[Phil U]

[Elling Polden]

There are allread (all to) many reenactors that look like pirates... No need for further encouragement.

Personaly I am partial to the western Eurpean inluenced look rather than the eastern style that is in vouge among reenactors these days.

[Ken Speed]

David Huggins wrote, "I suppose to a large extent it depends on how you interpretate the word 'viking': as a pirate, or as the levy class of butskarl engaged in the organised expeditions of the later viking age."

That's exactly my point, they changed over time and place, just like the cowboys of North America did. They, both the cowboys and the Vikings, invented and reinvented themselves until they were eventually wiped out.


David thank you for the reference. I'm going to read it more thoroughly and I think I may want to read his book about Viking religion and war.

[David Huggins]

Ken

Neil Price's 2nd edition is as yet to be published but will be available via Oxbow Books when it is.

best
Dave

[Phil U]

[David Huggins]

'Easten style' tends towards a style commonly associated amogst re-enactors with the 'Russ' with an ad-mixture of steppe culture influences, baggy style trousers, kaftan, sabre, lamellar, eastern style helms, riding boots.

'Western' style tends towards a style of shoe, leg-bindings, tight trousers, tunic, mail shirt, nasal helm, etc.

best
Dave

[Paul Hansen]

[Sam Gordon Campbell]

Wooden tipped spears? Maybe for practice, but I doubt for genuine conflicts.
However that being said, wooden tipped javelins/throwing spears I can definitely accept as plausible.
Here's the scene: You and your Scan/Balt/Germ/Celt buddies are setting up for an ambush on a convoy/train/collum the next morning, but you need more firepower, and you need it cheap and fast (like that lass in that tavern a fortnight ago *wink-wink-nudge-nudge*), so you go about the forest selecting saplings/small trees that are sort of straight. You take them to your firepit, sharpen the points, straighten them some more using the heat, then fire harden the point. Boom, more projectiles than you can...
Shake a stick at.

[Paul Hansen]

Yes, exactly. But even when held in the hand it is a reasonable weapon. Like I said, Indonesian rebels continued using sharpened bamboo sticks until the 1940's - 1950's...

Although I fear that I have remembered the reference in Germania incorrectly...
I just tried to look it up and came back empty-handed.

[Phil U]

Makes sense to my uninformed mind. Ingve and his gang are heading over to your fjord to make trouble, and on your side are a few thanes and a selection of hungover, ill-equipped fisherman. May as well rig them as best you can with fire-hardened sharpened poles and hope for the best.

[Matthew Bunker]

[William P]

in japan, the banmboo spear was, as i understand a quite common impromptu weapon, for peasents and samurai alike,

but really, what matters more with the use of wooden spears is if the people your giving them to are in any way useful.

as for eastern style verses western, that description is exactly the early varangian guardsmans outfit funnily enough
wether your russ, byzantine or steppe your gonna have that combination of clothing,

during the 11th century you get ever increasing numbers of men recruited from western nations like england, nor mandy and scandinavia, but they were initially MOSTLY rus, because the first contingent of guardsmen were from the armies of the russian prince,.
i can imagine quite a few english huskarls migrated to constantinople to join after hastings.

though admittedly this doesnt help the OP's questions though since the varangian guard was such a melting pot during the late 10th early 11th C, it gives people alot of flexibility in terms of cultural portrayal (general byzantine army kit is acceptable from what ive heard)

as for combat gear, an iron scullcap under a simple 6 panel hat is a good way to go and considering the dark ages is mostly devoid of facial protection chances are the group would allow only limited strikes to the head region.
according to hurstwic there are accounts of hats with iron plates sewn into them. read the page on defensive gear to double check.

speaking of which, now obviously the combat rules of my group dont translate around the world, but in mine, the spear is often a weapon used by advanced fighters because thrusts are the most likely to be redirected to a vital area.
so if you intend on fighting, have a hand weapon like an axe just incase combat rules ddont let you fight with the spear immediately

as for period gear, historic enterprises has EXCELLENT clothing, in terms of tunics, trousers, belts, hats and winnagas (legwraps) and its apparently been approved by the regia anglorum for historuical accuraacy, though they dont do period shoes viking era shoes

instead if you wish to make shoes,
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/...ction.html here is a pretty simple design for a possibly 10th century shoe. (it could be later though)
he also has a page on shields though hurstwic definately is good enough on its own http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html


by the way starting as a common man level fighter is a good idea,
it means your kit is simple, it has a lower number of components meaning that you vcan invest more money and effort into each piece, this means that the overall quality of your kit will be superior for a given amount of money and effort.

although may i ask if the OP is intending on making this kit for historical dissplay or if he intends to do combat as well.

if its the latter, depending on your budget, focus.dont bother getting sharp versions of your weapons

[David Huggins]

I'm not entirely certain that the use of steppe culture cavalry type sabre as appears to be hugely popular with some viking age re-enactors, particularly in Eastern Europe is actually reflected in the reality of finds associated with the the Viking Age in early Russ or in countires like present day Poland etc. I was under the impression that 'Frankish' type blades with the typical pommels associated with viking swords where more the actualit.

The popular style baggy style pants as far as I can recall are mentioned in the appropiate saga because of there rarity and use of voluminous cloth, so these may again be a misunderstanding that has become a popular 'given', sometimes references to carvings on soe runestones are also used as a referance source, but it is very difficult to say with any certainty what these may represent, equally they could be short trousers.

At the end of the day it is all very much about interpretation of what little we do know.

Matt's point about freemen bearing arms is spot on, the 'wapontak' or if you wish 'Thing', regional assemblies, where free-men came to recite the laws, see lawfull justice dispensed and vote on concerns, required free men to bear arms, literally to take weapons as in wapontake, which in the Northern Danelaw of England eventually would lead to land divisions known by this name.

best
Dave

[Phil U]

[Paul Hansen]

[E. Storesund]

I'm thinking about putting a kit together for labor use and winter events, preferably with a selection of household items to go with it. I believe somewhat middle-class free man would be the place to aim: Managing, but not rich enough to afford himself much luxury, Functional and warm woolen clothes without any fancy dyes* or decoration, worn and eventually showing signs of repair. Simple leather shoes, but otherwise barefoot to save them from wear and tear. A knife to wear in a simple, undecorated belt, a spear in the event of conflict, an axe for woodcutting - as well as perhaps a small selection of woodworking tools. A wooden peat spade, bow for hunting, perhaps a net for fishing.

*IMHO clothing is one of the instances where logical fallacies are the most abundant with reenactors. Like when somebody runs into battle with a nice sword and a beautiful helmet, with a tunic fit for a bum. Or when people prowl the markets in madder balloon pants, when the rest of their kits, well...
I'm not necessarily much better though, as my current kit has room for LOTS of improvement in this department.

[Gary Teuscher]

[E. Storesund]

[Elling Polden]

The use of the word Huskarl differs from region to region. In Norway, it denotes a member of the household, while in Denmark it describes a man at arms.

[William P]