I wonder if this is the same sword that Russ was discussing:

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Viking sword with Bent hilt

It sure looks like it. In the full light of day it doesn't look much like the other picture at all..

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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.)

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

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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

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

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

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
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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