Langseaxes found in Britain

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Viking Age Compendium articles on Knives and Axes

See our Langseaxes page for more information about this weapon.

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; Find Date: 1857?

Period: 9th - 10th Century

Total Length: Complete. 81cm

Blade: Approx. 22"

Hilt: None

Scabbard: None

Summary:

Publications:

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 [1]

England, Lancaster: Greencroft, Harbuck

Current Location: British Museum 912,0723.2

Find Type: Grave find; Find Date: 1912?

Period: 9th to early C10th. From a hoard which included a sword of Petersen type L. Hence the date line

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

Summary:

Publications:

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)

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-

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-

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.