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 these two interest groups led to the mapping, determination of basic parameters and ultimately the definition of various regionally specific variants of decoration.
The common denominators of long knives are a total length of 27-60 cm (most commonly 35-50 cm), a blade width of 1.7-3 cm and a spine thickness of 0.5-2.5 cm (most commonly around 1 cm). The length of the handles, which were made of wood, bone or antler, is 9-13 cm. The handles could be wrapped with wire wrap. The weight of the blades without handles is 100-330 grams. Blades were made from a three-part or five-part sandwiches with a steel core (Arrhenius 1974: 105; Puškina – Rozanova 1992: 215; Tvauri 2012: 187-8). Sheaths cover the entire knife, including the handle, and are hung with the cutting edge pointing upwards. In order to be able to pull the knives out of their sheaths, they usually have small eyelets at the ends of the handles, originally filled with a leather strap. The first division we can make divides the group into:
- Knives that have longitudinal grooves on their spines, which are the result of production and which should be understood as a sign of quality. Knives with these grooves are usually not combined with decorated sheaths (Stjerna 2007: 245), although, for example, the knife from the Vendel IX grave has a groove.
- Knives with flat spines and sheaths that are decorated with edge fittings (chapes, grooved clamps, fittings of the widened part of the sheath and hanging mechanism).
These variants indicate different strategies in the presentation of the knives. Knives with grooves on the spines of the blades are found in Estonia (Mandel 1977: 240), Finland (Salmo 1938: 160), Latvia (Atgāzis 2019: 79) and Sweden (Stjerna 2007). Further differentiation can be found in the group of knives with decorated sheaths, which can be divided into two main groups:
- Standard components of Baltic and Gotland sheaths were elongated chapes, clamps, fittings of the fittings of the widened part of the sheath, metal bands encircling the handle and rings used to hang the sheath. Some sheaths have additional decoration on the surface in the form of rhombic applications or toothed fittings. The fittings, with the exception of the rings, are made of copper alloy. The surface of most of the fittings is decorated with a triangular punching, lacking openwork, underlaid lining and tinning. The rings are simple, made of strong iron or copper alloy wire. Sheathed knives of this group have copper alloy wire wrapped handles.
Fig. 1: An example of a long knife from Priekuļi Gugeri.
Source: Apala – Zariņa 1991: 4. att.
- Sheath fittings for long knives from Central Sweden and Old Rus include chape, clamps, fittings of the widened part of the sheath and hanging mechanism. Sheaths lack bands encircling the handle and are never decorated with a triangular punch. The fittings are made of tinned copper alloy, with a characteristic stepped edge and openwork that reveals a contrasting copper alloy lining. The rings are cast. The sheathed knives of this group have handles wrapped in silver wire.
Fig. 2: Examples of knives from central Sweden: Valsgärde 12 and 15.
Source: Pedersen 2014b: Pl. 63.
Of course, there are exceptions that indicate a blending of both styles. One of them is the tinned and openwork sheath fittings from Dreņģeru-Čunkāni (Atgāzis 1994: 25), which is simultaneously combined with triangular stamping and a band encircling the handle. Another good example is the copper alloy wire-wrapped long knife from grave 230 from the site of Kopparsvik, Gotland, the fitting of which is tinned and lined, but at the same time stamped with a triangular stamp and supplemented with a band encircling the handle (Thunmark-Nylén 1995: Abb. 314a-b; 2000: 860). Because of the obvious similarities and the aforementioned limited intermingling of styles, the groups cannot be understood as entirely separate traditions, but rather as two dominant variants of a single fashion that spread in the Baltic region in the 10th century.
Research to date has focused on the categorization of finds according to their obvious metal elements, which are captured in not very detailed photographs, drawings and written descriptions. It is standard practice for long knives to be examined by people without practical knowledge of their manufacture and use, which results in the vast majority of examined knives being shown, as a rule, from the front view, without focusing on the sides. It is also a matter of course that the organic component of older finds suffered significant damage due to poor conservation. As a result, many important details can be missed.
In the article below, we will introduce an overlooked detail of long knife sheaths, namely the fact that some chapes are closed, not folded and open. The study of this phenomenon is not an end in itself; in addition to detecting anatomical variability, the function of this article lies in the fact that closed chapes can be dated very accurately, which may be of aid in the future. The creation of the text was accelerated by a new Danish discovery in September 2024. We will focus on mapping all known closed chapes, interpreting their position within the set and potential relationship to sword chapes. The article is dedicated to all academics and craftsmen who are devoted to the issue of early medieval militaries. At the same time, it can serve as an illustrative example of the importance of a detailed reading of archaeological finds.
Fig. 3: Detailed measurement of the long knife from grave Bj 581 in Birka.
Author: Peter Johnsson, swordreflections.com.
Group description
In contrast to the classic sheet metal chapes that are folded over and which we know from a large part of early medieval Europe, a regionally and chronologically specific fashion for closed chapes arose in Scandinavia, which is currently represented by five long knife chapes and one shorter knife chape, and which is basically unknown to the international audience (see Volken – Goubitz 2020). The closed long knife chapes are 12-15 cm long. They are essentially identical in shape to the sheet chapes; the only variables are the variously sharp or blunt tips and the presence or absence of lobes on the inside. If lobes are present, which is a more common variant, their number varies between two and three (the maximum number for sheet variants is four, see Androščuk – Zocenko 2012: 220; Blifeld 1977: Tab. XIII.5). The chapes were attached to the sheaths with the help of three or four rivets, which are not evenly distributed within the product and are completely missing in the front third near the tip. The internal space has a horseshoe-shaped cross-section (∏) that is 0.2-0.3 cm wide at the intended edge of the sheath and tends to widen towards the mouth, where it reaches 0.4-0.5 cm.
A common decoration is edging with perimeter lines. The surface of a large part of them was probably tinned. The two chapes are decorated with a plastic braided ornament on the visible sides, which makes them the most aesthetic chapes in the entire Scandinavian Viking Age long knife material. The chape from Vändle is decorated with an animal ornament that can be classified as a fully developed middle Jelling style and which stands stylistically between the harness bows from Mammen and Søllested, the highest points of the Jelling style. The chape from Gundsølille lacks the animal component and its ornamentation can be assessed as leaning gently towards the Mammen style, but not the developed Mammen style. From an artistic point of view, the chape from Vändle can be assessed as a product of the 3rd quarter of the 10th century (see Pedersen 2014a: 171). The traditional classification of grave 15 from Valsgärde perfectly agrees with this dating (Ljungkvist 2008: 45; Schönbäck – Thunmark-Nylén 2002). The same dating is indicated by grave 1 from Tunby, which contains a combination of Braathen C2 stirrups and a shield boss R565, which offers no other dating than the 950s-980s (Pedersen 2014b: 127). There is therefore a strong assumption that all the closed long knife chapes belong to the 3rd quarter of the 10th century, i.e. to the younger phase of the use of long knives with decorated sheaths.
Fig. 4: Study of artistic style of the Vändle chape.
Author: Luciano Pezzoli, Children of Ash.
The production method of these chapes is surrounded by question marks. Stjerna (2007), who classifies the closed chapes as his chape type 2 and who had the opportunity to personally examine at least two pieces, is of the opinion that both the Tunby chapes and the chape from Vändle are cast products. While it is possible that all the closed long knife chapes are cast from a copper alloy, it cannot be completely ruled out that some of them are actually made from multiple sheets soldered together. Such a solution is suggested by the closed chape from grave 232 from Hellvi Ire, Gotland (Stenberger 1962: 81; Thunmark-Nylén 1995: Abb. 209b.18), which is the only closed chape of a shorter knife currently known to us. Due to the close similarity, this find needs to be briefly commented on. The perfectly preserved knife is approximately 20 cm long and is equipped with a chape with one lobe on the inside, a decorative perforation and a perimeter line. The chape is attached with four evenly spaced rivets. The grave belonged to a young girl (under 7 years of age) and belongs to a section of the burial ground that is traditionally dated to the 11th century, although it cannot be ruled out that it may be an older grave (Thunmark-Nylén 2006: 250, 688-694). A good sign of closed chapes from graves is their very good condition.
Fig. 5: Chape of the knife from the grave 232, Hellvi Ire.
Source: Sven Kalmring.
Everything points to the fact that closed chapes are a distinctly regional phenomenon. Four long knife chapes come from central Sweden (Uppland and Västmanland), one comes from Sjælland, Denmark, and one chape of a shorter knife comes from Gotland. Our efforts to find closed knife chapes in the region of the Baltic republics, Russia and Ukraine were in vain (see Artěmjev 1998; Černenko 2007; Kainov 2019; Kazakevičius 1981: 11 pav.; Knorr 1938; Syta – Mudrycka 2023). Two aspects of this geographic distribution are particularly interesting:
- Evidence for the use of long knives in historical Denmark is not numerous (see Vlasatý 2020) and the chape discovered in Gundsølille is the first ever find of its kind in Denmark. It is most likely an import from central Sweden. In 10th century Denmark, even shorter knife sheath fittings are very rare and can be considered imports (see Andersen 1995: 23).
- Finds of closed chapes are concentrated outside Birka, where at least 15 long knives or their sheaths are known, but never with closed chapes (see Stjerna 2007). Since both variants seem to be buried in about the same period (940-980 in absolute dates), it is unlikely that the closed components represent a younger generation of products. Rather, it is possible that the closed chapes simply come from a different workshop or system of workshops and follow a slightly different strategy in production and presentation. A remarkable fact that has a rather significant impact on the study of long knives in Eastern Europe is that closed components are absent in the Old Rus centers of Gnězdovo and Šestovica. In Old Rus, however, the chapes with so-called mid-strips were used, which is a practice that we know almost exclusively from Birka (see Vlasatý 2024). This is a strong supporting argument for the theory that the Old Rus long knives could have come from Birka and no other place (see comparison in the map).
Map 1: Geographical distribution of closed chapes of long knives.
Blue = chapes without a braided ornament.
Orange = chapes with a braided ornament.
Before the very end of the descriptive part, we would like to present a hypothesis that the closed chapes of long knives could be linked to the tradition of cast chapes of sword scabbards. The apparent similarity of the ornamented chapes remains overlooked in the literature for the time being. The chapes from Gundsølille and Vändle are stylistically close to the Androschchuk type 6 sword chapes, which cannot be dated before the mid-10th century and are decorated in the Jelling style (Androshchuk 2014: 117). Although the older literature considered Gotland as the center of production of these sword chapes (Grieg 1947: 31), current discourse operates with the notion that this is a “Swedish group” (Paulsen 1953: 35-47). In other words, there is fairly good agreement not only in function and ornament, but also in chronology and geography. The connection of both groups of objects would confirm central Sweden as a key player in the production of cast chapes.
At the very end, let’s ask ourselves the question of what practical advantages closed chapes bring compared to classic sheet metal pieces. The cast chape may have been chosen because it better withstands impacts and prevents the sheath from being pierced or cut. They are also heavier, which could help with the desired tilt of the sheath. However, it is also important that they allow for an unusual form of decoration, which is manifested in a wider package of elite items of the period.
Supplement: other forms of long knife chape decoration
The previous chapter was devoted in detail to a rare form of ornamental decoration at the chapes. It is appropriate to place this in the context of other decorative methods that are known from analogical chapes. At the outset, it should be mentioned that all chapes – cast and sheet – try to maintain an approximately similar shape, concentrate most of the decoration on the visible side and, at least in the group originating from mainland Sweden and Rus, they fairly strictly adhere to the use of surface tinning and perimeter lines. The perimeter lines can be single or double, and the way they are organized is consistent across all long components of a given sheath. Plastic braided ornament is closely related to cast products. Chapes made from sheet metal are very much a different category and are characterized by other decorative methods that are lacking in cast chapes.
The most iconic decorative method for sheet chapes is punching. In the Central Swedish and Old Rus group, it is mostly manifested in the form of concentric circles, as shown, for example, by the chape from grave Bj 944 from Birka (Arbman 1940: Taf. 6.2a-b) and the more numerous chapes of shorter knives (e.g. Leontijev 1996: 100, Fig. 40.13). In the Baltic tradition, stamps in the shape of triangles, small holes and other shapes are added to the circular decoration, which is not a standard in the Swedish and Old Rus group (see Gintautaitė-Butėnienė – Butėnas 2002: 21. pav.; Jablonskis 1974; Rybakov 1987: 420, табл. CXI.38; Tvauri 2012: Fig. 156). The most distinctive punched chape of the Old Rus group comes from mound 50 from Šestovica, Ukraine, and is decorated on the front side with wide punched stripes complemented by punched rings (Androšchuk – Zocenko 2012: 220).
Fig. 6: Stamped long knife chapes.
Left: Old Rus tradition chape, Šestovice 50 (Androščuk – Zocenko 2012: 220).
Right: Baltic tradition chape, Laadjala (Tvauri 2012: Fig. 156).
Fig. 7: Stamped chape of the Baltic tradition, site Anduliai.
Source: Vykintas Motuza a Muzeum Malé Litvy v Klaipėdě.
Fig. 8: Stamped long knife chapes with cross motifs.
Left: Laukskola 304 (Zariņa 1988: 36. att).
Right: Laiviai 354 (Gintautaitė-Butėnienė – Butėnas 2002: 21. pav.).
Another remarkable decorative technique is openwork. The only openwork piece proven to be from the long knife sheath was found in the Sarskoye Hillfort in the Russian Federation (Leontijev 1996: 121, Fig. 47.1; Spicyn 1905: 125). The perforation takes the shape of an isosceles cross. We also know of an oval opening on the closed chape of a shorter knife from grave 232 from Hellvi Ire, Gotland (Thunmark-Nylén 1995: Abb. 209b.18). For the time being, it is not clear whether the perforations were lined with another metal, as is the case with other sheath parts or, for example, the openwork fittings of drinking horns (Vlasatý 2021c). A different but remarkable openwork at the smaller knives chapes also appears in the 11th-13th century in the area from Denmark and Germany to Finland and Karelia (Bolander 2017: 181; Feveile 2017; Kivikoski 1973: Abb. 1226; Kočkurkina 2010: 193).
Fig. 9: The openwork chape from Sarskoye Hillfort.
Source: Goskatalog catalog.
The last variant that we will present here and that we record for sheet metal and cast chapes are engraved graffiti. One engraving in the form of crossed lines with semi-arches is visible on the back of a sheet chape from grave Bj 834 of Birka (Arbman 1940: Taf. 6.6b). During our review, we discovered an engraved isosceles cross on the back of the cast chape from Tunby grave 1, which corresponds in size to the openwork and punched crosses mentioned earlier and is even located roughly in the same part of the fitting. Engravings are well visible on other products of a similar period, such as coins (Dobrovolskij et al. 1991), and may have played an apotropaic function, just as they may have been a way for early medieval people to sign their objects.
Fig. 10: Engravings on the long knife chapes.
Left: Bj 834, Birka. Source: Arbman 1940: Taf. 6.6b; Pavel Voronin, SHM Stockholm.
Right: Tunby 1. Source: Sven Kalmring, SHM Stockholm.
Catalog
Site: Grave 15, Valsgärde, Uppsala, Sweden.
Storage and inv. no.: Uppsala University Museum – Gustavianum, inv. no. UMF 5915:1044.
Brief description: Almost completely preserved cast chape with local defects. Approximate length 13.5 cm. The surface is tinned. The inner side is provided with lobes. The edge is decorated with a double perimeter line. Riveted with three rivets with a spacing of approx. 3.5 cm and 2.7 cm. The tip is sharp.
Literature: Pedersen 2014b: Pl. 63; Sénby Posse 2021: 84; Stjerna 2007.
Below you can view or download photos of this item shared with us by Matt Bunker and Jonas Wikborg.
Fig. 11: The chape from Valsgärde 15. Source: Matt Bunker and Jonas Wikborg.
Site: Grave 1, Tunby, Västerås, Sweden.
Storage and inv. no.: SHM Stockholm, inv. no. SHM 19732:1.
Brief description: Almost completely preserved cast chape with local defects. Approximate length 13 cm. Tinning is not preserved, but was probably used. The inner side is provided with small lobes. The edge is decorated with a simple perimeter line. Riveted with four rivets spaced 2.9 cm, 2.5 cm and 2.5 cm. The inner space at the lowest point of the chape (horseshoe-shaped cross-section ∏) is 0.3 cm wide inside, 0.4 cm at the mouth. The back of the chape is decorated with a simple engraving of an isosceles cross. The tip is blunt, slightly angular.
Literature: Simonsson 2015: 46-8; Stjerna 2007; catalog SHM.
Fig. 12: The chape from Tunby. Source: Sven Kalmring, SHM Stockholm.
Site: Grave 2a, Tunby, Västerås, Sweden.
Storage and inv. no.: SHM Stockholm, inv. no. SHM 19732:2a.
Brief description: Fully preserved cast chape with an approximate length of 12 cm. Tinning is not preserved, but was probably used. The inner side is provided with small lobes. The border is decorated with a simple perimeter line on the back. Riveted with three rivets at intervals of 2.5 cm and 1 cm. The inner space at the lowest point of the chape (horseshoe-shaped cross-section ∏) is 0.2 cm wide inside, 0.4 cm at the mouth. The tip is sharp.
Literature: Stjerna 2007; catalog SHM.
Fig. 13: The chape from Tunby. Source: Sven Kalmring, SHM Stockholm.
Site: Vändle (Vendle), Västerås, Sweden.
Storage and inv. no.: SHM Stockholm, inv. no. SHM 12612:1.
Brief description: Fully preserved cast chape with an approximate length of 14.5 cm. The front side is decorated with an animal ornament and a perimeter line, the reverse side with a double perimeter line. Tinning is not visible. The inner side is not provided with small lobes. Riveted with three rivets with spacing of 5 cm and 3.5 cm. The inner space at the lowest point of the chape (horseshoe-shaped cross-section ∏) is 0.2 cm wide inside, 0.5 cm at the mouth. The tip is slightly rounded.
Literature: Arbman 1936: 94; Gjessing 1934: 86; Månadsblad 1903–1905: 245, Fig. 337; Olsén 1945: 75, Abb. 310; Simonsson 2015: 133; Stjerna 2007; catalog SHM.
Fig. 14: The chape from Vändle. Source: Sven Kalmring, SHM Stockholm.
Site: Gundsølille, Roskilde, Denmark.
Storage and inv. no.: The object was found by the brothers Svend and Tim Hansen in September 2024. For now it remains in a private collection, it will be given to the Roskilde Museum.
Brief description: Fragmentally preserved cast chape with a currently preserved length of 10.9 cm. Tip and top part missing. The front side is decorated with an animal ornament and a perimeter line, the reverse side with a simple perimeter line. The tinning is visible on the back. The inner side is provided with small lobes. Riveted with three rivets spaced 2.5 cm and 2.5 cm. The inner space at the lowest point of the chape (horseshoe cross-section ∏) is 0.35 cm wide inside.
Literature: catalog DIME.
Below you can view or download photos of this object, which were shared with us by the finder, Svend Hansen.
Fig. 15: The chape from Gundsølille. Source: Svend Hansen.
Acknowledgment
This article is the result of long-term observation and consultation with academics, reenactors and craftsmen who deserve our thanks. From academic circles, our thanks go to Sergej Kainov (State History Museum, Moscow), Sven Kalmring (State History Museum, Stockholm) and Jonas Wikborg (Uppsala University Museum – Gustavianum) who provided us with valuable and often unpublished details. We express our gratitude to Luciano Pezzoli (Children of Ash) for his help with the artistic evaluation of the finds and the creation of the graphics. Valuable notes were also shared with us by artisans and researchers Matt Bunker (buymeacoffee.com), Peter Johnsson (swordreflections.com), Roman Král (King’s Craft), Václav Maňha (Ratatosk CRAFT), Vykintas Motuza Matuzevičius (Gyvas Peilis) and Alexej Neujmin. An honorable mention goes to the finder, Svend Hansen, who provided us with information about the Danish chape.
We hope you liked reading this article. If you have any question or remark, please contact us or leave a comment below. If you want to learn more and support our work, please, fund our project on Patreon, Buymeacoffee, Revolut or Paypal.
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