Round Shields

From The Viking Age Compendium
Jump to: navigation, search


More Armour pages

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.
Viking Age Compendium articles on Shields:
VA Round Shields.jpg
Round Shields Overview
Viking Age Compendium articles on Shields:
VA Round Shields.jpg
Round Shields Overview

Flat round shield

Art
--
Literature
--
Archaeology

  • Oseberg, Norway, 834AD. Shield boards [FOOTE and WILSON 1970: plate 25b]
  • Gokstad, Norway, 900AD. Shield boards [NICOLAYSEN 1882]
  • Trelleborg, Denmark. Shield boards [Kongens Borge]
  • Tira, Latvia, C9th. Shield boards [BEATSON-a]

Discussion
Beason has discussed the use of the flat round shield [BEATSON-a] All are of planked construction. The Romans used plywood shields but no examples have been found since the C3rd. There is no evidence of plywood shields being used in the Viking Age. [STEPHENSON 2002:p.43] Additionally they were probably covered in leather at least on the face but more likely on both sides. [CAMERON 1998]

Lenticular round shield

A shield constructed from convex boards in such a way as to create a shallow dish.
Art
--
Literature

  • The battle of Maldon refers to ‘cellod bord’ which has been translated as ‘hollowed shield’ i.e. lenticular although Pollington express doubt regarding this interpretation [POLLINGTON 2006]:p.148

Archaeology
No curved boards have been found from archaeology.
Discussion
A number of bosses with curved flanges have been found however. These bosses can be interpreted in two ways. Firstly the curved flange helps the boss to bite into the shield board [HARKE 1992]. The second interpretation is that they were used on curved lenticular shields [BEATSON (N.D.) A]. Illustrated manuscripts do however show numerous examples of shields that appear to be curved. Again these are open to interpretation with many some people arguing that they are an artistic way of showing flat shields side on [STEPHENSON 2007].

Round shield back and grip

Art

  • Bible of S Paolo fuori le Mura C9th f.50v
  • St Gallen – Golden Psalter f.??
  • Suffolk, Valkyrie figure [PAS 2003]

Literature
--
Archaeology

  • Trellebord, Denmark. Wooden shield handle [Kongens Borge]
  • Balladoole, Isle of Man. Iron shield grip with bands of cross hatched and diagonal decoration and boss shaped terminals – probably insular [BERSU and WILSON 1966:p.14-15]

Discussion
The reverse of the shield is visible on some Carolingian manuscripts.

Round shield boss (Umbo)

See main article Round Shield Bosses

There are four main types of bosses: Viking Domed, Hiberno-Norse / English, Irish and Carolingian.


Oval shields (Poached egg)

An oval shaped usually curved shield.
Art

  • A figure on the Bayeux Tapestry c.1086AD [WILSON 1985]
  • R2 Life of St Aubin, Angers Abbey c.1100AD
  • Lotharingen, France, c.1000AD Now in the cathedral treasure of Aachen [SKODELL 2008]

Literature
--
Archaeology

  • 2 possible shields from Norway Trondheim, Norway dated to 1075AD – 1125AD [SKODELL 2008]

Discussion
--



Round shield decoration

See Round Shield Designs


Shield edging

Leather or rawhide shield edge

Sewn on

The shield boards that have been found have a row of holes around their perimeter. No traces of metal have as yet been identified in them. This means that it is likely that some sort of organic material was used to sow on an edge, probably leather thong, sinew or bast. Late Roman shields have been recovered from Dura Europos and ??? that have remnants of sowing [CAMERON 1998]. The stone carving at Repton has been suggested as having a thickened shield rim [CAMERON 1998]:p.53

Nailed on

An alternative interpreted method for attaching shield edges is by the use of nails. Even though no trace of metal has so far been detected it is possible that shield edges could have been attached by nails.

Metal shield edge

Art
--
Literature
--
Archaeology

  • Birka, Sweden. Metal clips

Discussion
--

References

Arwidsson, Greta (ed.) (1989) Birka II:3 Systematische Analysen der Graberfunde. [Systematic Analysis of the Graves Findings] Birka, Kungliga Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien: II:3 [ARWIDSSON 1989] *
Beatson, Peter (n.d.) The Viking Shield from Archeology. [Accessed: 2010]. (Available Online) Peter Beatson [BEATSON (N.D.) A] ^ *
Bersu, Gerhard and Wilson, David M. (1966) Three Viking Graves in the Isle of Man. The Society for Medieval Archaeology Monograph Servies: No 1 [BERSU & WILSON 1966] *
Cameron, Esther A. (ed.) (1998) Leather and fur: aspects of early medieval trade and technology. [CAMERON 1998] ^ 1 2 3 *
Devires, Kelly & Robert Smith (2007) Medieval Weapons, An Illustrated History of Their Impact. [DEVIRES & SMITH 2007] *
Foote, P.G., and D.M. Wilson (1970) The Viking Achievement. Book Club Associates. [FOOTE & WILSON 1970] *
Härke, Heinrich (1992) In Dickinson, Tania and Härke, Heinrich (1992) Early Anglo-Saxon Shields. [HARKE 1992] ^ *
Heath, Ian (1985) The Vikings. Osprey: Elite 3 [HEATH 1985] *
Kongens Borge (2010) The Trelleborg Shield. [Accessed: 2010] (Available Online) [KONGENS BORGE 2010] *
Nicolaysen, N (1882) The Viking Ship Discovered in Gokstad, Norway. [NICOLAYSEN 1882] ^ *
Portable Antiquities Scheme. Annual Report 2001/2-2002/3. British Council for Museums Archives and Libraries, 2003. [PAS 2003] ^ *
Pollington, Stephen (2006) The English Warrior from the Earliest Times Till 1066. Anglo-Saxon Books [POLLINGTON 2006] ^ *
Skodell, Henry (2008) Schutzausrüstung zur zeit der Schlacht von Hastings [Protective Equipment Present at the Battle of Hastings]. (Available Online) [Accessed: 2011]. [SKODELL 2008] ^ 1 2 *
Stephenson, I. P. (2007) The Late Anglo-Saxon Army. Tempus. [STEPHENSON 2007] ^ *
Wilson, David M. (1985) The Bayeux Tapestry. [WILSON 1985] ^ *