Viking Age Compendium articles on Knives and Axes: Viking Age Compendium articles on Knives and Axes:
Wheeler classifies these as his type III [WHEELER 1935]. 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
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 [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
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-
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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-
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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-
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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-
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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-
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England, Suffolk at Little Bealings
- Current Location-
- Find Type- River find
- Find Date-
- Total Length-
- Blade- Approx. 26"
- Hilt- None
- Scabbard- None
- Bibliography-
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England, London at Walthamstow
- Current Location-
- Find Type- River find
- Find Date-
- Total Length-
- Blade- Approx. 14"
- Hilt- None
- Scabbard- None
- Bibliography-
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England?, Unknown
- Current Location-
- Find Type- River find
- Find Date-
- Total Length- fragment
- Blade- fragment
- Hilt- None
- Scabbard- None
- Bibliography-
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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-
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England, Berkshire at Reading
- Current Location-
- Find Type- ?
- Find Date- ?
- Total Length- fragment
- Blade- fragment 2.8cm wide
- Hilt- Missing
- Scabbard- None
- Bibliography-
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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-
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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-
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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-
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References