Sword Scabbards
Sword Scabbards |
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The Evidence
Art
The following images show help to show how scabbards of the period may have worked.
Anglo-Saxon
AD 1025-1050
BL Cott. Tib. B V f.39rAD 1025-1050
BL Cott. Tib. B V f.85r
Literature
- Words for Scabbards
- Umgerð or umgjorð – used for a complete scabbard [DAVIDSON 1962]:p.187
- Skálpr – a less frequent term to describe a bag or cover and probably refers to the leather sheath [DAVIDSON 1962]:p.187
- Skeiðir, slidrar or spænir – refer to the two wooden sides of the scabbard [DAVIDSON 1962]:p.187
- Quotes from primary evidence
Archaeology
England
- York
64 finds of scabbard leathers have been found. - Repton
- [MOULD 2003:p.3365] [BIDDLE 1992]
- Gloucester
- 1 Westgate Street (C9th): One scabbard found. 780mm long, but damaged at the chape end, so original length unknown. Opening curved and 80mm wide with a edge/flesh stitch along the edge. Made of one piece of leather and sewn down one side. Impression of a stiffener visible on the inside, the top of which is 85mm from the top of the scabbard. No rivet holes. A 15mm slit is on either side of the impression. Scabbard was probably lined with soft leather or fur. [GOUDGE 1979]:p.196
- Isle of Man
- Cronk Moar: Wooden scabbard with a leather outer decorated with a raised moulding [BERSU & WILSON 1966]:p.72.
Scotland
- Balnakiel
- Scar [OWEN & DALLAND 1999]:p.109-112
Ireland
- Dublin
There are 53 fragmentary scabbards from Dublin. Two of which are nearly complete.- DLS 268 18cm remains of leather scabbard cover (AD 1050-1100). [CAMERON 2007]:p.127
- DLS 269 32cm remains of embossed leather scabbard cover (AD 1050-1100). [CAMERON 2007]:p.127
- DLS 270 27cm remains of leather scabbard cover (AD 1050-1075). [CAMERON 2007]:p.127
- DLS 271 fragments of leather cover, pelt hair and wood. Pelt hair found between two laths of wood (1.2mm thick) (AD ?). [CAMERON 2007]:p.127
- DLS 272 42cm remains of embossed leather scabbard cover (AD 1000-1100). [CAMERON 2007]:p.127
- DLS 273 44cm remains of embossed leather (calf) scabbard cover (AD 1035-1055). [CAMERON 2007]:p.127
- DLs 274 28cm remains of embossed leather scabbard cover (AD 1025-1075). [CAMERON 2007]:p.127
Denmark
- Hedeby
- A leather scabbard from Hedeby has 3 diamonds down its front created by two layers of leather [HAGG 1991]:265
Germany
- Essen Minster
- Covered in stamped gold (late C10-11th). [CAMPBELL 1982]:p.171.
Sweden
- Birka
35 swords have been found in graves in Birka. 30 have been a Petersen Typology and 13 have associated remains of a scabbard.- Bj.514 Wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type H. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14 [ARBMAN 1940A]:p.153-154, fig.102, 103
- Bj.520 Wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type Y. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14 [ARBMAN 1940]:Taf. 32
- Bj.324a Wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type V. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14 [ARBMAN 1940]:Taf. 34
- Bj.542 Traces of a wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type H. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14 [ARBMAN 1940]:Taf. 21
- Bj.644 Wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type H. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14
- Bj.736 Traces of a wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type H. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14 [ARBMAN 1940]:Taf. 23
- Bj.750 Wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type H. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14
- Bj.832 Traces of a wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type Y. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14 [ARBMAN 1940]:Taf. 31
- Bj.834 Wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type X. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14 [ARBMAN 1940A]:fig. 253
- Bj.842 Wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type H. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14
- Bj.942 Wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type St ?.[ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14 [ARBMAN 1940]:Taf. 11
- Bj.944 Wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type H. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14 [ARBMAN 1940A]:fig. 321
- Bj.957 Wooden scabbard for a sword of Petersen type H. [ARWIDSSON 1986]:p.14
France
- Saint-Denis
- (c.869) [MONTEMBAULT 1998]:p.60
Scabbard hanging styles
Swords on baldrics
Worn high on the side in a not dissimilar fashion to the Romans.
Art
- T98 BL, Cott. Tib. C vi f.8v, 9r c.1050AD
Literature
- A ‘rich baldric’ is mentioned in a Latin will dated to 867AD [DAVIDSON 1962]:p.119
- Thidriks Saga, clxxv ‘the whole scabbard (umgerð) is covered in red gold and all of the straps (fetlar) are overlaid with gold and ornamented with fine buckles (goðum sylgjum búnir)’ [DAVIDSON 1962]:p.188
- Fetill – baldric [DAVIDSON 1962]:p.188
Archaeology
- Riveted straps style Scabbards are most probably hung from baldrics. The Strap slide style scabbard is also likely to be designed to hang from a baldric.
Discussion
Swords on sword belts
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Art
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Literature
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Archaeology
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Discussion
Sword scabbards suspended from or integral to waist belts can be seen in early manuscripts but only become the dominant style in the C11th.
Scabbard Construction
Composite wooden / leather plain scabbard
A scabbard made in layers using different materials. The wooden core is usually lined on the inside with sheep shin, hair on. Over the wood is a layer of textile and then a further layer of leather, or more rarely linen, overall.
... covered in leather
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... covered in textile
Art
- Italian wall painting – Regia site?
Literature
- Charlemagne scabbard was described by a monk of St. Gall thus “This sword was enclosed first by a scabbard, secondly by a leather of some kind, thirdly by pure white linen rendered stronger by clearest wax and strengthened towards the centre by little raised crosses for the destruction of the heathern” [DAVIDSON 1962]:p.113.
Archaeology
- Sutton Hoo
- Balnakiel, Scotland
Discussion
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All leather scabbard
Discussion
We have no evidence for scabbards without wooden cores. 'All leather' scabbards are often used by reenactors as they are deemed to be safer to fall upon.
Scabbard decoration
Gold plated
Archaeology
- A sword from Essen Minster dated to the late 10th or 11th centuries is covered in stamped gold [CAMPBELL 1982]:p.171.
- The Sword of St Maurice in the Weltliches Schatzkammer, Vienna has an olive wood scabbard overlaid with panels of gold decorated with repousse figures of Kings [OAKESHOTT 1991]:p.56. Dated to the second half of the 11th century Oakshott believes this to be purely a scabbard used for ceremonial occasions.
Embossed
Archaeology
- The Hiberno-Norse burial at Cronk Moar, Isle of Man had a scabbard with a leather outer decorated with a raised moulding [BERSU & WILSON 1966]:p.72.
- Dublin C11th scabbards with moulding.
Incised Designs
Archaeology
- Dublin 4 scabbards with incised designs.
Decorative Seams
Archaeology
- A leather scabbard from Hedeby has 3 diamonds down its front created by two layers of leather [HAGG 1991]:265