Langeid Viking Battle Axehead

Description of the Product

Fighting against a Scandinavian armed with a battle axe is like staring directly at the face of the death, tells an ancient Norse saying. When you look at this Viking battle axe found in Langleid, it´s easy to understand why.

Lightweight but deathly, this impressive sized two hand axe was unearthed in 2011 at the archaeological site known as Grave 8 in Langeid in the Setesdal valley, Southern Norway. Archaeologists found also a beautiful sword from the same grave. Archeologists thought that the owner had been a high class clan member, but no more evidences were found to support this.

The archaeologist Jan Petersen classified this type of axes as M type. This type of blades were used from middle 10th century to beginning of the Middle Ages. The Langeid axe was dated to the second quarter of the 11th century so it matches with the Stamford Bridge battle and the well-known story of one lone warrior fighting on a bridge against a full army of English men. After beating 40 men and fighting off countless attacks, the Nordic warrior and his smashing two handed axe were only defeated with a sneaky attack. A housecarl managed to glide unnoticed into the water and floated to under of the bridge in a barrel. The housecarl struck up between bridge planks with his spear hitting the berserker into his unprotected groin. The English army had managed to surprise the Viking army unprepared and partly unarmed. The sacrifice of the lone berserker holding off an entire army of English warrior gave the Viking army time to prepare and arm themselves for the battle of Stamford Bridge.

The original axe found in Langeid had brass haft banding. A thin brass plate was wrapped around the top of the wooden haft and the blade was mounted on top of the brass. This gave extra protection to the wood but more importantly added splendor and golden appearance that was greatly valued in the Viking Era. Nowadays the original axe is in the Oslo University Museum of Cultural History.

• Blade width approx. 20,5 cm
• Height from blade edge tip to tip approx. 26 cm
• Height of the socket from point to point of the decoration approx. 6 cm
• Thickness of the wooden shaft to be fitted approx. 3,4 cm
• Measurements of the eye of the axe approx. 3 x 2,4 cm
• Weight: c. 980g
• Material: Carbon Steel
• Sharpness: Unsharpened
• Haft not included
• Made by Marshal Historical