Closed chapes of long knives
Introduction The long knives spread around the Baltic Sea in the period of the 10th and 11th centuries represent a not very numerous group of weapons, which in recent decades has received increased attention from academics (e.g. Stjerna 2007; Kainov 2019: 102-112) and historical reenactors (e.g. Vlasatý 2020; 2021a; 2021b; 2022a; 2022b; 2023; 2024). The joint efforts […]
Patching of early medieval helmets
In connection with the preparation of the Catalog of European helmets of 9th-12th century, we decided to tackle the problem of patches of historical, especially early medieval helmets, which is a marginal topic in the current academic and reenactor discourse, in the form of a separate article. The goal is to discuss the theoretical starting […]
Mid-strips of Early medieval knife sheaths
Introduction The long knives spread around the Baltic Sea in the period of the 10th and 11th centuries represent a not very numerous group of weapons, which in recent decades has received increased attention from academics (e.g. Stjerna 2007; Kainov 2019: 102-112) and historical reenactors (e.g. Vlasatý 2020; 2021a; 2021b; 2022a; 2022b; 2023; 2024). The joint efforts of […]
Unknown medieval knot
Introduction Metal rings are among the relatively numerous objects in the archaeological material and had a wide range of uses (if we leave aside temple rings, knockers or coffin fittings, the most frequent uses are apparently for belts, horse harnesses, hangers for weapons and the like). The early medieval user chose ring fixation methods with […]
The Fragment of a Viking Age Helmet from Mindegård, Denmark
Abstract The study of Viking Age Scandinavian helmets (ca. 800 – 1066 AD) is faced with a critical absence of finds and is currently working with 4 – 5 relevant specimens. The complete material chronologically fits into the second half of the 10th and the very beginning of the 11th century and is not evenly […]
The fake “sword of Hedeby”
In the following short post, we would like to focus on public debunking of one of the most common Internet myths about the Viking Age, which has been shared on a semi-annual basis for more than a decade and has caused considerable damage in the community of academics, reenactors, and generally anyone interested in history. […]
Early Medieval Sword from Maaseik, Belgium
Abstract 8th-12th century swords can be considered extraordinary and poorly published finds in Belgium, and only 10 demonstrable specimens have been known to date, all of which have been collected from waterways. The text presented below represents the eleventh piece, apparently coming from the Meuse River from the site of Maaseik. The sword belongs to […]
Stool from Trondheim, Norway, 11th century
It is our pleasant duty to announce that, in cooperation with Scandinavian colleagues, a previously unrecognized stool from the 11th century has been found in the Norwegian archives. Specifically, it is a find from Trondheim. As far as we know, it is currently under-published and missing from both the basic literature on early medieval wooden […]
Rune bracelet from Liberec Region, Czech Rep.
Dedicated to Professor Klaus Düwel (October 10, 1935 – December 31, 2020). Abstract With increased detector activity in the last three decades, there are discoveries of runic jewelery in Central Europe that seem to have an early medieval feel. However, the runic inscriptions contain a curious and inauthentic composition of characters, which has aroused the […]
An extraordinary group of winged spears
Introduction In 2019, we presented the article Typology of Spearhead Wings (Vlasatý 2019), which represents the most comprehensive morphological overview of early medieval spear wings. Almost five years later, we return to the subject to report the discovery of a new and previously undefined group of winged spears that is absent in existing monographs on […]
The Wallet from Sigtuna, Sweden
Introduction The archaeological material relating to bags, satchels, wallets and pouches of the Viking Age from the territory of today’s Sweden is surprisingly extensive. We can divide it into: An example of a pouch. Source: Steuer 1997: Abb. 14b. An example of a folding wallet. Source: Václav Maňha, Ratatosk CRAFT. Examples of lyre-shaped wallets. Source: Sörling 1939: […]
Evaluation of potential helmets from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
As part of the preparation of the Catalog of European helmets of 9th-12th century, in 2022 we approached the employees of the State Office for Culture and Heritage Care Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Landesamt für Kultur und Denkmalpflege Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) from Schwerin, who documented the finds from the Schwerinsburg and Schulzenwerder near Babke to our request. These objects are […]
Frühmittelalterlicher Sachverständiger
Liebe Leserin, lieber Leser, mein Name ist Tomáš Vlasatý. Ich bin selbstständiger Sachverständiger für das frühmittelalterliche Europa. In den letzten zehn Jahren habe ich mehr als 600 Artikel in diesem elektronischen Journal und anderen veröffentlicht. Die Artikel befassen sich sowohl mit der Dokumentation archäologischer Funde, ihrer Rekonstruktion und Einordnung, als auch mit der Kultur und […]
Ekspert wczesnego średniowiecza do wynajęcia
Szanowny czytelniku. Nazywam się Tomáš Vlasatý i jestem specjalistą w dziedzinie kultury materialnej wczesnośredniowiecznej Europy. W ciągu ostatniej dekady opublikowałem ponad 600 artykułów na łamach tego elektronicznego dziennika, skupiając się na dokumentacji znalezisk archeologicznych i ich odtwarzaniu. W celu fizycznego zbadania zabytków odwiedzam archiwa w całej Europie. Ponadto posiadam w swojej kolekcji więcej jak 50 […]
Contrata Un Experto Altomedieval
Querido lector. Me llamo Tomáš Vlasatý y soy un experto en el campo de la cultura material altomedieval europea. En la última década, he publicado más de 600 artículos en las páginas de este diario digital, enfocándome en la documentación de hallazgos arqueológicos y su reproducción. Con el fin de examinar físicamente los monumentos arqueológicos, […]
The Bag from Roswinkel, Netherlands
Introduction The following article aims to collect all known data on a bag found in Roswinkel, the Netherlands, dating to the end of the 9th century. It is most likely the most complete find of a Carolingian period bag from continental Western Europe to date. Despite the uniqueness of the find, the available data are […]
Reassessment of the Radim – Pod lipou cemetery
Introduction During our research in 2023, we came across Píč’s old descriptions of a surprisingly well-preserved grave from the locality Radim u Kolína – Pod lipou, which Píč dated to the early Christian era, literally to the early 12th century (Píč 1893: 437). The amount of preserved organic matter piqued our curiosity in this grave. […]
Identification of a potential hat cone from Tiszaeszlár-Újtelep, Hungary
Introduction In November 2023, during a cursory research of the literature, we found a mention of a silver object from Tiszaeszlár-Újtelep, Hungary, which is still identified as part of a horse’s bridle. However, in our opinion, the object is misinterpreted and in fact there is a high probability that it is actually an as yet […]
Раннесредневековые футляры для ножниц
Несколько подготовленных нами ранее статей о раннесредневековых футлярах и ножнах привели нас к заключению, что острые инструменты и оружие (мечи, копья, топоры, ножи, иглы и т. д.) помещались в некие чехлы, чтобы избежать случайных порезов и одновременно защитить лезвия и острия. В этом обзоре мы хотим рассмотреть футляры для ножниц – инструмента, которому уделяется мало […]
“Amistad con el dios”
Traducido por Juan José Velásquez Arango „Una persona de la Era Vikinga jamás afirmaría ‘creer’ en los dioses nórdicos y otros seres similares, como tampoco afirmaría ‘creer’ en una montaña o en el mar. Estas cosas eran evidentes por sí mismas, una cuestión de conocimiento sin distinción entre lo físico y lo espiritual.“(Price 2013: 166) […]
The helmet from the Prussian site of Ekritten
Introduction In 2023, as part of the preparation of the Catalog of European helmets of 9th-12th century, we approached the Museum for Prehistory and Early History (Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte) from the Berlin State Museums (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin), who examined the fragmentarily preserved helmet from the site of Ekritten for us. Due to the […]
The helmet from Nemiya, Ukraine
Introduction As part of the preparation of the Catalog of European helmets of 9th-12th century, we had the the opportunity to personally view the helmet from Nemiya, Ukraine, one of the best-preserved one-piece helmets. The two-hour examination, which took place on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 in the building of the Déri Museum (Déri Múzeum) in Debrecen with the […]
Bulgarian type sabre from Stará Břeclav, Czech Rep.
Introduction During the research, the remains of a single-edged palash or sabre-like sword from Stará Břeclav in southern Moravia have been found in old literature. This type of weapon is usually referred to in the literature as the Bulgarian or Byzantine type (Yotov et al. 2022); in this work we will refer to the weapon […]
Knives with riveted scales of 9th-12th century
Introduction Knives of the Early Middle Ages are very popular objects among academics, reenactors, craftsmen, collectors and other people interested in history. They combine functionality, aesthetics and an attractive story. At the very beginning, it must be said that the vast majority of early medieval knives, let’s say more than 95%, consist of a simple, […]
Top 200 works on 9th-11th Iceland
The bibliography attached below is the author’s selection of two hundred essential titles dealing with Iceland in the period of 9th-11th century. Because of its uniqueness, Iceland is the subject of study by thousands of archaeologists, historians, geneticists, geologists, linguists, lawyers, sociologists and other experts, and it is therefore extremely difficult to create any limited […]
Defining Slavic shields of 9th-11th century
The following text, which is dedicated to all reenactors, academics and those interested in history, is focused on a topic that repeatedly emerges over time – the shape, construction and materials of Slavic shields in the 9th-11th century. Our intention is to collect all types of sources and provide an updated evaluation of how the […]
Slavic shield from the Lenzen hillfort
„Saddles, bridles and short-lasting shields used in their countries are made in Prague.“Ibrahím ibn Jákub, 10th century We are happy to present the reader with fresh information that has reached us from our German colleagues Erik Panknin and Reiner Liebentraut, namely details about the shield that was found in the Western Slavic hillfort of Lenzen […]
Notes on Early Medieval Women’s Dress
We are repeatedly called upon to create a text that would be devoted to women’s clothing in the Early Middle Ages and that would be a certain counterweight to our typical articles, which are usually focused on general or exclusively male material culture. We are not deaf to this challenge, which is why we decided […]
Sleep in the Early Middle Ages
An example of Old Norse beds and bedding In response to the growing number of questions about how early medieval people slept and what means they used for quality sleep, I decided to write an overview article that would bring the issue closer to the English reader. For research, we can use both the archaeological […]
Parasites of the Viking Age
In 2015, we had the opportunity to read on the Internet that Danish scientists published a study (Søe et al. 2015), which is interpreted as “the Vikings from Viborg suffered from intestinal parasites that caused them great pain and that may have been the reason behind their excessive aggressiveness” (Mirror 2015). I would like to […]
Materials of early medieval spear shafts
The following text maps the analyzed materials of the European spear shafts in the period 0 to 1200 AD, while it is an evaluation of the data collection carried out in the years 2017-2023. The article is a continuation of our previous work, namely Wood species used for sword grips (Vlasatý 2020), Wood species used […]
Materials of medieval axe shafts
The following text is a presentation of the collection of analyzed axe shafts, which we have been working on continuously since 2016. We have included in the catalog only axes with the specified material and originating from archaeological finds from the period from 100 BC to 1600 AD from the territory of Europe. In total, […]
Transportation of axes in the early medieval Europe
The method of transporting axes remains a mystery that attracts many people interested in the Early Middle Ages. It is surprising that this remarkable topic has received only minimal attention in the academic community, which gives us a good opportunity to explore the fine details that have so far been neglected. Existing work in the […]
Construction of early medieval tunics
Introduction Early medieval clothing is an extremely popular topic that has attracted attention for more than the last hundred years. The question of what the clothes of the Vikings, Franks, Byzantines, Great Moravians or even the Rus’ looked like is asked by many of the lay and professional public. European 5th-12th century clothing research, however, […]
Decorated shield boss from Haithabu
At the beginning of April 2023, we had the opportunity to visit the Viking Museum in Haithabu (Wikinger Museum Haithabu) again. Our attention was naturally focused on the most famous finds from the locality, especially the militaria from the burial grounds. During a cursory examination of the objects from the Boat Chamber Grave (Bootkammergrab), our […]
Wooden cores of the long knife sheaths
Introduction The long knives spread around the Baltic Sea in the period of the 10th and 11th centuries represent a not very numerous group of weapons, which in recent decades has received increased attention from academics (e.g. Stjerna 2007; Kainov 2019: 102-112) and historical reenactors (e.g. Vlasatý 2020; 2021a; 2021c; 2022b). The joint efforts of […]
Vikings and Settlers in Cornwall
Archaeology and Documentary Sources John Fletcher(john.fletch@gmail.com) It is fair to say that, at least in the Anglophone world, the history of the Vikings and their activities is looked at primarily through the lens of their actions in Britain and Ireland. This phenomenon can be seen even in the dates used to define the period; with […]
Top 100 works on 9th-11th Gotland
The bibliography attached below is the author’s selection of one hundred most important titles that deal with historical Gotland in the period of 9th-11th century. Since the number of titles counts many hundreds, it is extremely difficult to limit to a mere selection. From this bibliography you can further explore Top 100 works on 9th-11th […]
Top 200 works on 9th-11th Norway
The bibliography attached below is the author’s selection of the two hundred most important titles that deal with historical Norway in the period of 9th-11th century. Since the number of titles counts many hundreds or thousands, it is extremely difficult to limit to a mere selection – therefore our selection did not include the literature […]
Ropemaking from 800 CE to 1500 CE
Meet Erik Brinkman (erik.brinkman.834@gmail.com), a seasoned craftsman from Sweden with a passion for preserving traditional techniques. For the past 20 years, Erik has been honing his skills in various crafts, but it was in 2016 when he stumbled upon historical reenactment that his world changed forever. As Erik delved deeper into the world of historical […]
Top 100 works on the mound of Oseberg
The bibliography attached below is the author’s selection of the hundred most important titles related to the mound of Oseberg, excavated in 1904. Our list includes the vast majority of published literature on this incredible find from the 1st half of the 9th century. From this bibliography you can further explore Top 200 works on 9th-11th […]
Top 100 works on 9th-11th Sweden
The bibliography attached below is the author’s selection of the hundred most important titles related to historical Sweden in the period of 9th-11th century. Since the number of titles counts many hundreds, it is extremely difficult to limit our list to only one hundred. Therefore, the literature on Birka, which was processed in a separate […]
150 most important works on Birka
The bibliography attached below is the author’s selection of the one hundred and fifty most relevant titles dealing with the site of Birka on the island of Björkö in central Sweden. Since the number of titles counts many hundreds, it is extremely difficult to limit our list to a mere selection. The selected literature is […]
Catalog of 8th-12th century perforated axes
Introduction This article is an extension of the work Axes with perforated blades, which was published on this website in July 2020 (Vlasatý 2020a). The reason for revisiting this material is both to inform the reenactor community and academic interest, which aims to: At the outset, we must mention that the detection of perforations encounters […]
Medieval European bone and antler axes
While reading Petr Luňák’s excellent work on Great Moravian axes, I was surprised by the sentence “While wooden swords occasionally appear during the Middle Ages (…), wooden axes are unknown to me. Perhaps it was unnecessary to imitate such a ubiquitous object in wood (…)” (Luňák 2018: 108). It shocked me especially because we know […]
Top 100 works on 9th-11th century sword scabbards
The bibliography below is the author’s selection of the hundred most important titles dealing with European sword scabbards, baldrics and scabbard chapes from the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. The list is an attempt to include all major authors, regions, and topics equally. It is an expansion of a similar bibliography on swords and does […]
Top 100 works on 9th-11th century mails
The bibliography below is the author’s selection of the hundred most important titles dealing with European mails and mail fragments from the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. The list is an attempt to include all major authors, regions, and topics equally. In general, the literature on mails can be understood as extremely fragmented and decentralized […]
Decorated shield from Ness, Norway
The following article presents a preliminary publication of a shield that was discovered in 2010 in a ship burial from Ness, Norway. The presented text, which substitutes the currently missing detailed academic publication, uses photographic material taken in the permanent exhibition of the The Arctic University Museum (Norges arktiske universitetsmuseum) in Tromsø, a description available […]
Top 100 works on 9th-11th Denmark
The bibliography attached below is the author’s selection of the hundred most important titles related to historical Denmark in the period of 9th-11th century. Since the number of titles counts many hundreds, it is extremely difficult to limit our list to only one hundred. Therefore, the literature on Haithabu, which was processed in a separate […]
Top 100 works on 9th-11th century archery
The bibliography below is the author’s selection of the hundred most important titles dealing with European archery from the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. The list is an attempt to include all major authors, regions, and topics equally. It should be noted that slings are not included. In general, the literature on archery can be […]
Top 100 works on 9th-11th century shields
The bibliography below is the author’s selection of the hundred most important titles dealing with European shields from the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. The list is an attempt to include all major authors, regions, and topics equally. It should be noted that shields are usually recognized by their metal components. In general, the literature […]
Top 100 works on 9th-11th century helmets
The bibliography below is the author’s selection of the hundred most important titles dealing with European helmets from the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. The list is an attempt to include all major authors, regions, and topics equally. It should be noted that mail aventails and organic parts of helmets are not included. In general, […]
Top 100 works on 9th-11th century spears
The bibliography below is the author’s selection of the hundred most important titles dealing with European spears from the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. The list is an attempt to include all major authors, regions, and topics equally. It should be noted that the sheaths are not included. In general, the literature on spears can […]
Top 100 works on 9th-11th century axes
The bibliography below is the author’s selection of the hundred most important titles dealing with European work and battle axes from the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. The list is an attempt to include all major authors, regions, and topics equally. It should be noted that the sheaths are not included. In general, the literature […]
Top 100 works on 9th-11th century swords
The bibliography below is the author’s selection of the hundred most important titles dealing with European swords from the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. The list is an attempt to include all major authors, regions, and topics equally. It should be noted that scabbards and baldrics are not included and are discussed in a separate […]
Fire strikers with metal hangers
Previously published works Typology of Fire Strikers From the Viking Age Denmark and Typology of Fire Strikers From the Viking Age Norway show that early medieval European fire strikers often bear holes and loops that indicate their suspension. As a follow-up to these articles, we have collected 29 remarkable European strikers of the 8th-13th centuries that still preserve metal […]
Early Medieval Expert to Hire
Dear reader. My name is Tomáš Vlasatý, and I am an expert in the field of material culture of early medieval Europe. Over the past decade, I have published more than 600 articles on the pages of this electronic journal, focusing on the documentation of archaeological finds and their reproduction. In order to physically examine […]
Wooden tableware from Slavic Germany
To regular readers of these pages as well as random visitors, I present a selection of wooden tableware from Slavic Germany, in which organic objects were found large numbers. If we did not limit ourselves to this region and whole of Germany would be included, the presented material would be extended by a cutting board […]
“Friendship with the god”
Some Viking Age amulets and their symbolism I have been dealing with protective items and pendants from the Viking Age for a long time and I try to draw attention to their misuse in the current reenactment. Most male reenactors, for example, only use hammer pendants, which are not made according to the originals and […]
Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian hooked tags
The following article is an evaluation of the long-term collection of information on the fixation of European clothing worn on the legs during the Early Middle Ages. The main focus will be on hooked tags that are known in vast number of specimens and that are widely used by historical reenactors. Attention will be paid […]
The brooch from Székesfehérvár, Hungary
On May 6, 2022, I had the opportunity to personally examine one of the most beautiful early medieval brooches from the territory of Hungary, which was discovered in a cemetery in Székesfehérvár. The examination took place in the morning in the depository of the King St. Stephen Museum (Szent István Király Múzeum), in the presence […]
Lesser known aspects of the Viking shield
Greetings, faithful friends of history and of this site that likes to reveal the ancient secrets and brilliance of the past! After a break, I am back with an article that not only presents my two-year collection of information in the Scandinavian environment, but also brings into the English language an international discourse on the […]
The helmet from River Somme, France
While writing the Rethinking the helmet from Yarm, we mentioned a helmet found in the River Somme near the town of Abbeville. With almost a year’s gap, the helmet was republished in print. From that reason we feel the time is ripe for a separate post on this helmet, which may hold the key to […]
Scandinavian metal wrapped axe shafts
The following text is a sequel to the article Latvian metal wrapped axe shafts, published on this site in the first half of 2022, which maps Latvian axes wrapped with long and narrow bands. The work presented below covers all remaining sheet metal wrappings of European axes from the period 9th-11th century, which we find […]
Spear and axe from Caerwent, Wales
Introduction The following post presents the results of a personal examination of a spear and axe from the site of Caerwent, Wales, by reenactor Michael Hendry at the Newport Museum & Art Gallery on June 22, 2021. We will compare these results with existing literature. According to the literature, both objects were found during the […]
The shield from Liétor, Spain
While browsing Spanish literature, we found a remarkable and unknown find – an early medieval shield, which was discovered in a hoard from Liétor in 1985. The hoard, which provides a unique insight into the wargear of Córdoba Caliphate of the 10th-11th century, also included a short sword, a spearhead, spurs, a bit and metal […]
The nasal of the helmet from Stromovka
In connection with the creation of the Catalog of European helmets of 9th-12th century, I examined both helmets from Stromovka during the installation of the new permanent exhibition of the National Museum on 24th November 2021. To my surprise, the nasal is not part of the exhibition and therefore could not be examined. Its documentation […]
Early medieval spear sheaths
Introduction to the problem It can be assumed that a spear of the Early Middle Ages was kept very sharp (Old Norse even knows the word geirhvass, literally “sharp as a spear”; Jesch 2012: 680). The sharpening of spear blades is a widespread phenomenon that is not emphasized by archaeologists and is easily recognized by the blades, […]
Wood species used for sword scabbards
As a follow-up to the previously published article Wood species used for sword grips, we decided to collect published information on the wood species used for building early medieval scabbards. This detail is often overlooked in publications as an insignificant redundancy or only a few specimens are mentioned in the main literature (Geibig 1991: 104-5; […]
The helmet from Gorzuchy, Poland
Introduction As part of the preparation of the Catalog of European helmets of 9th-12th century, we had the opportunity to personally inspect one of the best preserved helmets of the Black Mound type, originating from the locality Gorzuchy, Poland. The three-hour examination, which took place on Monday, May 9, 2022 in the building of the National Museum […]
The helmet from Mokre, Ukraine
Introduction As part of the preparation of the Catalog of European helmets of 9th-12th century, we had the opportunity to personally inspect one of the best preserved helmets of the Black Mound type, originating from the locality Mokre, Ukraine. The examination, which took place on Monday, March 28, 2022 in the building of the National Archaeological Museum (Państwowe […]
Experthjälp till tidig medeltid
Kära läsare. Mitt namn är Tomáš Vlasatý och jag är en expert inom området materiel kultur från Europas tidiga medeltid. Över ett årtionde, har jag publiserat mer än 600 artikkeler på denna nättsiden, med fokus på dokumentation av arkäologiske fynd och rekonstruktioner av dessa. För att kunna undersöka dom arkäologiske föremålen, har jag besökt dom […]
Eksperthjelp til tidligmiddelalder
Kjære leser. Mitt navn er Tomáš Vlasatý og jeg er en ekspert innen området på materiell kultur fra Europas tidlige middelalder. Over et tiår, har jeg publisert mer enn 600 artikler på denne nettsiden, med fokus på dokumentasjon av arkeologiske funn og rekonstruksjoner av disse. For å kunne undersøke de arkeologiske gjenstandene, har jeg besøkt […]
Knife sheaths with openwork and stepped edge
Although it is an extremely interesting topic for reenactors and craftsmen, knives and their sheaths are an academically overlooked problem. Knowing that every Early medieval reenactor uses at least one knife, we decided to open the question of knife sheaths decorated with openwork and stepped edges. This type of fittings is relatively numerous in the […]
Supplement to Androshchuk’s sword catalog of Viking Age Sweden
Almost a decade has passed since the publication of Androshchuk’s excellent sword catalog of Viking Age Sweden, which was first published in Russian (2013) and later reworked into English (2014). During this period, at least seven new swords or fragments of them were found or published. At the same time, we found eight pieces in […]
Eksperthjælp til tidlig middelalder
Kære læser. Mit navn er Tomáš Vlasatý og jeg er en ekspert indenfor området på materiel kultur fra Europas tidlige middelalder. Henover det sidste årti, har jeg publiseret mere end 600 articler på denne hjemmeside, med fokus på dokumentation af af arkæologiske fund og rekonstruktioner af disse. For at kunne undersøge de arkæologiske genstande, har […]
The helmet from Olszówka, Poland
Introduction As part of the preparation of the Catalog of European helmets of 9th-12th century, we had the opportunity to personally inspect one of the best preserved helmets of the Black Mound type, originating from the locality Olszówka, Poland. The three-hour examination, which took place on Monday, March 28, 2022 in the building of the […]
Mails from Gnězdovo, Russia
In the following overview article, we present two Old Rus mails from Gnězdovo, which are generally unknown. Both armours come from extraordinarily large mounds Дн-86/Серг-1901 and Оль-24/Абр-1905, which are among the ten largest mounds in the entire agglomeration. Both mounds date back to the 3rd quarter of the 10th century and show a Scandinavian material […]
The mail from Kazazovo, Russia
One of the best-preserved and most overlooked armours of the early Middle Ages is the nomadic mail found in Kazazovo, Russia. It is the best-published example from the Eastern Black Sea region and is one of the few European mails with the known cut. Nevertheless, it remains generally unknown. The position of Kazazovo on the […]
The mail from Stromovka, Prague, Czechia
In addition to the St. Wenceslas armour, which is probably the best preserved mail of early medieval Europe, another not very well-known and poorly published armour found in Stromovka park comes from Prague. In the following text, we will briefly introduce this find. The author of the article has long been striving for the opportunity […]
Early medieval brooch from Netvořice, Czech rep.
Context of the find At the beginning of June 2021, we were contacted by a person close to a detectorist who found an unusual artifact and who would like to consult it. From the attached photographs, it was obvious at first glance that the consulted object – a brooch with a schematic engraving of a […]
Hypothetical reconstruction of the Avar helmet found in the Zlín region
In 2018, a find of a helmet and lamellar armour was presented to the public as part of the exhibition “Seekers of Lost Time” in the Museum of Southeast Moravia in Zlín. This find of European significance was discovered by detectorists on the steep southwestern slope of Rysov hill in 2015 and subsequently went to […]
The Wallet from Trelleborg, Denmark
Archaeological material concerning bags, purses and wallets from the territory of historical Denmark of the Viking period is not extensive. The best-known examples of working bags come from Haithabu and Viborg (Petersen 2005: 407-409, Fig. 24; Schietzel 2014: 265; Ulbricht 1978: Taf. 42.1-2; Westphal 2006: 80, Taf. 59.1-4; see also the article Reconstruction of the “Viking […]
The helmet from Pécs, Hungary
Introduction In the second half of January 2022, I had the opportunity to personally examine the helmet from Pécs, Hungary, which is one of the most published Early Medieval items of Hungary and is the only 9th-12th century helmet found in Hungary. The examination took place in the morning on 21st January in the archives […]
Horns decorated with openwork metal edges
Introduction Drinking vessels made of cow and auroch horns are probably the most symbolic and best known vessels of the Viking Age, which appear both in written sources at feasts and ceremonies and are depicted in iconography. The horns had this tradition long before that period and were preserved until the Middle Ages (eg Bebre […]
New Great Moravian decorated axe from Znojmo
It is our joyful duty to inform the reader of a new unique find – the first decorated Great Moravian bearded axe, whose photographs were sent to us at the beginning of May 2021, immediately after its discovery. The head of the axe was found by a detector, who handed it over together with coordinates […]
Stromovka type helmet from Pohansko, Czech Rep.
Introduction When the long-awaited and well-illustrated monograph “Břeclav – Pohansko. X., Sídelní areál na Severovýchodním předhradí : archeologické výzkumy v letech 2008-2016” from Professor Macháček and his team (Macháček et al. 2021) was presented at the end of September 2021, this book began to spread not only among academics but also across reenactor communities, which […]
Dimensions of Continental and Scandinavian shield-bosses
While swords, their dimensions and anatomical principles are given a great deal of attention by academics and swordsmen, the same cannot be said of shields that stand in seclusion, which is surprising mainly because they were originally no less important parts of the equipment. As stated in the article “Lesser Known Aspects of the Viking […]
Long knife from the grave Valsgärde 12
Together with the leading British reenactor Matt Bunker, it is our honour to present the article in which we release unpublished photographs of a knife from the grave Valsgärde 12, Sweden (3rd quarter of the 10th century) and its detailed description. This information has not yet been published in the literature. The article is also […]
9th-11th century spearheads longer than 50 cm
Introduction It would be difficult to find a weapon that would be as important in the past and now overlooked as the spear. The spear of the Early Middle Ages served as the primary formation weapon and, together with the shield and side weapon (axe, sword or another), was the standard armament. Contrary to popular […]
The shield handle from Myklebost
In 2021, when my friend reenactor Joakim Pakkala was given the opportunity to examine an artifact in the Bergen Museum, I asked him if he could document a hitherto poorly published artifact for the purposes of this blog – a shield handle from a boat grave from Myklebost. Joakim and the willing employees of the […]
Catalog of Migration Period ring-swords and sword-rings
Recently, I have been asked if there is any list of Migration Period swords whose pommel is equipped with a ring (also called ringed swords, Ringschwert), an interesting phenomenon from the 5th-7th centuries. List of up to 80 pieces can be found in the literature (Evison 1967; Steuer 1987; Vasilev 2018 and others). Although I deal primarily […]
Catalogo de espadas de anillo y anillos de espada del periodo de las migraciones
Traducido por Jovan Perea Recientemente, pregunte si existe alguna lista de espadas del periodo de las migraciones cuyo pomo este equipado con un anillo (también llamadas espadas anilladas, ringed swords, Ringschwert), un interesante fenómeno de los siglos V-VII. Una lista de hasta 80 piezas puede ser encontrada en la literatura (Evison 1967; Steuer 1987; Vasilev […]
Construction of wooden sword grips of 9th-12th century
Introduction This paper aims to explore the wooden parts of the sword grips of 9th-12th century. This problem, which is neglected in previous monographs – with the exception of Geibig (1991: 100), who touches the topic very decently – may be of interest not only to experts and archaeologists, but especially to sword smiths, modern […]
Early Medieval Shears Cases
A number of our previous articles dedicated to Early Medieval cases and sheaths lead to the conclusion that all sharp tools and weapons (swords, spears, axes, knives, needles and more) were equipped with holsters to prevent injury and wear of blades or points. In the following overview, we would like to look at shears and […]
Wire wrapped knife handles of 9th-12th century
Introduction This article is a continuation of the work of Wire wrapped sword grips of 9th-11th century that was published on this website in November 2020. The reason for creating this article is both informing the reenactor community and academic interest, which aims to: revise this type of objects. organize objects according to the country […]
Reconstruction of the “Viking bag”
In this short article, we will focus on the interpretations of the bags that are very widespread within the Viking Age reenactment. Our main goal will be to compare the informative value of archaeological finds with the usual procedure of how these artifacts are currently reconstructed not only by reenactors, but also the museums. The […]
Number of European swords of 9th-11th century
As we often encounter the opinion that swords of the Early Middle Ages are rare, exceptionally discovered finds, we decided to create a paper that would try to estimate how many European swords from the period of 9th-11th century we actually know. This is a relatively common question in both academia and reenactment, to which […]
Petersen type G sword
In the next part of the sword series, I decided to focus on a small group of rare and not very widespread swords – Petersen type G. This type of sword is practically unknown among the reenactors, probably due to its unconventional appearance or limited distribution. The aim of this article will be to introduce […]
Mail fragments from Viking Age Denmark
Introduction The finds of the Early medieval armour are in the center of attention not only of many academics and military experts, but also of several thousand reenactors, who eagerly accept information about each new find with which they can support their costumes. From 9th-11th century Scandinavia, which is given a lot of attention in […]
Helmets used in 9th-11th century reenactment
During the year 2020 we asked more than 100 members of Viking Gear Facebook page these four questions: 1. Which country are you from? 2. Which helmet, out of those in attached pictures, do you use? 3. Do you use straps to tighten up your helmet onto your head? 4. Do you consider Gjermundbu helmet as […]
Decorative edging of mail armour
In the last years of my research, I came across several Early medieval fragments of mail armour with edging rings being made of non-ferrous metals. The topic of mail armour has a number of fans among the reenactors, so I was surprised that I was not able to find any comprehensive work that would process […]
The Helmet from Kyiv, Ukraine
I would like to present this article about a yet undocumented find of a helmet from the Viking age, which is a fragment from Kyiv. This object, currently deposited in the National Museum of the History of Ukraine under inventory label ДРА 1065, has eluded researchers’ attention for a long time and for that reason […]
Organic belt buckles and strap-ends
Introduction Reenactors wishing to reconstruct the Early Middle Ages are often confronted with the fact there are no indications of belt components in about a half of all graves. The absence of any belt applies to both richly equipped and less expensive graves throughout Europe. It is, of course, possible that the belts were […]
Swords with organic hilts
When we talk about swords, we often imagine iron or steel blades with metal hilts and organic, mostly wooden grips (antler grips seem to appear rather sporadically after the fall of the Western Roman Empire; see MacGregor 1985: 165). The sword constructed in this way meets all requirements for safety and robustness, which ensures long-term […]
Evolution of Scandinavian long knives
Long knives – called seaxes or scramaseaxes by academics and reenactors – represent a largely neglected chapter of the Early Medieval arms tradition. In general, Scandinavian knives have the greatest popularity in the period, but half-truths and inaccurate information follow due to the absence of literature. We would like to bring this unhappy situation to […]
The Biography of a Sword
Mapping the sword lifecycle in Middle-ages This article is respectfully dedicated to my dear friend Jan Motyčka. The means of warfare in the past are an immensely popular topic, attracting both many laymen and experts. We as humans seek dramatic tales full of violence, using them as educational sources and lessons to pass on to […]
Privately owned axe from Kaliningrad
At the end of July 2019 I was contacted by a Danish collector who wanted to consult a few pieces of early medieval axes before a purchase. He bought the axe described below from a private collector in Germany on my recommendation, because in my opinion there was the lowest chance of a forgery. If […]
Rethinking the wallet from Gokstad
The wallet from the rich grave of Gokstad, Norway (early 10th century), is one of the most frequently reconstructed objects of the Early Middle Ages and is sold by many dozens of manufacturers around the world. However, its proposed reconstruction repeatedly attracts the attention of reenactors due to its ambiguity. In this article, we will […]
Wood species used for sword grips
In the internet discussions, I was asked whether I happened to have any source that would describe the wood species used for swords grips in 9th-12th century. As I went through the archaeological materials, I was surprised to find that this detail is rarely mentioned and is missing in the monographs. Therefore, I decided to […]
Shoe fragments from Birka
Dear readers, we bring you an exclusive translation of the work written by Russian reenactors that describes the leather finds from Birka and proposes the reconstruction of the shoe. The original article can be found here. The find is very valuable, since the shoes from Viking Age Sweden are almost absent and the reenators usually […]
Metal Axe Sheaths
Almost five years ago, we published the article “Organic axe sheaths of 9th-12th century” at this website, which mapped poorly described phenomenon of axe protections. The article has gained great popularity among reenactors around the world. The conclusion of the article was that we were able to find 25 axe sheaths made of alder, birch, […]
The Wallet from Iholm, Denmark
In March 2020, I was notified of an interesting find of a wallet from 11th century Denmark, which has not been paid much attention. This brief article will provide basic information on the entire find and the reconstruction attempts. Circumstances of the find and its content On a Sunday in 1853, an unnamed brick factory […]
“Vilborg owns me”
Runic inscriptions on Old Norse whorls The article we present to you in this way is a continuation of the articles “Þorbjǫrn the Skald Carved the Runes” and “I Carve Healing Runes“, which were created in previous years and which aim to realistically show everyday work with runes in the Early Middle Ages. This time […]
Decorated Axe from Bašnice
In May 2019, an extraordinary militaria was found in the Czech Republic, which has not yet been published in print – an axe inlayed with silver, found in Hořice Region in eastern Bohemia. In this short article, we would like to comment on this find, put it in the context of the Central European arms […]
Great Moravian scale armors?
In the newly published anthology Bewaffnung und Reiterausrüstung des 8. to 10. Jahrhunderts in Mitteleuropa (“Arms and Equestrian Equipment of the 8th-10th Centuries in Central Europe”), which consists of nearly ten years old texts, some remarkable facts can be found, which will be interesting not only for the Czechs, but also for the foreign reenactor […]
Inspiration #1, A Woman From Birka
This article will start a series of articles that will focus on concrete costumes. The aim of this series is to inspire reenactent audience. We will start with my Belarusian acquaintance Julia Kovalevskaja, who was the first to provide her photos and description of her costume. Julia’s costume represents a rich woman from Birka in […]
The Axe from “Falköping Museum”
Greetings! As you probably know, I am a huge axe fan and I collect all the information about Early Medieval axes. This time, I would like to present a fascinating axe, which is unfortunately not so well known by academia, yet it is a remarkable and noteworthy piece. Let’s have a look at it! The […]
Lathed Tableware with Metal Brim
This short overview is an amendment to the article Drinking Vessels of Viking Norway. It contains specimens of a specific type of lathed wooden cups, plates, bowls and buckets that has the brim reinforced or fixed with metal clasps or staples. From the distribution, it is clear such a tableware was quite popular in Early Medieval Northern, […]
Drinking Vessels of Viking Norway
Thanks to Michael Caralps Robinson,whose persistence has no limits. Introduction Dear reader,rather than a complete list of Norwegian drinking vessels of Viking Age, this short article is a summary of types of small personal drinking vessels and the sources we can use for learning more. Before making any step further, I have to stress that we […]
Origins of the “St. Wenceslas Helmet”
In December 2016, an extraordinary sword of Petersen’s type S, known for its rich decoration, was found in Lázně Toušeň in Central Bohemia. Although swords of the type were found in locations ranging from Ireland to Russia, this specific piece is the very first example from the Czech Republic. Thanks to my cooperation with Jiří […]
The Period Transport of Liquids
The transport and the storage of liquids are one of the biggest problems in the reenactment of any time period. Archaeological finds are only a few and making a keg or flask needs skill. For a person living in 21st century, it is much easier and cheaper to load a barrel of beer and some […]
Jakobsson’s Hilt Typology
Jan Petersen’s revolutionary thesis De Norske Vikingesverd (1919) became a basis for many authors, who attempted to adjust or complete the work, or replace it with a typology of their own. Such an example is Mikael Jakobsson, who chose a different approach in his thesis Krigarideologi och vikingatida svärdstypologi (Stockholm, 1992), which we analyse in […]
Scandinavian cloak pins with miniature weathervanes
During my research work, I have long been coming across an unusual type of artefacts, which are being described as miniature weathervanes (Swedish: miniatyrflöjel, miniflöjel, German: Miniaturwetterfahne). After many years, I have decided to take a deep look into these interesting objects and provide the readers with thorough analysis, comments and further references. A revised form […]
Early Medieval Mittens and Gloves
Just like in modern population, early medieval people wore mittens and gloves for various reasons. In this article, we will show how these mittens and gloves looked and what was their possible function. By material LeatherThis material section contains leather and fur mittens and gloves. Presumable fragments of leather mitten, find and reconstruction.Museum of Hjørring, […]
The helmet from Tjele
I am very grateful to Mogens Larsen for his help. In 1850, an extraordinary find was discovered by a young farmer in the forest called Lindum Storskov, near Tjele, Denmark. The find consisted of a set of blacksmith equipment – two anvils, five hammers, three tongs, sheet metal shears, two files, a wedge, two nail headers, […]
“The man from Voll”
After a month of hard work, I would like to present my article named “The man from Voll : An example of a well-preserved Norwegian male grave“. In this short article, I provided a summary of the rich and well-preserved content of the 10th century inhumation mound from Voll, Overhalla municipality, Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The work is supplemented […]
Viking Age crampons
For my entire reenactment career, I have encountered the problem of slippery shoe soles. Some reenactors solve the problem with rubber soles or metal hobnails, but these are not period solutions. Leather soles are extremely slippery on the wet or frozen surfaces, especially when they are a bit used and scuffed, which means the problem has […]
Two-handed axes
Introduction For all my reenactment career (ca. 10 years), I encounter so-called Dane axes, two-handed axes used in second lines on the battlefields. These weapons are very popular and terrifying and the same time. What the most problematic part of fighting with this kind of weapon is the fact that modern warriors tend to implement […]
Archaeology of Viking Age Faroe Islands
I have to privilege to present you the article of Czech archeologist, linguist, re-enactor and my friend Ľubomír Novák. This article is an English translation of his two previous articles on Faroese archaeology: Archeologie bez nálezů: nejstarší minulost Faerských ostrovů and Archeologie (skoro) bez nálezů: doba vikinská na Faerských ostrovech. Archaeology of Viking Age Faroe Islands «Maðr er nefndr […]
Lamellar Armours of the Viking Age
This article is a translation of my Czech article Lamelové zbroje ze Snäckgärde?. The article was well accepted and was later translated to Spanish (“Armadura lamellar en la Escandinavia vikinga), German (Lamellenrüstungen der Wikingerzeit), Polish (Pancerze lamelkowe w Skandynawii), Hungarian (Lamellás vértek Skandináviában), Russian (Ламеллярные доспехи эпохи викингов), Italian (Armature Lamellari di epoca vichinga in […]
Organic axe sheaths of 9th-12th century
Axes are popular weapons and tools in Viking Age reenactment. However, their owners do not often care about them and we can see a lot of rusted axe heads during historical festivals. Every hiker knows that a sheath is necessary in order to keep the blade sharp and in good condition. Nevertheless, the best is, as always, a responsible […]
