The Viking World: A History in ObjectsMain MenuGallery viewA galleryTag Cloudtag cloud pageThemesA path of thematic categoriesAuthor IndexExplore the collection by authorWorks CitedReferencesAdam Bigelow3afa9c7ecebf516bba6609664b1b12f79c54bf77Caitlin Donahue61b7e986e7c71d400e5c803912ed83c0cf65252fCaroline Harvey1783f21a5882b5b4d3d0b6c174d058052a5ff7eaEdward Hershewee701ef220480b51ca728fc9c719bc094cf813655Martin Hoffmana1fd203afd9a84ee8db567e188cf6ed1d269386eTyler Hruby23493f763b312110686cfafc62578fd0ab5f3833Brittany N. Johnsonc1c1763339f8fa953e3c907c6bb8a3bad0c28b2cCarlos Lua Pineda0a28cc23b0aa00b4f24a9e205aeb57fbdb07ff01Moira McConnell710633400590ea38533ea3412c01fc5056288180Clara McCurdy9aec76477d0b55f9c685c47330d6786ec98182e1Elise McIlhaneyef48481634ff342c8b43c9d56f678b2d3562fb69Cameron Meikle669a5682bfbfd603130a26e25628f24eb07e6295Alexander Christopher Newkirk019c2f5b38c043507251d1789e2fdf47e61c3b7fBenja Reilly816c23aa0d444213fb2d1ef33555a15617e08228Oliver Statenc625ae8c3926f5e1a4268bc91d6a6f4cdb1e7fb6Liam Sullivanaa3a1dccb90c7fe4646b61c4af594abbb0c5574aRead Wilder31bf4715220144a665996f2e6cae80a1a8611eadAliza Yazdanicd49f227d88c72331226ddf574bf56c37308cd10Austin Masonf6137011c68eb792c6e14634815583b15e707dea
12017-05-17T17:15:11-07:00Sword Scabbard Mount6object pageplain2017-09-17T13:44:55-07:00Thismount, likely from a sword scabbard, is made in the viking Borre style and may have been discarded by the micel here (the Great Army) during the ninth century.
This scabbard mount is made from a cast copper alloy and has a brown patina. It has a T bar shape with the stem shorter than the two arms.[1] There is a double strand interlace design in the center of the crossbar in the viking Borre style. At each end of the two arms there is a zoomorphic head with a simple snout and two raised dots for eyes. The snout continues onto the back of the mount and creates a recess where the scabbard would fit. It was found using a metal detector in Colchester on the east coast of England.
The Borre style of artwork was popular during the late ninth century into the early tenth century, and this scabbard mount was likely made during this time to be paired with a sword and used by a viking raider in battle. The location of the find and the period in which it was made suggests that the mount may have been discarded by a warrior in the Great Army. This army landed in England in 865 and remained active in the area of the find until the late 870s. The Great Army was made up of many different Norse parties and groups, but a similar find discovered in Skane, Sweeden suggests that this mount may have been brought over from Sweden. Even after the Great Army disbanded, Colchester was part of the Danelaw and the mount may have been discarded during this time period as well, as Danes settled down and assimilated to English customs. The scabbard mount helps to show the artisanal skill of Norse craftsmen, but also indicates a viking military presence in England during and after the tenth century.
