can !"
View user's profile Send private message
Robin Smith




Location: Louisiana
Joined: 23 Dec 2006
Likes: 4 pages
Reading list: 17 books

Posts: 746

PostPosted: Thu 14 Jun, 2012 6:32 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Awww man! I would love to see that metallurgical report. I've been up to my eyeballs in early medieval metallurgical reports recently. I'd love to know what the construction is...
A furore Normannorum libera nos, Domine
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
Matthew Bunker




Location: Somerset UK
Joined: 02 Apr 2009

Posts: 483

PostPosted: Thu 14 Jun, 2012 7:00 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Apparently Bristol reference library still has a fiche reader, so I'll find the time to go in and see if I can take some screen shots.
"If a Greek can do it, two Englishman certainly can !"
View user's profile Send private message
Tim Lison




Location: Chicago, Illinois
Joined: 05 Aug 2004
Likes: 1 page
Reading list: 6 books

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,606

PostPosted: Thu 14 Jun, 2012 8:38 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Matthew Bunker wrote:
Apparently Bristol reference library still has a fiche reader, so I'll find the time to go in and see if I can take some screen shots.


Thank you very, very much. I appreciate it!
View user's profile Send private message


Display posts from previous:   
Forum Index > Historical Arms Talk > Viking sword in Bath museum?
Page 1 of 1 Reply to topic
All times are GMT - 8 Hours

View previous topic :: View next topic
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum






All contents © Copyright 2003-2024 myArmoury.com — All rights reserved
Discussion forums powered by phpBB © The phpBB Group
Switch to the Basic Low-bandwidth Version of the forum