[J. Nicolaysen]

It's unclear whether the vikings roamed up the Platte River to central Wyoming, but if they had, I think they would have been proud to carry these.

Axe by Peter Szabo.
Danelaw Seax by Petr Florianek.
Small Viking Knife by Jeff Helmes.



Sorry for the dog hairs on the woolen jacket. I need to get a better background.

[J. Nicolaysen]

The smiths take much better photos than I do!

[Shahril Dzulkifli]

As far as most historians know Vikings did not venture into what is now Wyoming. There is no evidence of any Viking settlement in that state. Got to love the engravings on the hilt of the knife in the middle.

[Mark Moore]

Some sweeeet stuff there........I can see the little one carving my venison steak. .........McM

[J. Nicolaysen]

[David Hohl]

Unfortunately since you can't grow grapes in Wyoming it's out of the running for the elusive Vinland colony.

[Mark Moore]

Thank you, J. I should like my steak medium-rare with a wine sauce of mushrooms and onions. Other than that.................Beautiful stuff.....................McM

[J. Nicolaysen]

Further discoveries seem to confirm a small but passionate Viking settlement in a sparsely populated and remote area of Vinland. (Contrary to previous reports one winery http://www.wyowine.com/ and another vintner http://www.buffalojumpwinery.com/ actually do exist in the dry windy area )

Tunic by Valgred http://www.valgred.sk/
Belt with Antler fittings and Danelaw Sax by Gullinbursti http://gullinbursti.cz/index.php?lang=en&page=item&id=50

[J. Nicolaysen]

This Wyoming Viking seems somewhat over equipped, if possible. No doubt 2015 discoveries will include a scabbard, and a helmet or shield (who knows, maybe both).


Tunic by Valgred
Norseman Spear, Danish War Axe, Anglo-Saxon Sword by Arms and Armor http://www.arms-n-armor.com/index.html

[J. Nicolaysen]

Closeup of Belt shows excellent craftsmanship. Discoveries of Antler buckles and strap ends are rare, but some have been found in Danelaw lands.

[Nathan Robinson]

ooo! Thanks for taking the photos and sharing with us.

[J. Nicolaysen]

Thanks Nathan. There's no one around that I know who has the similar interests to me here. If I wanted to reenact black powder mountain men or 1870's Cavalry or Pony Express riders, I'd be set. So I am just going my own way I guess. There's a few warrior cultures I've always been interested in, and this one is the first kit I'm assembling.

Some of the elements may not match up precisely, but hey, no one around here is complaining. I have a pretty high standard for accuracy given what I am trying to learn about it all, but at a certain point I just go with some things I like. I have no source for outreach or educational type things here anyhow. Only myArmoury and so forth.

So this started with the Danelaw seax by Petr, which I just fell in love with. I asked him to also make a belt that would have some of the same elements of design. He suggested Antler buckle and strap which sounded like a neat thing to try. Through a forum member I learned about Valgred's work. She made an excellent tunic. When I have the rest of the soft kit together, I might get another picture.

The weapons may not be exactly the same time period or design (Peter Szabo's bearded axe seems to be an earlier and more properly Norse, not danelaw area artifact, for example) but I don't know who can argue against having such things. I look forward to playing with the spear the most actually.

I would be happy to hear any suggestions or comments about building this kit or what have you. I have some boots and winningas yet to come and am still learning about the time period and terms. And I can try to get any other pictures or information about anything if anyone is interested, but I am still learning how to take a decent picture.

[J. Nicolaysen]

Got the boots. http://www.bootsbybohemond.net/index.php/shop...oggle-shoe

Very nice and comfortable! I think I will use some elk hide to try to play with shoe making and leather carving. Had a nice pair of elkskin moccasins until a puppy found them. Anyhow, the boots are very nice, but a little plain. I have found some shoes posted on the Wulfheodenas FB page with carving. These are dated from the 6th century. Other examples and reconstructions they have posted have carvings as well, but are earlier than this time period (Danelaw).

https://www.facebook.com/108333802621780/photos/a.123276044460889.19567.108333802621780/341486235973201/?type=3&theater

So, I might try to carve some design to these boots. Objections? Suggestions? I cannot hope to match Petr's work but would like to keep that inspiration from the belt and seax scabbard. I also very much like Jeff Helmes' carving on the little knife sheath.

I should try to find a Ringerike style of carvings in a book somewhere. Please let me know if you have a good one. Remember, there is a good deal of space out here between me and the nearest university or museum. Found a good clothing book as recommended by Wulfheodenas, but I can't afford it at this time... http://www.amazon.com/Clothing-Anglo-Saxon-En...n-Rodgers.

Still a little too early time period besides.

[Matthew Bunker]

A couple of things.
Firstly the largest collection of shoe remains that are close to your period of interest come from the heart of the Danelaw, York. I don't recall any of the remains found during the Jorvik excavations being carved in any way but you can check for yourself because the Trust have made the report available to download for free.
It also contains images of knife sheaths so I think you'll find it a rewarding read.

http://www.yorkarchaeology.co.uk/resources/pubs_archive.htm


Secondly, the book you've linked to is for Early Anglo Saxon clothing. It is excellent but it doesn't contain anything of relevence to someone interested in the Danelaw period.
You might be better off with Thor Ewing's book on Viking Clothing or, for an English perspective, Gale Owen Crocker's book on Anglo Saxon clothing which goes up to the 11th century.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Viking-Clothing-Thor-Ewing/dp/0752435876

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dress-Anglo-Saxon-Eng...=pd_cp_b_1

[Mark Griffin]

Made my evening this lot. I have a 'thing' for bone/antler buckles and strap ends, that's a really nice one. Thanks!

[J. Nicolaysen]

Thank you Matthew. I knew the book describes the earlier time period, and almost a very different culture, but found it and Wulfheodenas helpful to think that boots and shoes may have been carved. I had wondered earlier if footwear was ever decorated and when I was trawling the FB page today, I found the reconstructions and the name of the book. I think I will keep that book in mind for a project a few years down the road

The books and link you suggested look very helpful, thank you very much. I will not confuse my Danelaw ideas with the earlier recreations that Wulfheodenas do, but it has been nice to see it and Thegns of Mercia to see how some groups do it so very well.

For a scabbard idea for the A&A sword, I am hesitant to try to make my own, but the works of members here and their knowledge make me think I can try. I may try to get a few antler pieces carved from Petr and do the rest on my own.

Besides a scabbard and more soft kit, I think I will focus on a helmet next year. A shield is more typical, but helmets can be so very nice. I have a few makers in mind. The big question is of course what style. The Gjermundbu is so classic a model, and apparently one of a kind, but is Norse besides. Conical/nasal helms aren't as interesting to me, but match the time period. I really like the Wenceslaus helmet, just that bit of decoration makes it very nice. A bit too rich for the rest of the kit though and obviously the wrong area. Spangenhelm might be more fitting. Coppergate helmet might be a little too early. Choices choices!

Then again, time period might be more flexible than transmission of styles across Viking settled lands. Danelaw might describe the earliest settlements in England of 8th century to the mid 11th century. I wonder if earlier settlers to England held on to such classic viking styles as Mammen, or if Ringerike was brought by later settlers. Hopefully I will learn more about it in these other books.

The research is very fun, and then to try to actualize it with good things made of metal and cloth. If I had seen a different style of Seax I might have gone down a different rabbit-hole. Iron Age to Migration era and Bronze age types have been more fascinating to me, but this is a good place to begin in general I think.

[J. Nicolaysen]

The Leather and Leatherworking In Anglo-Saxon and Medieval York pdf from the York Archaological Society has been a very interesting and immensely useful document for this. Anyone with a similar interest in the time period and craft will get quite a bit of help from it. http://www.yorkarchaeology.co.uk/resources/pubs_archive.htm

There were some finds of decorated footwear in York, however there are some puzzles. Citation from the pdf linked above.

[J. Nicolaysen]

The section on sax sheath and sword scabbard was very interesting too; I'm still digesting all of it.

Sax sheaths found in York were very richly decorated while sword scabbards were not. I am not even sure that the strap-slide feature found on many Anglo-Saxon and Viking era scabbards were found in York at all, but I don't know how then they suspended the scabbard. If anyone is interested in sax sheaths, the pdf is very helpful, with very clear pictures.

As far as helms go, I just think the Gjermundbu looks too different for what I want to do here, though I will probably buy a replica someday and, I don't know, put it on a different shelf or something. It's just so sweet. The Coppergate helmet, though found in York, is pretty clearly to my eyes a slightly earlier fashion, derived from the Anglo-Saxon heritage rather than the Danish influx. It is dated a good century before I think I am narrowing things down to anyhow. The Benty-Grange and Valsgarde helms are all way more interesting to me than the Coppergate helm, so if I ever am able to pursue that time period, I would probably go for a replica like that.

The standard conical helm feels too late however. This one here seems about perfect. I hope I can get it or something like it someday: http://www.royaloakarmoury.com/portfolio/conical-spangenhelm/

[Matthew Bunker]

[J. Nicolaysen]

Thank you again Matthew. As it happens, I posted all that and then found some more late night reading, including some good threads here of course. It will take a while to digest. Found your excellent scabbard based on the Isle of Man discoveries, and Harry Marianakis sent me some good material about suspensions. What do you think about the suspension rings made of antler? I confess I really like the organic antler material and I seem a little stubborn to have it somewhere if not a strap slide.

The Cameron books were recommended in at least one of those threads as well. They look excellent and I hope I can get them.

A google or forum archive search is only as good as one's search terms and specialized vocabulary. I'm stumbling my way around through some of what others have already done, but I sure as hell am learning a lot. I wish I was able to actually see some groups or museums with the right stuff, but that will have to remain a dream for a while. To get valuable input from another forum member who has been there before is a huge boost to research.

One minor project I could do might be sheaths for the Dane axe and the Spear. Both are quite sharp so it would be a very good practical thing regardless of historical accuracy. But to the extent of my abilities I enjoy the historical accuracy the most. Have you made anything like that? Some of your Wulfheodenas spears I have seen had banners, but I hadn't seen a cover yet. Of course the Dane axe is all wrong for the time, but I think it would be a good and safe thing to have anyhow. I have lots of spare elk leather scraps I can use.

Just got some more of the soft kit (winnigas and pants) today. I tried to get them a bit universal for multiple kits, from Historical Enterprises. It will be interesting to how they can fit in here.