Viking Age arms and armour Knowledge about arms and armour of the Viking Age ( end of 8th - to mid - 11th - century Europe ) is based on relatively sparse archaeological finds , pictorial representation , and to some extent on the accounts in the Norse sagas and Norse laws recorded in the 13th century . According to custom , all free Norse men were required to own weapons , as well as permitted to carry them at all times . Indeed , the Hávamál , purported to be sage advice given by Odin , states " Don ' t leave your weapons lying about behind your back in a field ; you never know when you may need all of sudden your spear . " These arms were also indicative of a Viking ' s social status . As war was the most prestigious activity in Viking Age Scandinavia , beautifully finished weapons were an important way for a warrior to display his wealth and status . A wealthy Viking would likely have a complete ensemble of a spear , one or two javelin s , a wooden shield , and either a battle axe or a sword . The very richest might have a helmet , other armour is thought to have been limited to the nobility and their professional warriors . The average farmer was likely limited to a spear , shield , and perhaps a common axe or a large knife . Some would bring their hunting bows to use in the opening stages of battle , as well . Weapons . Bows and arrows . Bow s were used both for hunting and in battle . They were made from ash or elm tree s . The draw force of a 10th - century bow may have reached some 90 pounds force ( 400 N ) or more , resulting in an effective range of at least 200 m depending on the weight of the arrow . A yew bow found at Viking Hedeby , which probably was a full - fledged war bow , had a draw force of well over 100 pounds . Replica bows using the original dimensions have been measured to between 100 and 130 pounds draw weight . A unit of length used in the Viking age called a bow shot corresponded to what was later measured as 227 , 5 m , or 800 feet . Illustrations from the time show bows being pulled back to the chest , rather than to the corner of the mouth or under the chin , as is common today . Arrowheads were typically made from iron and produced in various shapes and dimensions , according to place of origin . Most arrowheads were fixed onto the arrow shaft by a shouldered tang that was fitted into the end of a shaft of wood . Some heads were also made of wood , bone or antler . Evidence for eagle feather flights has been found with the feathers being bound and glued on . The end of the shaft was flared with shallow self nocks , although some arrows possessed bronze cast nocks . The historical record also indicates that Vikings may have used barbed arrows , but the archaeological evidence for such technology is limited . The earliest find of these relics were found in Denmark , seemingly belonging to the leading - warrior class , as per the graves in which they were found . Spear . The spear was the most common weapon to the peasant class of Scandinavia and also throwing spears may have been used by the warrior class . They consisted of metal heads with a blade and a hollow shaft , mounted on wooden shafts of two to three metres in length , and were typically made from ash wood . The spear heads could measure between twenty and sixty centimetres with a tendency towards longer heads in the later Viking age . Spear heads with wings are called " krókspjót " ( hooked spear ) in the sagas . Some larger - headed spears were called " höggspjót " ( hewing spear ) and could also be used for cutting . The barbed throwing spears were often less decorated than the ostentatious thrusting spears , as the throwing spears were often lost in battle . The spear was used both as a throwing weapon and as a thrusting weapon , although there was some specialization in design . Lighter , narrower spearheads were made for throwing ; heavier broader ones , for stabbing . Most evidence indicates that they were used in one hand . Limited evidence from a saga indicates that they may have been used with two hands , but not in battle . The head was held in place with a pin , which saga characters occasionally pull out to prevent a foe from re - using the weapon . Compared to a sword , the spear can be made with inferior steel and far less metal overall . This made the weapon cheaper and probably within the capability of a common blacksmith to produce . Despite this , the spear held great cultural significance to the Viking warrior , as the primary weapon of Odin , the king of the Norse gods and the god of warfare , was the spear Gungnir . The Eyrbyggja Saga alludes that a customary start to a battle included throwing a spear right over the enemy army to claim it for Odin . Possibly due to its cultural significance , pattern - welded blades are common in spear heads , and the sockets were often decorated with silver inlaid patterns . Other polearms . A polearm known as the " atgeir " is mentioned in several icelandic saga s and other literature . Atgeir is usually translated as " halberd " , akin to a glaive . Gunnar Hámundarson is described in Njáls saga as cutting and impaling foes on his atgeir . Several weapons ( including the " kesja " and the " höggspjót " ) appearing in the saga s have been designated as halberd s or bills . No weapon matching the description have been found in graves . These weapons may have been rare , or may not have been part of the funerary customs of the Vikings . Knife . Two distinct classes of knives were in use by Vikings . The more common one was a rather plain , single edge knife of normal construction , called a " knifr " . These are found in most graves , being the only weapon allowed for all , even slaves . Smaller versions served as the everyday utility tool , while longer versions were likely meant for hunting or combat or both . Weapon knives sometimes had ornamental inlays on the blade . The construction was similar to traditional Scandinavian knives . The tang ran through a more or less cylindrical handle , the blade was straight with the edge sweeping upward at the tip to meet the back of the blade in a point . The knife apparently played an important role for all Scandinavians . This is evidenced by the large number of knives found in burial sites of not only men , but also of women and children . The other type was the " seax " . The type associated with Vikings is the so - called broken - back style seax . It was usually a bit heavier than the regular knife and would serve as a machete - or falchion - like arm . A wealthier man might own a larger seax , some being effectively swords . With the single edge and heavy blade , this somewhat crude weapon would be relatively simple to use and produce , compared to the regular sword . A rather long tang is fitted to many examples , indicating they may have had a longer handle for two - handed use . The smaller knife - like seaxes were likely within the fabrication ability of a common blacksmith . The Seax was in widespread use among the Migration period Germanic tribes , and is even eponymous of the Saxons . It appears in Scandinavia from the 4th century , and shows a pattern of distribution from the lower Elbe ( Elbe Germans ) to Anglo - Saxon England . While their popularity on the continent declines with the end of the Migration period , though they remained in the British Isles where it was taken up by the Vikings . The large , sword - like seaxes are primarily found in connection with Viking settlements in England and Ireland , but appear not very common in Scandinavia . Sword . The Viking sword was the primary weapon of the Viking and was for single - handed use to be combined with a shield , with a double edged blade length of typically around 90 cm . Its shape was still very much based on the swords of the Dark Ages and on the Roman spatha with a tight grip , long deep fuller and no pronounced cross - guard . This was in keeping with the rest of Europe as , at that time , this design of sword was the most widespread . The double - edged blade design hints toward combat based on thrusting as opposed to hacking . Swords were very costly to make , and a sign of high status . Like Roman " spatha e " they were worn in leather - bound wooden scabbards suspended from a strap across the right shoulder . Early blades were pattern - welded , a technique in which strips of wrought iron and mild steel were twisted and forged together , with the addition of a hardened edge . Later blades of homogeneous steel , imported probably from the Rhineland , bore inlaid makers ' marks and inscriptions , such as INGELRII or ULFBERHT . Viking craftsmen often added their own elaborately decorated hilts , and many swords were given names , such as Leg - biter and Gold - hilt . Swords with pattern - welded cores gave greater strength and flexibility . The sword grip was usually made of an organic material such as wood , horn , or antler ( which does not often survive for archeological uncovering ) and may well have been wound around with textile . Owning a sword was a matter of high warrior honour . Persons of status might own ornately decorated swords with silver accents and inlays . Most Viking warriors would own a sword as one raid was usually enough to afford a good blade . Most freemen would own a sword with goðar , jarls and sometimes richer freemen owning much more ornately decorated swords . The poor farmers would use an axe or spear instead but after a couple of raids they would then have enough to buy a sword . One sword mentioned in the Laxdæla saga was valued at half a crown , which would correspond to the value of 16 milk - cows . Constructing such weapons was a highly specialized endeavour and many sword - blades were imported from foreign lands such as the Rhineland . Swords could take up to a month to forge and were of such high value that they were passed on from generation to generation . Often , the older the sword , the more valuable it became . A distinct class of early single edged swords is known from Eastern Norway at the time . These had grips similar to the double edged swords , and blades of comparable length . The blades varied from long and slim , like the more common two edged swords , to somewhat heavy , giving the weapon a more cleaver - like balance . Confusingly the same finds are sometimes classified as " sabres " or " seaxes " in English literature . As mentioned above , a sword was so valued in Norse society that good blades were prized by successive generations of warriors . There is even some evidence from Viking burials for the deliberate and possibly ritual " killing " of swords , which involved the blade being bent so that it was unusable . Because Vikings were often buried with their weapons , the " killing " of swords may have served two functions . A ritualistic function in retiring a weapon with a warrior , and a practical function in deterring any grave robbers from disturbing the burial in order to get one of these costly weapons . Indeed , archeological finds of the bent and brittle pieces of metal sword remains testify to the regular burial of Vikings with weapons , as well as the habitual " killing " of swords . Axe . Perhaps the most common hand weapon among Vikings in modern fiction was the axe . Swords were more expensive to make , and mostly wealthy warriors could afford a sword . The prevalence of axes in archaeological sites can likely be attributed to its role as not just a weapon , but also a common tool . This is supported by the large number of grave sites of female Scandinavians containing axes . Several types of larger axes specialized for use in battle evolved , with larger heads and longer shafts . The larger forms were as long as a man and made to be used with both hands , called the " Daneaxe " . Some axe heads were inlaid with silver designs . In the later Viking era , there were axe heads with crescent shaped edges measuring up to 45 cm , called " breiðöx " ( broad axe ) . The limitations of the weapon are limited reach and a slow recovery time after striking a blow . The double - bitted axes depicted in modern " Viking " art are likely pure fantasy . Vikings most commonly carried sturdy axes that could be thrown or swung with head - splitting force . The Mammen Axe is a famous example of such battle - axes , ideally suited for throwing and melee combat . An axe head was mostly wrought iron , with a steel cutting edge . This made the weapon less expensive than a sword , and was a standard item produced by blacksmiths , historically . Like most other Scandinavian weaponry , axes were often given names . According to Snorri Sturluson ' s " Prose Edda " , axes were often named after she - trolls . Shields . Round shields . The shield was the most common means of defence . The sagas specifically mention linden wood for shield construction , although finds from graves shows mostly other timbers , such as fir , alder and poplar . These timbers are not very dense and are light in the hand . They are also not inclined to split , unlike oak . Also , the fibres of the timber bind around blades preventing the blade from cutting any deeper unless a lot more pressure is applied . In conjunction with stronger wood , Vikings often reinforced their shields with leather or , occasionally , iron around the rim . Round shields seem to have varied in size from around 45 – 120 cm ( 18 " - 48 " ) in diameter but the smaller and more manageable 75 – 90 cm ( 30 " - 36 " ) is by far the most common . The smaller shield sizes came from the pagan period for the Saxons and the larger sizes from the 10th and 11th centuries . Most shields are shown in illuminations as being painted a single colour although some have a design painted onto them ; the commonest designs are simple crosses or derivations of sun wheels or segments . The few round shields that survived have much more complicated designs painted on them and sometimes very ornate silver and gold work applied around the boss and the strap anchors . The Gokstad ship has places for shields to be hung on its railing and the Gokstad shields have holes along the rim for fastening some sort of non - metallic rim protection . These were called shield lists and they protected ship crews from waves and the wind . Some Viking shields may have been decorated by simple patterns although some skaldic poems praising shields might indicate more elaborate decoration and archaeological evidence has supported this . In fact , there is a complete subgenre of Skaldic poetry dedicated to shields , known as " shield poems , " that describe scenes painted on shields . For example , the late - 9th - century skaldic poem , Ragnarsdrapa , describes some shields painted with mythological scenes . Viking shields were also heavily used in formations . The shield fort , or skjaldborg , was a main formation in which accomplished Viking warriors would create a line of interlocked shields and thrust spears at adversaries . Other notable tactics included swine order , or svinfylking , in which warriors would create a wedge configuration and attempt to burst through the front line of nearby foes . Kite shields . Towards the end of the Viking age the kite shield appears on the continent . This shield is shown used by cavalry on the Bayeux tapestry , and may have evolved as a shield for mounted fighting . However , these shields were not ideally suited to Viking - style infantry combat tactics , given its poor protection of an infantryman ' s legs . No remains of kite shields are known from Scandinavia from the Viking period . It is debatable whether or not these bosses were used in the same fashion as round shields ; i . e . gripped at the centre . The tendency in re - enactment is to wear them crossbraced , as if you were still riding . This is because if the shield is held near the boss , the lower section acts like a pendulum making it difficult to operate . There is evidence for both flat and curved kite shields , with the curved being more common , and most having bosses . The Kite shield seems to vary between 1 . 0 and 1 . 5m ( 3 ' 6 " – 5 ' ) in length with about 1 . 2m ( 4 ' ) being the most common . Contemporary depictions like the Bayeux tapestry show them with various designs , including geometric patterns . Armour . Helmet . Today there is only one known example of a complete Viking helmet in existence . This Viking helmet was excavated on a farm called Gjermundbu in Ringerike in central Norway . Gjermundbu is located in Haugsbygda , a village in northeast of Hønefoss , in Buskerud , Norway . The helmet dates to the 10th century . This helmet was made of iron and was in the shape of a rounded or peaked cap made from four plates after the spangenhelm pattern . This helmet has a rounded cap and has a " spectacle " guard around the eyes and nose which formed a sort of mask , in addition to a possible mail aventail . The eye guard in particular suggests a close affinity with the earlier Vendel period helmets . From runestones and other illustrations , it is known that the Vikings also wore simpler helmets , often peaked caps with a simple noseguard . Viking helmets have been excavated from only three sites : Gjermundbu in Norway , Tjele Municipality in Denmark and Lokrume parish on Gotland Island , Sweden . The one from Tjele consists of nothing more than rusted remains of a helmet similar to the Gjermundbu helmet , the same goes for the one from Gotland . It is possible that many of the Viking helmets were made from hardened leather and ironstrips , since many Icelandic stories and Scandinavian picture stones tell and show warriors with helmets . It is also possible that helmets were inherited , instead of buried with the deceased , and went from father to son , and therefore stayed in a family for generations before eventually being turned into scrap metal or something else , like an axe . There is no evidence that Vikings used horned helmets in battle , although it is possible that they were used in a ritual fashion . The horned and winged helmets associated with the Vikings in popular mythology were the invention of 19th - century Romanticism . Mail . Once again , only a single fragmented but possibly complete mail shirt has been excavated in Scandinavia , from the same site as the helmet – Gjermundbu in Haugsbygda . Scandinavian Viking age burial customs seems to not favour burial with helmet or mail armour , in contrast to earlier extensive armour burials in Sweden Valsgärde . Probably worn over thick clothing , a mail shirt protects the wearer from being cut , but offers little protection from blunt trauma . The difficulty of obtaining mail armour resided in the fact that it required thousands of interlinked iron rings , each one of which had to be individually riveted together by hand . As a result , mail was very expensive in early medieval Europe , and would likely have been worn by men of status and wealth . The mail worn by Vikings was almost certainly the " four - in - one " type , where four solid ( punched or riveted ) rings are connected by a single riveted ring . Mail armour of this type was also known as a " byrnie " or " brynja " . Expensive mail armour was also seen as cumbersome and uncomfortable in battle . Traditionally , Vikings have been thought to have opted for leather body armour — or none at all — as it was both more flexible and cheaper . However , there is no archeological evidence to support leather armour . Given that Vikings on a raid tried to avoid pitched battles , it ' s possible that mail was primarily worn only by the professional warriors going into battle , such as the Great Danish Army ( also known as the Great Heathen Army ) of the mid - 9th century in England or Harald Hardrada ' s invasion of Northumbria in 1066 . Lamellar . More than thirty lamellae ( individual plates for lamellar armour ) were found in Birka , Sweden , in 1877 , 1934 and 1998 - 2000 . They were dated to the same approximate period as the Gjermundbu mailshirt ( 900 - 950 ) and may be evidence that some Vikings wore this armour , which is a series of small iron plates laced together or sewed to a stout fabric or leather cats shirt . There is considerable debate however as to whether the lamellae in question were in the possession of a Scandinavian resident or a foreign mercenary . Cloth and leather . Quilted cloth ( a gambeson ) is conjectured as possible options for lower - status Viking warriors , though no reference to such are known from the sagas . Such materials survive poorly in graves , and no archaeological finds have been made . Some rune stones depict what appears to be armour which is likely not maille . The armour in question may have been the lamellar armour mentioned above , or may not have been armour at all . Several layers of stout linen or hemp canvas would provide a good level of protection , at reasonable expense , as would winter clothing made from thick woolen cloth . Practical experience with maille also suggests an undergarment of some sort would have been worn between the maille and the regular tunic , to protect the latter from dirt and excessive wear , but the descriptions of the effect of axes in the Sagas indicate such garments were lightly padded if at all . Leather was far pricier during the period than today , and thus less affordable for the casual warrior . In St . Olav ' s saga , the kings bane Thorir Hund is said to have worn a tunic made from reindeer fur , enchanted by " Finns " ( Sami ) , defending him from sword blows . The tunic is described as " magically " enhanced which may indicate that it may not represent a typical example of such a garment . Leather clothing does , however , occasionally turn up in archaeological finds , and would have offered some degree of protection in combat . All in all , the case for non - metal forms of armour remains inconclusive . It is likely that the average Viking fought with regular clothing , with the shield as the only form of protection . Foreign origins of Viking arms and armour . Foreign made weapons and armour played a special role in Norse society . They were either attained through trade ( an extension of gift giving in Norse society ) or plunder . Therefore , their possession and display by any individual would signify their station in the social hierarchy and any political allegiances they had . One example of weapons being exchanged between the Franks and the Vikings occurred in 795 when Charlemagne exchanged weapons with the Anglo - Saxon king King Offa . Scandinavian affinity towards foreign arms and armour during the Viking Age was also a practical decision . Norse weapon designs were obsolete and iron found within Scandinavia was of poor quality . Frankish swords like the ULFBERHT had a higher carbon content making them more durable and their design was much more maneuverable compared to Scandinavian produced swords . Although smaller weapons like daggers , knives , and arrowheads could be manufactured in Scandinavia , the best swords and spearheads were undoubtedly imported . Many of the most important Viking weapons were highly ornate — decorated lavishly with gold and silver . Weapons adorned as such served large religious and social functions . These precious metals were not produced in Scandinavia and they too would have been imported . Once in Scandinavia , the precious metals would have been inlayed in the pommels and blades of weapons creating geometric patterns , depictions of animals , and later Christian symbols . The Vikings also used foreign armour . According to Heimskringla one hundred Vikings were adorned “ in coats of ring - mail , and in foreign helmets ” at the Battle of Nesjar . During the mid - 9th century , there was an influx of these high quality weapons into Scandinavia , and Frankish arms became the standard for all Vikings . As Ahmad ibn Fadlan observed in his writing Journey to Russia , every Viking carried a “ sword of the Frankish type . " The Franks attempted to quell the use of weapons and armour produced in Francia being used by the Vikings . The Franks feared that they would eventually be facing equally armed opponents . Chapter 10 of the Capitulare Bononiense , made it illegal for any leader of a church to sell weapons or armour to non - Frankish individuals . Laws like this were enacted throughout Francia . Ultimately in 864 Charles the Bald made the practice punishable by death . Some scholars have proposed that these laws were so effective at stemming the flow of Frankish weapons , that it initiated the practice of raiding for which the Vikings are now famous . References . Sprague , Martina . " Norse Warfare " . New York : Hippocrene Books Inc , 2007 . print . Short , William R . " Viking Weapons and Combat Techniques " . Yardley , Pennsylvania : Westholmet Publishing , 2009 . print " Poems of the Vikings , : the Elder Edda " , translated by Terry , Patricia . New York : The Bobbs Merrill Company , print Keynes , Simon and Lapige , Michael . Alfred the Great : Asser ' s " life of king Alfred " . New York : penguin Books , 1983 , Print .