With contributions from Kjetil Loftsgarden and Vegard Vike.
'Viking Age Swords from Telemark, Norway: An Integrated Technical and Archaeological Investigation' provides a metallographic analysis of 21 Viking Age swords found in the county Telemark in southeastern Norway. The book is the result of a collaboration between archaeologist Irmelin Martens and chemist Eva Elisabeth Astrup. 220 swords have been found in Telemark, and they are a mix of domestic Norwegian and imported European types. The difficulties in determining which ones were made in Norway are complicated by and closely connected to the specific skills Norwegian blacksmiths had mastered with respect to both blade construction and inlay decoration. The metallographic investigations revealed five construction types for sword blades, of which four, requiring different technical levels of smithing, may well have been mastered by Norwegian blacksmiths at that time. Combined with x-ray radiographic studies, the metallographic investigations indicate that new techniques were indeed introduced and disseminated among weaponsmiths during the Viking Age. The findings are also probably representative for the combined total of more than 3000 swords found in all areas of the country. The majority are domestic types, and their great number obviously reflects the organization of sword production and influenced blacksmiths’ social standing.
Author(s): Irmelin Martens, Eva Elisabeth Astrup
Series: Norske Oldfunn, 33
Publisher: Cappelen Damm Akademisk
Year: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 152
City: Oslo
PREFACE
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The aim and methods of research
1.2 Weapon production and society
1.3 Foreign influences
2. TELEMARK COUNTY: A BRIEF PRESENTATION OF GEOGRAPHY AND IRON AGE SETTLEMENTS
2.1 The geography of Telemark
2.2 Settlement and organisation
3. WEAPON PRODUCTION IN TELEMARK IN A WIDER CONTEXT
3.1 The functions of the swords
3.2 The origin of the swords
3.3 Norwegian sword types and sword production
3.4 Degree of specialisation
3.5 Inlay decorations
3.6 Other relevant archaeological features
3.7 Preliminary conclusions
4. ON SWORD TYPOLOGY
4.1 On Petersen’s and other sword typologies
4.2 Other typologies: Comparisons Petersen/Geibig
4.3 Remarks on some late European sword types
4.4 The Norwegian M and Q hilt types
4.5 Chronology
5. EARLIER TECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS
5.1 Investigations of sword blades
5.2 Investigations of spearheads
5.4 Conclusions
6. THE CONSTRUCTION AND CRAFTSMANSHIP OF VIKING AGE SWORD BLADES: a metallographic examination
6.1 The Telemark swords
6.2 Experimental methods of investigation
6.3 Examination and results
6.4 Discussion
6.5 Craftsmanship and the quality of the blades
6.6 Conclusion
6.7 Interpretation of radiographs
6.8 Results and presentation
7. DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
7.1 Norwegian sword types C, M and Q + X: Development throughout the period
7.2 Comparisons of swords with other hilt-types
7.3 Other blade constructions
7.4 Location of smithies
7.5 Foreign influences
7.6 Concluding remarks
REFERENCES CITED
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
