The Reasons for a Collector to Purchase a Viking Sword

There were few things in the Iron Age as terrifying to the common rabble as an incoming Viking long ship rowed by large Nordic men with murder in their eyes and large terrifying swords at the ready. Many people today enjoy re-enactments were they portray these ancient Vikingr as they went about their business of undertaking a Viking. A Viking Sword, often misrepresented sadly, is often seen in the hands of some gold-locked Nordic type wearing a horned great helm and little else.

The Viking Sword in Myth and Fact:

Myth: Viking swords were gigantic weapons wielded by men who would have to duck down to enter into the standard homes most people dwell within in this current age. A Viking sword was a weapon mighty enough to slay dragons and could cut a lesser man in half while the one wielding it either drank hearty ale or fondled the local wenches.

Fact: A Viking sword was a devastating weapon in battle but it was not generally twenty pounds and six feet long as some might think. Typical Viking swords were spatha style weapons that had a wide base with a long point. These were not extensive or long weapons however. Most did not reach beyond thirty-two inches.

These swords were meant to be used with a shield and were utilitarian weapons. They had double edges for hacking, slashing, and cutting on the withdraw. While there were no doubt two handed blades in this era, few used them when they could use a fine axe instead.

A Viking sword typically had a long fuller running down the length of the blade so that it would not get stuck from the pressure created by shoving the weapon into the hearts of their enemies. The fuller, or blood groove as some call it, allowed this pressure to be lessened so that the wielder did not risk the time necessary to free a stuck weapon.