Some Facts About the Viking Shield

After the Anglo-Saxons, came the era of the vicious Vikings! They were travelers who sailed different parts of Europe. There they sometimes settled or raided and traded with the help of their weapons and defensive armor such as the Viking Shield.

Below are some facts about the Viking Shield.

1. The Viking shield was usually round and made of wood.
2. These shields usually had a diameter between 80 cm and 90 cm but they could be smaller or larger than the average depending on personal preference. Hence, they were customized to the perfect size for the Viking warrior.
3. The Viking warriors used these shields for defensive purposes. They were very effective at deflecting the attack, pushing the attack offline and withstanding the shock of a blow.
4. There are very few Viking shields that have survived to this day, however among them, most are made up of a single layer of planks of wood hammered together. Written records on the other hand state that these shields were made from two layers of wood. Usually, the wood used was Linden but the evidence also propose that pine, spruce and fir tree wood was also used at times.
5. The shields were fortified with Iron bands.
6. They also had a boss made of iron at its center which was used for gripping. As the shield was not strapped to the arm, the wielder could easily change its angle.
7. For hand protection, a metal boss was secured on the wooden part of the shield with the help of nails.
8. The outer edge of the Viking shield was either leather or rawhide. This prevented the shield from breaking when hit by a blade on its rim. Very few archaeological evidence points out iron rims on the shield.
9. The warrior often suspended the shield on his shoulder with the help of leather straps when he was not fighting, or when he had to use both his hands to wield the weapon.
10. The shields were also covered with leather to increase its strength. This strength lessened the chances of the splitting of the shield. This simple way of shield making made the shield durable but also made it heavier. The weight of such shields ranged between 7kg and 10 kg. As an alternative, linen was also sometimes used for strength.
11. These shields were also coated with oil for waterproofing. The oil prevented the water from soaking up which in turn prevented the shield from getting heavier.
12. As the Viking shield protected the warrior’s body but left the head and legs exposed, most of the evidence from Viking remains reveal wounds on the head and legs.
13. They were also used as weapons. The Vikings used them for binding the enemy’s weapon and to punch them with force.
14. The shields were also painted. The most common colors used were red and white, however, other colors such as black and yellow were also sometimes used.
15. The Vikings also decorated their house walls with these shields.
16.  They were also used as a makeshift stretcher on the battlefield. The Vikings carried the wounded on these shields.
17.  It is believed that all the warriors carried the shield into the battle. This is because the rest of the armor, including the helmet and chainmail, was very expensive hence, making it their only means of defense.

Above were some interesting facts about the mighty Viking shield. If you too admire this shield and want to own one, feel free to visit swordsswords.com.