Viking Sword from Langeid with Scabbard

Viking Sword from Langeid (Norway), 11th c., incl. Scabbard

This beautiful late Viking Age sword is modeled on a one-of-a-kind find which was unearthed from grave no. 8 during the archaeological excavations of a Viking burial site in Langeid (Setesdal valley, Bygland, Norway) in 2011. The remarkably well-preserved piece made of iron, gold and silver is now on display for people to admire at the Museum of Cultural History (Kulturhistorik Museum) in Oslo.

Dated to ca. 1030, the original is a unique specimen, as both the guard and the pommel are richly adorned with a combination of spirals, runes, Latin letters and crosses. Although it is still a mystery as to their exact meaning, some of these motifs clearly bear a Christian message and indicate that this Norse weapon was deliberately bedecked with Christian symbolism. The dating of the sword (early 11th century, which marks the end of Norse paganism and the advent of the Christian Middle Ages in Scandinavia) corroborates this assumption.

Besides, as the sword was found together with a broadaxe which bore similarities with others axes from the same period discovered by the River Thames in London, some experts believe that the sword was brought from England to Norway and may have been the prestige weapon of a wealthy warrior (possibly one of King Cnut the Great's champions).

Our reproduction of this exceptional single-handed Viking sword features a double-edged EN45 spring steel blade with a broad, long fuller. The edges are not sharpened and the blade's full tang is screwed and riveted to the pommel. The guard and the pommel are cast from brass, partially tinned, and closely recreate the highly detailed motifs and patterns of the original artefact. The wooden core grip is tightly bound with brass wire.

This one-handed Langeid sword comes complete with a brown wood-and-leather scabbard featuring a very distinctive wooden suspension loop (max. belt width 5 cm) and brass fittings.

Please note that this sword is not a battle ready weapon. It is designed as a collector's or decoration/display piece and is not suited for combat reenactment. Besides its quality as a collectible, it is also perfectly suited as a prop, e.g. to complete your costume.

Details:
- Material: EN45 spring steel blade (high carbon steel, not stainless), brass guard and pommel (partially tinned), brass wire bound wooden handle
- Overall length: approx. 96 cm
- Blade length: approx. 78 cm
- Blade thickness: approx. 4 mm (cutting edges approx. 1 mm)
- Hilt length: approx. 18 cm (grip approx. 10 cm)
- Max. blade width: approx. 4.7 cm
- Point of balance: approx. 17 cm from the guard
- Incl. wooden scabbard with genuine leather cover and brass fittings
- Weight without scabbard: approx. 1.3 kg
- Weight with scabbard: approx. 1.75 kg

Specs may slightly vary from piece to piece.

The steel used here is not rust-proof and might show slight surface tarnishing in places. We recommend you to maintain the blade and the scabbard on a regular basis, for example using Ballistol Universal Oil, which is ideally suited for steel care.

Please note:
We do not sell this product to customers under the age of 18. Please provide your birth date when ordering. We'll also need a copy of your ID-card or passport by email, scan, fax or mail.