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Tim Lison
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 Posted: Wed 30 May, 2012 10:41 pm Post subject: Viking sword in Bath museum? |
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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...
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Matthew Bunker
Location: Somerset UK Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 483
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 1:02 am Post subject: |
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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 !"
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David Huggins
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 3:28 am Post subject: Viking sword |
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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.
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Carl W.
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 7:12 am Post subject: |
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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)!
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Robin Smith
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 9:03 am Post subject: |
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| 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
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Tim Lison
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 9:03 am Post subject: |
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| 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!
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Tim Lison
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 9:16 am Post subject: |
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| 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...
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Robin Smith
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| Posted: Thu 31 May, 2012 10:48 am Post subject: |
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| 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
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Matthew Bunker
Location: Somerset UK Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 483
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| Posted: Thu 14 Jun, 2012 5:47 am Post subject: |
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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 !"
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Robin Smith
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| Posted: Thu 14 Jun, 2012 6:32 am Post subject: |
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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
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Matthew Bunker
Location: Somerset UK Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 483
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| Posted: Thu 14 Jun, 2012 7:00 am Post subject: |
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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 !"
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Tim Lison
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| Posted: Thu 14 Jun, 2012 8:38 am Post subject: |
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| 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!
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