Norsemen (Nortmanni) was the term initially used to describe “men from the North”, warriors who raided the coastal regions of Europe from the 9th century onwards. However, this was only one facet of Viking-age Scandinavians. They were highly mobile traders, seafarers, farmers, and craftsmen who also conducted seasonal raids. But it was that belligerent expansion which was recorded in Latin sources. In Scandinavia itself, a written culture was late to develop, and Christianity, too, arrived late. It is mainly material evidence and runic inscriptions that provide the main insight into the culture of Scandinavia in the Viking period.
Norway, late Viking age
Bronze
Oslo, Loan from Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, Inv. C36648
Weather vanes attached to ships were used to indicate the wind direction. However, this bronze vane was too heavy to be employed for this purpose. It was therefore probably more of a decorative element that adorned the ship. The vane is decorated with a scene depicting either David or Samson rescuing a lamb from a lion. Later in the Middle Ages, the precious flag was probably dismounted from a ship and placed on the top of a church tower – maybe as a status symbol.
Haithabu, 10th c.
Iron, silver, copper
Schleswig, Museum für Archäologie Schloss Gottorf, Inv. SH1837-12.1
The sword, fragmented in three parts, has a blade with a groove. Its hilt was originally decorated with an elaborate strip inlay. It has a Scandinavian sword form and probably once belonged to someone who was part of the local elite. Weapons like this were among the most treasured possessions of Viking age people.
Langeid, 1st half of 11th c.
Iron, wood, bronze
Oslo, Loan from Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, Inv. C58882/4
The axe is a well-known weapon of the Vikings, but in addition, it also was used as an agricultural tool. At early medieval Scandinavian public gatherings, free men were required to carry weapons. In Viking Age graves, the axe is the most frequently found type of weapon. The axe was thus a constant companion of daily life and in war.
Agder, Middle Ages
Wood and iron
Oslo, Loan from Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, Inv. C954
This very well preserved shield is made of lime wood and is reinforced with a metal iron wreath. Runes were carved on the rim of the shield boss, naming the maker and the owner of the shield: “Gunnar made me, Helge owns me”. Shields of this kind were used for jousting and as ornaments rather than for war, where bigger shields were more common.
Hedrum, grave find from Gjønnes, Viking Age
Bronze (original), horn (modern)
Oslo, Loan from Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, Inv. C20163f
Drinking horns are rare finds from the Viking Age and are often connected to special events and rituals. They were not everyday objects. However, they are also mentioned in sagas and in Norse mythology. Today, usually only the fittings of the horns are archaeologically preserved. Drinking horns have been found in both men’s and women’s graves. The corresponding deceased presumably once belonged to the upper class.
Sandby, Öland, 1st half of 10th c.
Bronze, tinned and gold-plated, silver inlay
Stockholm, National Historical Museums, Swedish History Museum, Inv. SHM550
Tortoise or oval brooches are a characteristic and, according to their style, a unique object type for the Viking Age. They were worn in pairs and used to fasten the straps of an apron-like dress that covered an undergarment. Between the brooches, strings of beads were attached. The decorations of the oval brooches became more and more elaborate in the course of the Viking Age. These turtle brooches are decorated in the so-called Borre style.
South-Scandinavia, 1st and 2nd third of 10th c.
Cast silver (2); pressed silver sheet (3)
Schleswig, Museum für Archäologie Schloss Gottorf, Inv. SH1967-25.83 (2); Inv. SH1959-14.198 8 (3)
These two silver disc brooches stand out due to their fine and high-quality finish. Both were designed in the so-called Terslev style. While one is decorated in a trefoil and loop pattern, the other is adorned with a looping cross ornamentation. They represent the high level of metal craftsmanship that was practised in Haithabu and elsewhere in Scandinavia.
Scandinavia, 9th/10th c.
Cast silver (4); Cast copper alloy (5)
Schleswig, Museum für Archäologie Schloss Gottorf, Inv. SH2003-205.472 (4); Inv. SH2003-205.471 (5)
In Scandinavia, the hammer was regarded as an attribute of Thor, the god of weather and vegetation, and was used as an amulet in many different forms. Finds of amulets in the shape of Thor’s hammer are also documented outside Scandinavia and indicate the high mobility of the Norsemen. As amulets, they were presumably seen as fertility symbols, as well as worn as signs of faith.
Skandinavien, 9th/10th c.
Cast copper alloy
Schleswig, Museum für Archäologie Schloss Gottorf, Inv. SH2015-160.18
Valkyries are female figures in Norse mythology who select warriors who have fallen on battlefields to lead them to Valhalla: the hall of Odin, the god of war. This brooch shows a woman astride on a horse with a lance, facing another woman standing before her in a long dress holding a cup. This is an iconography typical for Valkyries.
Haithabu, 10th/11th c.
Silver
Schleswig, Museum für Archäologie Schloss Gottorf, Inv. SH2003-205.470
This type of anthropomorphic cross pendant with large eyes is mainly found in southern Scandinavia, but was also popular in South-Eastern Europe. It may have a Byzantine origin. Thus, the object refers either to the beginning Christianisation of Scandinavia or to a Byzantine influence in Haithabu.
Viking-age Scandinavians were skilled carvers and created real works of art from wood. A particular fine example are these carved medieval portal posts from Hylestad Stave Church in Norway.
Beyond the typical Scandinavian scroll work, they feature a number of scenic depictions from the Norse Sigurd saga. Regin forges a sword for Sigurd (bottom left), with which he slays the dragon (top left). After tasting the blood of the dragon with his thumb (bottom right), Sigurd understands the language of the animals. They tell him that Regin wants to kill him and so Sigurd kills Regin (top right). In medieval Scandinavia, such high-quality woodcarvings often decorated ships and buildings, but also objects.