1,100-year-old ‘ceremonial’ Viking shields were actually used in battle, study suggests

Dozens of Viking spherical shields from a well-known ship burial unearthed in Norway weren’t strictly ceremonial as lengthy thought; as a substitute they could have protected warriors in battle, a brand new examine finds.

A reanalysis of the wood shields, which had been unearthed within the Gokstad ship in southern Norway in 1880, suggests they could have as soon as been coated with rawhide (untanned cattle pores and skin) and utilized in hand-to-hand fight, in response to a brand new examine revealed on March 24 within the journal Arms and Armour (opens in new tab).

“The [Gokstad] shields are usually in accordance with our understanding of shields which have been utilized in fight,” examine creator Rolf Warming (opens in new tab), a doctoral scholar of archaeology at Stockholm College, advised Stay Science in an e-mail. “The craftsmanship is within the custom of the Germanic flat spherical protect custom, which is a widespread weaponry know-how in Scandinavia between the early third to late thirteenth centuries.”

A drawing of a reconstructed shield from the Gokstad ship, adapted from the original 1882 report of the discovery. — A drawing of a reconstructed protect from the Gokstad ship, tailored from the unique 1882 report of the invention. (Picture credit score: Nicolaysen et al, 1882)

A complete of 64 shields — presumably one for every of the crew on board, Warming mentioned — had been tied alongside the highest fringe of the hull of the ship, simply above its oar-holes.

The vessel was as soon as used at sea, most likely for warfare, commerce and transportation. However about 900, it was dragged onto land and used for the burial of a Viking king (opens in new tab).

Associated: Viking warriors sailed the seas with their pets, bone evaluation finds

Viking shields

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A reconstruction of the front of one of the Gokstad shields, made in the late 19th or early 20th century from original components. The iron boss can be seen in the center of the shield. — A reconstruction of the entrance of one of many Gokstad shields, made within the late nineteenth or early twentieth century from authentic elements. The iron boss may be seen within the heart of the protect. (Picture credit score: Credit score: Museum of Cultural Historical past, College of Oslo)

Warming’s reanalysis reveals the shields consisted of tapered wood boards or planks round an iron hemisphere referred to as a boss on one facet and a wood deal with on the opposite, though just one deal with has survived. This could have made the shields mild and simple to maneuver.

The planks of every protect had been painted both yellow or black, giving the overlapping shields the looks of yellow and black crescent moons.

Archaeologists prior to now have urged these shields had solely a ceremonial perform. However Warming has proof the shields had been initially coated with a skinny rawhide layer to bolster their planks and rims.

Rows of perforations on the shield boards (indicated here in yellow) suggest they were once covered with a reinforcing layer of rawhide.

Rows of perforations on the protect boards (indicated right here in yellow) recommend they had been as soon as coated with a reinforcing layer of rawhide. (Picture credit score: R. Warming/Society for Fight Archaeology)

“There are fragments of an natural layer on prime of the protect boards which may be remnants from such a layer, however these stay to be analyzed,” he mentioned. “There’s nonetheless oblique proof within the type of stitching holes and a chamfered [sloped] rim that point out that the boards had been constructed to accommodate a protecting layer of some type.”

That strengthens the concept that the Gokstad shields had been to be used in fight and never only for ornament.

“They’re most likely greatest interpreted as tools belonging to the ship and utilized by the crew aboard, both at sea or on land,” Warming mentioned.

Sea raiders

The Gokstad ship as it would have looked on the water, in a drawing from the original 1882 report of the discovery. The yellow and black painted shields can be seen in a row along the top of the hull.

The Gokstad ship as it might have seemed on the water, in a drawing from the unique 1882 report of the invention. The yellow and black painted shields may be seen in a row alongside the highest of the hull. (Picture credit score: Harry Schøyen/Nicolaysen et al, 1882)

Ships just like the one at Gokstad had been essential to the Vikings — a reputation derived from a time period for Norse raiders utilized by the English they attacked.

Whereas not all of the Norse had been Vikings, raiding for treasure and slaves grew to become established in Scandinavia after the eighth century till the Norse transformed to Christianity after the tenth century.

Viking ships had sq. sails; however they had been additionally fitted with oars to make use of in ill-winds or when navigating rivers. These boats additionally had shallow and lightweight clinker-built hulls, so seafaringVikings may get near land and pull their boats ashore when wanted.

Warming thinks the shields on the Gokstad ship have served as additional armor, or for a “present of energy” in such conditions; and that Vikings may have untied from the hull for hand-to-hand fight.

There is no direct proof that they had been utilized in battle, however “some irregular notches and marks have been noticed on the protect bosses,” he mentioned “These have to be submitted to cautious use-wear analyses which could possibly point out if the shields have been utilized in precise fight.”

Fragments of iron shield bosses found at the site of the Gokstad ship. The boss protected the hand holding the shield, which gripped a wooden handle across it.

Fragments of iron protect bosses discovered on the website of the Gokstad ship. The boss protected the hand holding the protect, which gripped a wood deal with throughout it. (Picture credit score: Vegard Vike/Museum of Cultural Historical past, College of Oslo)

Warming added that shields had been an vital however usually missed component of hand-to-hand fight.

“Shields can inform us so much about bodily motion and subsequently preventing strategies and ways, so it is very important doc them intimately,” he mentioned.

Jan Invoice (opens in new tab), the curator of the Viking Ship Assortment on the College of Oslo’s Museum of Cultural Historical past, who wasn’t concerned within the examine however is conducting separate analysis on the shields, referred to as Warming’s analysis “fascinating and well-argued.”

“It raises a related query that has additionally been raised by others,” he advised Stay Science in an e-mail. “The reality in regards to the Gokstad shields is prone to be complicated, and additional, interdisciplinary analysis is important to light up it.”

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