Difference between revisions of "Langseax"

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Wheeler classifies these as his type III [WHEELER 1927]. They were made and used in Britain from the 8th to 10th centuries [THOMPSON 2004: p.81]. A number of langseaxs have been found in the Netherlands  
 
Wheeler classifies these as his type III [WHEELER 1927]. They were made and used in Britain from the 8th to 10th centuries [THOMPSON 2004: p.81]. A number of langseaxs have been found in the Netherlands  
 +
<br>
  
−
== See Also ==
+
== Introduction to the British finds==
−
[[:Category:Weapons|Weapons]]<br>
+
The following langseax information is primarily based on the work of Vera Evison [EVISON 1964] 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. <br>
−
[[Seax]]<br>
+
 
−
[[Langseaxs found in Britain]]<br>
+
== With Inlay==
 +
{|
 +
|- valign="top" id="Beagnoth"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_beagnoth.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Beagnoth]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England, London at River Thames near Battersea'''
 +
:Current Location- British Museum 1857,6-23,1
 +
:Type- River find – 9th - 10th Century
 +
:Find Date- 1857?
 +
:Total Length- Complete. 81cm
 +
:Blade- Approx. 22"
 +
:Hilt- None
 +
:Scabbard- None
 +
:Bibliography- [BACKHOUSE 1984:p.101-102 no.94] [EVISON 1964:p.30-33] [WILSON 1964:p.144 no.36] [[http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_mla/s/seax_of_beagnoth.aspx British Museum]]
 +
 
 +
|- valign="top" id="Hurbeck"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_hurbeck.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Hurbeck]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England, Lancaster at Greencroft, Harbuck'''
 +
:Current Location- British Museum 1912,0723.2
 +
: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- [WILSON 1964:p.135-136 no.22] [EVISON 1964: p.33] [[http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_object_details.aspx?objectId=87253&partId=1 British Museum]]
 +
 
 +
|- valign="top" id="Keen Edge Ferry"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_keen_edge_ferry.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Keen Edge Ferry]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England, London at Keen Edge Ferry'''
 +
:Current Location- Reading Museum
 +
: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 1964]
 +
 
 +
 
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== Without Inlay ==
 +
{|
 +
|- valign="top" id="Battersea"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_battersea.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Battersea]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England, London, River Thames near Battersea'''
 +
:Current Location-
 +
: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- [WHEELER 1935:p.180 pl.XIII] [EVISON 1964]
 +
 
 +
|- valign="top" id="Little Bealings"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_little_bealings.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Little Bealings]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England, Suffolk at Little Bealings'''
 +
:Current Location-
 +
:Type- River find –
 +
:Find Date-
 +
:Total Length-
 +
:Blade- Approx. 26"
 +
:Hilt- None
 +
:Scabbard- None
 +
:Bibliography- [EVISON 1964]
 +
 
 +
|- valign="top" id="Walthamstow"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_walthamstow.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Walthamstow]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England, London at Walthamstow'''
 +
:Current Location-
 +
:Type- River find –
 +
:Find Date-
 +
:Total Length-
 +
:Blade- Approx. 14"
 +
:Hilt- None
 +
:Scabbard- None
 +
:Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.180 pl.XIV]
 +
 
 +
|- valign="top" id="Unknown"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_unknown.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Unknown]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England?, Unknown '''
 +
:Current Location-
 +
:Type- River find –
 +
:Find Date-
 +
:Total Length- fragment
 +
:Blade- fragment
 +
:Hilt- None
 +
:Scabbard- None
 +
:Bibliography- [EVISON 1964]
 +
 
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== 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. <br>
 
<br>
 
<br>
−
== References ==
+
{|
−
<nocite>WHEELER1927</nocite>
+
|- valign="top" id="Kempsford"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_kempsford.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Kempsford]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England, Gloustershire at Kempsford'''
 +
:Current Location- ?
 +
:Type- ? 9-10th Century
 +
:Find Date- ?
 +
:Total Length- Complete. 78cm x 4.2cm. The spine is 8mm thick.
 +
:Hilt- ?
 +
:Scabbard- ?
 +
:Bibliography- [TYLECOTE and GILMOUR 1986]
 +
 
 +
|- valign="top" id="Reading"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_reading.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Reading]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England, Berkshire at  Reading '''
 +
:Current Location-
 +
:Type- ?
 +
:Find Date- ?
 +
:Total Length- fragment
 +
:Blade- fragment 2.8cm wide
 +
:Hilt- Missing
 +
:Scabbard- None
 +
:Bibliography- [TYLECOTE and GILMOUR 1986]
 +
 
 +
|- valign="top" id="Leyton"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_layton.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Leyton]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England, London at  Leyton '''
 +
:Current Location-
 +
:Type- ? 9th Century
 +
:Find Date-
 +
:Total Length- fragment
 +
:Blade- fragment 3.7cm wide. The spine is 8mm thick.
 +
:Hilt- Missing
 +
:Scabbard- None
 +
:Bibliography- [TYLECOTE and GILMOUR 1986]
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
Some more possible langseaxs
 +
 
 +
{|
 +
 
 +
|- valign="top" id="Mortlake"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_mortlake.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Mortlake]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England, London, River Thames at  Mortlake '''
 +
:Current Location- London Museum
 +
:Type- 8th Century
 +
:Find Date-
 +
:Total Length-
 +
:Blade-
 +
:Hilt- 
 +
:Scabbard-
 +
:Discussion- Possibly a sword blade?
 +
:Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.180 pl.XIII]
 +
 
 +
|- valign="top" id="Near London"
 +
|width="100pt"| [[File:langseax_near_london.jpg|thumb|x150px|left|alt=Near London]]
 +
|width="600pt"| '''England, London, River Thames near London '''
 +
:Current Location- London Museum
 +
:Type- 8th-9th Century
 +
:Find Date-
 +
:Total Length-
 +
:Blade- Wheeler type III
 +
:Hilt- 
 +
:Scabbard-
 +
:Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.180 pl.XIII]
 +
 
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==References==
 +
 
 +
<nocite>
 +
BACKHOUSE1984
 +
EVISON1964
 +
TYLECOTE1986
 +
WHEELER1935
 +
WILSON1964
 +
</nocite>
 
<biblio force=false>#[[Template:Bib]]</biblio>
 
<biblio force=false>#[[Template:Bib]]</biblio>
 
<HarvardReferences />
 
<HarvardReferences />
 +
 +
[[Category:Weapons]]

Revision as of 15:56, 1 October 2014

Langseax

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

Wheeler classifies these as his type III [WHEELER 1927]. They were made and used in Britain from the 8th to 10th centuries [THOMPSON 2004: p.81]. A number of langseaxs have been found in the Netherlands

Introduction to the British finds

The following langseax information is primarily based on the work of Vera Evison [EVISON 1964] 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

Beagnoth
England, London at River Thames near Battersea
Current Location- British Museum 1857,6-23,1
Type- River find – 9th - 10th Century
Find Date- 1857?
Total Length- Complete. 81cm
Blade- Approx. 22"
Hilt- None
Scabbard- None
Bibliography- [BACKHOUSE 1984:p.101-102 no.94] [EVISON 1964:p.30-33] [WILSON 1964:p.144 no.36] [British Museum]
Hurbeck
England, Lancaster at Greencroft, Harbuck
Current Location- British Museum 1912,0723.2
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- [WILSON 1964:p.135-136 no.22] [EVISON 1964: p.33] [British Museum]
Keen Edge Ferry
England, London at Keen Edge Ferry
Current Location- Reading Museum
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 1964]


Without Inlay

Battersea
England, London, River Thames near Battersea
Current Location-
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- [WHEELER 1935:p.180 pl.XIII] [EVISON 1964]
Little Bealings
England, Suffolk at Little Bealings
Current Location-
Type- River find –
Find Date-
Total Length-
Blade- Approx. 26"
Hilt- None
Scabbard- None
Bibliography- [EVISON 1964]
Walthamstow
England, London at Walthamstow
Current Location-
Type- River find –
Find Date-
Total Length-
Blade- Approx. 14"
Hilt- None
Scabbard- None
Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.180 pl.XIV]
Unknown
England?, Unknown
Current Location-
Type- River find –
Find Date-
Total Length- fragment
Blade- fragment
Hilt- None
Scabbard- None
Bibliography- [EVISON 1964]

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.

Kempsford
England, Gloustershire at Kempsford
Current Location- ?
Type- ? 9-10th Century
Find Date- ?
Total Length- Complete. 78cm x 4.2cm. The spine is 8mm thick.
Hilt- ?
Scabbard- ?
Bibliography- [TYLECOTE and GILMOUR 1986]
Reading
England, Berkshire at Reading
Current Location-
Type- ?
Find Date- ?
Total Length- fragment
Blade- fragment 2.8cm wide
Hilt- Missing
Scabbard- None
Bibliography- [TYLECOTE and GILMOUR 1986]
Leyton
England, London at Leyton
Current Location-
Type- ? 9th Century
Find Date-
Total Length- fragment
Blade- fragment 3.7cm wide. The spine is 8mm thick.
Hilt- Missing
Scabbard- None
Bibliography- [TYLECOTE and GILMOUR 1986]

Some more possible langseaxs

Mortlake
England, London, River Thames at Mortlake
Current Location- London Museum
Type- 8th Century
Find Date-
Total Length-
Blade-
Hilt-
Scabbard-
Discussion- Possibly a sword blade?
Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.180 pl.XIII]
Near London
England, London, River Thames near London
Current Location- London Museum
Type- 8th-9th Century
Find Date-
Total Length-
Blade- Wheeler type III
Hilt-
Scabbard-
Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.180 pl.XIII]

References

<nocite> BACKHOUSE1984 EVISON1964 TYLECOTE1986 WHEELER1935 WILSON1964 </nocite> <biblio force=false>#Template:Bib</biblio>

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