Langseax

Langseax
Weapons
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This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.

This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.

Viking Age Compendium articles on Knives and Axes:

Wargear

Seaxes

Langseaxes

Norse Style Knives

Axes Overview

Axes found in Britain

Viking Age Compendium articles on Knives and Axes:

Wargear

Seaxes

Langseaxes

Norse Style Knives

Axes Overview

Axes found in Britain

Wheeler classifies these as his type III . They were made and used in Britain from the 8th to 10th centuries . A number of langseaxs have been found in the Netherlands

Images of Langseaxes (C8th to C11th)

• 800-850AD Stuttgart, Württemburgische Landesbibliothek. Bibl. Fol.23, fol.5v

Introduction to the British finds

The following langseax information is primarily based on the work of Vera Evison and her comparison of the Keen Edge Ferry langseax to others found in Britain. For the purposes of clarification langeaxes are defined here as having single edged blades with a cutting edge of over 12" and with no hilt fittings.

With Inlay

England, London: River Thames, Battersea

Current Location- British Museum 1857,6-23,1 Find Type- River find – 9th - 10th Century Find Date- 1857? Total Length- Complete. 81cm Blade- Approx. 22" Hilt- None Scabbard- None Bibliography- Backhouse, Janet; Turner, D.H. and Webster, Leslie (1984) The Golden Age of Anglo Saxon Art. p.101-102 Evison, Vera E. (1967) 'A Decorated Seax from the Thames at Keen Edge Ferry'. In Berkshire Archaeological Journal 61. (Available Online) (Plates) p.30-33 Wilson, David M. (1964) Anglo-Saxon Ornamental Metalwork 700-1100. The British Museum. p.144 no.36 [British Museum]

England, Lancaster: Greencroft, Harbuck

Current Location- British Museum 1912,0723.2 Find Type- Grave find – 9th to early C10th. From a hoard which included a sword of Petersen type L. Hence the date line Find Date- 1912? Total Length- Complete. 71.3cm Blade- Approx. 24". Heavily corroded with only the back of the blade surviving. One one side 2 channels and a third groove inlaid with a chevroned strip of copper and copper alloy (bronze) wire parallel to edge. Wilson argues that the two empty channels probably once contained similar inlay. The more corroded reverse side way probably the same. Hilt- traces of wood survive on the possibly intact tang. Scabbard- None Bibliography- Evison, Vera E. (1967) 'A Decorated Seax from the Thames at Keen Edge Ferry'. In Berkshire Archaeological Journal 61. (Available Online) (Plates) p.33 Wilson, David M. (1964) Anglo-Saxon Ornamental Metalwork 700-1100. The British Museum. p.135-136 no.22 [British Museum]

• 

England, London: Keen Edge Ferry

Current Location- Reading Museum Find Type- River find Find Date- 1961 August. Dredged from the River Thames Total Length- 45.3cm x 3.9cm. The hilt end of the blade is missing. Evison suggests that the blade was probably another 6cm longer. Blade- Fragment. It possibly would have been about 20". The spine is 7mm thick. Hilt- Missing Scabbard- None Bibliography- Evison, Vera E. (1967) 'A Decorated Seax from the Thames at Keen Edge Ferry'. In Berkshire Archaeological Journal 61. (Available Online) (Plates)

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Without Inlay

England, Cambridgeshire: River Cam, Dimmock's Cote

Current Location- Find Type- River find Find Date- Total Length- Blade- Hilt- None Scabbard- None Bibliography- Lethbridge, T.C. (1928) 'Late Anglo-Saxon Period. River Cam at Dimmock's Cote, near Upware'. pp.114-115. (Available Online) Cambridge Antiquarian Proceedings: Vol.29 fig.4 Bjorn, Anathon, and Shetelig, Haakon (1940) Viking Antiquities in England. Edited by Haakon Shetelig. (Available Online) Viking Antiquities in Great Britain and Ireland: Part 4 p.69

• 

England, London: River Thames, Battersea

Current Location- Find Type- River find Find Date- Total Length- Blade- Approx. 22". Two narrow grooves along the back, a wider groove along the middle of the blade and a strip of pattern welding between them. Hilt- None Scabbard- None Bibliography- Evison, Vera E. (1967) 'A Decorated Seax from the Thames at Keen Edge Ferry'. In Berkshire Archaeological Journal 61. (Available Online) (Plates) Wheeler, R.E.M. (1935) London and the Saxons. London Museum Catalogues: No 6 p.180 pl.XIII

• 

England, Suffolk at Little Bealings

Current Location- Find Type- River find Find Date- Total Length- Blade- Approx. 26" Hilt- None Scabbard- None Bibliography- Evison, Vera E. (1967) 'A Decorated Seax from the Thames at Keen Edge Ferry'. In Berkshire Archaeological Journal 61. (Available Online) (Plates)

• 

England, London at Walthamstow

Current Location- Find Type- River find Find Date- Total Length- Blade- Approx. 14" Hilt- None Scabbard- None Bibliography- Wheeler, R.E.M. (1935) London and the Saxons. London Museum Catalogues: No 6 p.180 pl.XIV

• 

England?, Unknown

Current Location- Find Type- River find Find Date- Total Length- fragment Blade- fragment Hilt- None Scabbard- None Bibliography- Evison, Vera E. (1967) 'A Decorated Seax from the Thames at Keen Edge Ferry'. In Berkshire Archaeological Journal 61. (Available Online) (Plates)

• 

Other Possible Langseaxs

We have found the following langseaxs refereed to online with people quoting 'The Metallography of Early Ferrous Edge Tools & Edged Weapons' by R.F. Tylecote & B.J.J.Gilmour. Unfortunately we do not have access to this book and so are unable to determine if they were originally decorated with inlay.

England, Gloustershire at Kempsford

Current Location- Find Type- ? 9-10th Century Find Date- ? Total Length- Complete. 78cm x 4.2cm. The spine is 8mm thick. Hilt- ? Scabbard- ? Bibliography- Tylecote, R.F. and B.J.J. Gilmour 'The Metallography of Early Ferrous Edge Tools & Edged Weapons'. 1986.

• 

England, Berkshire at Reading

Current Location- Find Type- ? Find Date- ? Total Length- fragment Blade- fragment 2.8cm wide Hilt- Missing Scabbard- None Bibliography- Tylecote, R.F. and B.J.J. Gilmour 'The Metallography of Early Ferrous Edge Tools & Edged Weapons'. 1986.

• 

England, London at Leyton

Current Location- Find Type- ? 9th Century Find Date- Total Length- fragment Blade- fragment 3.7cm wide. The spine is 8mm thick. Hilt- Missing Scabbard- None Bibliography- Tylecote, R.F. and B.J.J. Gilmour 'The Metallography of Early Ferrous Edge Tools & Edged Weapons'. 1986.

• 

Some more possible langseaxs:

England, London, River Thames at Mortlake

Current Location- Museum of London Find Type- 8th Century Find Date- Total Length- Blade- Hilt- Scabbard- Discussion- Possibly a sword blade? Bibliography- Wheeler, R.E.M. (1935) London and the Saxons. London Museum Catalogues: No 6 p.180 pl.XIII

• 

England, London, River Thames near London

Current Location- Museum of London Type- 8th-9th Century Find Date- Total Length- Blade- Wheeler type III Hilt- Scabbard- Bibliography- Wheeler, R.E.M. (1935) London and the Saxons. London Museum Catalogues: No 6 p.180 pl.XIII

• 

References

Backhouse, Janet; Turner, D.H. and Webster, Leslie (1984) The Golden Age of Anglo Saxon Art. ^{[BACKHOUSE 1984]} *

Evison, Vera E. (1967) 'A Decorated Seax from the Thames at Keen Edge Ferry'. In Berkshire Archaeological Journal 61. (Available Online) (Plates) *

Thompson, Logan (2004) Ancient Weapons in Britain. *

Tylecote, R.F. and B.J.J. Gilmour 'The Metallography of Early Ferrous Edge Tools & Edged Weapons'. 1986. ^{[TYLECOTE & GILMOUR 1986]} *

Wheeler, R.E.M. (1935) London and the Saxons. London Museum Catalogues: No 6 *

Wilson, David M. (1964) Anglo-Saxon Ornamental Metalwork 700-1100. The British Museum. ^{[WILSON 1964]} *