Viking Weapons In Ireland (Videos)

[Fred Fuller]

Re. the video series...

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/29998
National Museum’s Viking Ireland video series

The National Museum of Ireland has put together a wonderful video series based on their Viking Ireland exhibit. It’s a tour of Viking history in Ireland as seen through some of the artifacts on display. Each of the eight videos is short and eminently digestible, a sort of capsule history on topics like Viking swords and trade. It also makes you want to go to the museum something fierce, which is obviously the entire point, so job well done, National Museum of Ireland!
=snip=
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYDpXH4adC8
Viking Ireland 1 - Weapons - The Axe
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKN-lHbCcQs
Viking Ireland 2 - Viking Weapons - The Sword

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Very interesting. The details about the axes were especially enlightening.
Thanks for the link.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Very interesting Fred thanks for posting that.

 

[rcmodel]

Anyone notice the forge line visible starting at about 2:00?

It has to be a soft iron, forge-welded head wrapped over a high-carbon steel cutting edge!
The reason the edges rusted away faster then the rest of the head.

Early laminated blade!

rc

 

[hso]

Perhaps, but there's just too much rust to be confident of whether that's a composite structure (core or even edge of hardened steel forge welded to softer steel or iron) or the bevel for the edge.

Regardless, that's a fearsome weapon in the hands of anyone skilled in the use.

 

[Fred Fuller]

For anyone who hasn't seen this yet...

I mention this because there's mention of an inscription on the sword in the museum video, and the x-ray at 3:04 and at 3:36 shows the inscription to some degree. I can't make out what it says, but ... could it be?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKvRHaJ2w6w

RIDDLE OF STEEL: Secrets of the Viking Sword (720p)

Published on Nov 30, 2013

The Viking sword was the primary weapon of the Viking. It was a development of the Roman spatha, evolving out of the Migration Period sword in the 8th century, and into the classical knightly sword in the 11th century with the emergence of larger cross-guards.

The Viking swords were pattern welded which gave the blade extra strength as the core was made of springy iron and edge of hard steel. Of particular note is the "Ulfberht" subset, which used steel of higher purity and carbon content than its peers in the region that may have been imported in ingot.

Blade length varied from 71 to 84 centimetres. Early examples have single, deep, wide fullers running the full length of the blade. Later examples have multiple narrow fullers.

A fuller reduces the weight of the blade without compromising its strength. This weight reduction would allow the wielder to swing faster and harder strokes. Later swords also had more tapered points for increased effectiveness against chain mail.

All have short single-handed hilts with pyramid, lobed or cocked-hat style pommels. Pommels were made of iron and were heavier than on the earlier Migration Period sword.

 

[krupparms]

Those were some great videos! Thanks for posting them!