Viking Age Compendium articles on Shields: Viking Age Compendium articles on Shields:
Evidence for Viking age shield designs come primarily from art. Literature seems to only mention that the shields were painted. One of the things that differentiates post Roman shields from those of the Roman era is the use of spiral designs. These dominate on depictions of shields after AD 400.
16 silver pendants from Birka appear to copy shields complete with spiral design and possible shield handles. [ARWIDSSON 1989:p.9-11]
Colours
Art
Literature
Archaeology
Discussion
Plain
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From Art
- Carolingian
- Manuscript: c.800-900 Nancy Cathedral Treasury
- Manuscript: c.800-900 Vatican Lat.124
- Ottonian
- Manuscript: c.900-1000 Venice Cod. GrZ.479
- Manuscript: c.985-987 Vatican Lat. 9820
- Manuscript: c.1000-1050 Arras, BM MS 559 (435), vol. 1
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Cotton Cleopatra C VIII
- Manuscript: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 23
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Add. 24199
- Manuscript: New York, Pierpont Morgan Library, MS 827
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Cotton Claudius B IV
- Manuscript: Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Douce 296
- Norman / Romance
- Textile: c.1076 Bayeux Tapestry
- Manuscript: c.1050-1100 BNF Lat 6 (1)
- Manuscript: c.1050-1100 BNF Lat 6 (2)
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Spirals
4 Spirals
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From Art
- Carolingian
- Manuscript: c.820-830 Stuttgart, Bibl. fol. 23 Stuttgart Psalter
- Scandinavian
- Amulet: c.800 Silver Valkyrie figure, Hårby, Denmark.
- Amulet: Birka, Silver amulet, Gr.954
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4 Spirals with Triads
From Art
- Carolingian
- Manuscript: c.845-855 Vivian Bible
- Manuscript: c.849-851 Paris Lat 266
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5 Spirals
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From Art
- Merovingian
- Stone Carving: Hornhausen C4th to 7th [DEVIRES and SMITH 2007:p.226]
- Ottonian
- Ivory Situla: c.1000 Aachen Cathedral Treasury
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5 Spirals with Triads
From Art
- Carolingian
- Manuscript: c.915 Basel, Universitätsbibliothek, ubb-B-IV
- Ottonian
- Manuscript: c.1000-1010 London, British Library, Harley 2886
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6 Spirals
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From Art
- Carolingian
- Ottonian
- Manuscript: c.1000 Munich clm 4453 2
- Manuscript: c.1000-1050 Arras, BM MS 559 (435), vol. 1
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Cotton Cleopatra C VIII
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Harley 603
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6 Spirals with Dots
From Art
- Carolingian
- Manuscript: Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart, Bibl. fol. 23
- Manuscript: St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. Sang. 2
- Manuscript: c.900 Bern cod. 264 Peristephanon
- Manuscript: c.900 Bern cod. 264 Pychomachia
- Ottonian
- Manuscript: c.990 Aachen, Liuthar Gospels
- Manuscript: c.1000 Munich clm 4453 2
- Manuscript: c.1000-1020 Bamberg MS A. II. 42 Bamberg Apocalypse
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6 Spirals with Triads
From Art
- Carolingian
- Manuscript: c.800-900 Rome, San Pao;o furori le Mura
- Manuscript: Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart, Bibl. fol. 23
- Manuscript: c.825 Vercelli CLXV 9C
- Manuscript: c.850-950 Linden Cod. Perizoni F17 Maccabees
- Manuscript: c.870 Munich clm 14000
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 183
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7 Spirals
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From Art
- Scandinavian
- Lillbjars, Gotland, C8th [HEATH 1985:p.53]
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7 Spirals with Dots
From Art
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Cotton Cleopatra C VIII
- Manuscript: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 23
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8 Spirals
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From Art
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Cotton Cleopatra C VIII
- Manuscript: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 23
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Add. 49598
- Ottonian
- Manuscript: c.1025-1075 BL Harley 2908
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10 Spirals
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From Art
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 23
- Scandinavian
- Amulet: Birka, Gr.58A; Gr.817
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10 Spirals with Triads
From Art
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 23
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12 Spirals
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From Art
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 23
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Add. 49598
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12 Spirals with Triads
From Art
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Add. 24199
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Deformed Spiral
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From Art
- Carolingian
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 23: fol.2r
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Circles
Outer Circle
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From Art
- Carolingian
- Manuscript:
- Manuscript: c.998-1018 BL Egerton 3763
- Byzantine
- Manuscript: c.998-1018 Paris Psalter
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Separate Circles
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From Art
- Insular
- Manuscript: c.875-900 St Johns College, MS 9. C, fol.68v, Southhampton Psalter 'Goliath'
- Scandinavian
- Amulet: c.900-1000 Hedeby, Valkyrie pendant
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Overlapping Circles
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From Art
- Carolingian
- Manuscript: c.800-825 Amiens Corbie Psalter
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Spokes
Thin Spokes
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From Art
- Carolingian
- Manuscript: c.800 Trier Apocalypse
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Cotton Claudius B IV
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Cotton Tiberius B V
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Cotton Caligula A XIV
Trier, Staatsbibliothek Cod.31 - Trier Apocolypse .jpg
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Thin Spokes with Dots
From Art
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Cotton Claudius B IV
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Flared Spokes
Curved Spokes
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From Art
- Scandinavian / Slavic
- Amulet: Poland, Lisow, Woj. Lubuskie
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Crosses
Simple Cross
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From Art
- Norman / Romance
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Complex Cross
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From Art
- Anglo-Saxon
- c.1000 Oxford Junius 11, Caedmon Manuscript p.57
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Stripe
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From Art
- Norman / Romance
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Stripe with cross
From Art
- Norman / Romance
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Flared Cross
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From Art
- Ottonian
- Carving: c.1015 Hildesheim door
- Manuscript: c.1000-1050 Arras, BM MS 559 (435), vol. 1
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Open Flared Cross
From Art
- Ottonian
- Manuscript: c.1040-1055 Biblio. Mun. Avranches MS76
- Anglo-Saxon
- Manuscript: London, British Library, MS Harley 603
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Oseberg Cross
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From Art
- Carolingian
- Manuscript: c.790-795 BNF Lat. 12048 Gellone Sacramentary
- Scandinavian
- Textile: c.834 Oseberg Tapestry
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Goliath
Carolingian
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From Art
- Carolingian
- Manuscript: c.800-825 Amiens BM MS18 Corbie Psalter
- Manuscript: c.820-830 Stuttgart, Bibl. Fol. 23 Stuttgart Psalter
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Late Saxon
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From Art
- Carolingian
- c.820-830 Stuttgart, Bibl. Fol. 23 Stuttgart Psalter
- Anglo-Saxon
- London, British Library, MS Cotton Tiberius C VI:fol.9r,16r
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Checkered
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From Art
- Ottonian
- Manuscript: c.1000-1100 Biblio. Mun. Avranches MS50
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