Earl of Pembroke's Sword
As the Norse began expanding their influence to regions outside of Scandinavia, they did so with blood and iron – quite literally. Mitochondrial and Y-haplotype analysis suggest that much of the population of regions the Norse conquered, like Iceland and Orkney, were effectively colonized by the Norse. However, that same mitochondrial analysis also reveals that a larger proportion of women in these societies were native, and not Scandinavian, suggesting a largely male, and successful conquest.1
Weaponry itself in the Viking Age could be artistic in form, and still efficient in function, and using such tools, vikings settled locations as far away as Newfoundland. The Earl of Pembroke’s sword was made in the 10th century, and was most likely found in the bed of the Thames River. The name itself comes from the fact that the sword is rumoured to have been recovered from the 4th Earl of Pembroke’s tomb. Its blade is made of iron, though it also has silver and copper wires twisted into its pommel. The pommel also has evidence of Mammen style engravings, characterized by semi-natural animal forms, in looping, asymmetrical, and interlaced form.2
Other viking weaponry include the Ulfberht swords, which were the most technologically advanced of the time. Such swords were significantly stronger, sharper, and more flexible than other swords in production. They were carbonized to a certain extent, and contained few impurities, and the technology required to produce such swords was not seen again for centuries.3
Swords in general tended to be the weapons of the few, and were most often used in close-quarter fighting. Norse weapons combined many aspects of culture, from raiding and conquering, to artistic styles into a single object. Such objects could be extremely advanced, as in the case of the Ulfberht sword, or more pedestrian, like the Earl of Pembroke’s. Nevertheless, both remained high-status objects, and were successfully used to conquer other regions.
Weaponry itself in the Viking Age could be artistic in form, and still efficient in function, and using such tools, vikings settled locations as far away as Newfoundland. The Earl of Pembroke’s sword was made in the 10th century, and was most likely found in the bed of the Thames River. The name itself comes from the fact that the sword is rumoured to have been recovered from the 4th Earl of Pembroke’s tomb. Its blade is made of iron, though it also has silver and copper wires twisted into its pommel. The pommel also has evidence of Mammen style engravings, characterized by semi-natural animal forms, in looping, asymmetrical, and interlaced form.2
Other viking weaponry include the Ulfberht swords, which were the most technologically advanced of the time. Such swords were significantly stronger, sharper, and more flexible than other swords in production. They were carbonized to a certain extent, and contained few impurities, and the technology required to produce such swords was not seen again for centuries.3
Swords in general tended to be the weapons of the few, and were most often used in close-quarter fighting. Norse weapons combined many aspects of culture, from raiding and conquering, to artistic styles into a single object. Such objects could be extremely advanced, as in the case of the Ulfberht sword, or more pedestrian, like the Earl of Pembroke’s. Nevertheless, both remained high-status objects, and were successfully used to conquer other regions.
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