Viking Age Compendium articles on Shields: Viking Age Compendium articles on Shields:
Evidence for Viking age shield designs come primarily from art. Literature seems to only mention that the shields were painted. One of the things that differentiates post Roman shields from those of the Roman era is the use of spiral designs. These dominate on depictions of shields after AD 400.
16 silver pendants from Birka appear to copy shields complete with spiral design and possible shield handles. [ARWIDSSON 1989:p.9-11]
Colours
Art
Literature
Archaeology
Discussion
Plain
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From Art
Carolingian
- c.800-900 Nancy Cathedral Treasury
- c.800-900 Vatican Lat.124
Ottonian
- c,900-1000 Venice Cod. GrZ.479
- c.985-987 Vatican Lat. 9820
- c.1000-1050 Arras, BM MS 559 (435), vol. 1
Anglo-Saxon
Norman / Romance
- c.1076 Bayeux Tapestry
- c.1050-1100 BNF Lat 6 (1)
- c.1050-1100 BNF Lat 6 (2)
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Spirals
4 Spirals
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From Art
- Carolingian
- c.820-830 Stuttgart, Bibl. fol. 23 Stuttgart Psalter
- Scandinavian
- c.800 Silver Valkyrie figure, Hårby, Denmark.
- Birka, Silver amulet, Gr.954
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4 Spirals with Triads
From Art
- Carolingian
- c.845-855 Vivian Bible
- c.849-851 Paris Lat 266
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5 Spirals
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From Art
Merovingian
- Stone slab from Hornhausen C4th to 7th [DEVIRES and SMITH 2007:p.226]
Ottonian
- c.1000 Aachen Cathedral Treasury, Ivory Situla
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5 Spirals with Triads
From Art
Carolingian
- c.915 Basel, Universitätsbibliothek, ubb-B-IV
Ottonian
- c.1000-1010 London, British Library, Harley 2886
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6 Spirals
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From Art
Carolingian
Ottonian
- c.1000 Munich clm 4453 2
- c.1000-1050 Arras, BM MS 559 (435), vol. 1
Anglo-Saxon
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6 Spirals with Dots
From Art
Carolingian
- c.900 Bern cod. 264 Peristephanon
- c.900 Bern cod. 264 Pychomachia
Ottonian
- c.990 Aachen, Liuthar Gospels
- c.1000 Munich clm 4453 2
- c.1000-1020 Bamberg MS A. II. 42 Bamberg Apocalypse
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6 Spirals with Triads
From Art
Carolingian
- c.800-900 Rome, San Pao;o furori le Mura
- c.825 Vercelli CLXV 9C
- c.850-950 Linden Cod. Perizoni F17 Maccabees
- c.870 Munich clm 14000
Anglo-Saxon
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7 Spirals
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From Art
Scandinavian
- Lillbjars, Gotland, C8th [HEATH 1985:p.53]
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7 Spirals with Dots
From Art
Anglo-Saxon
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8 Spirals
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From Art
Anglo-Saxon
Ottonian
- c.1025-1075 BL Harley 2908
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10 Spirals
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From Art
Anglo-Saxon
Scandinavian
- Birka, Silver amulet, Gr.58A; Gr.817
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10 Spirals with Triads
From Art
Anglo-Saxon
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12 Spirals
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12 Spirals with Triads
From Art
Anglo-Saxon
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Deformed Spiral
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From Art
Carolingian
Anglo-Saxon
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Circles
Outer Circle
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From Art
Carolingian
- c.998-1018 BL Egerton 3763
Byzantine
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Separate Circles
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From Art
Insular
- c.875-900 St Johns College, MS 9. C, fol.68v, Southhampton Psalter 'Goliath'
Scandinavian
- c.900-1000 Hedeby, Valkyrie pendant
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Overlapping Circles
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From Art
Carolingian
- c.800-825 Amiens Corbie Psalter
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Spokes
Thin Spokes
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From Art
Carolingian
Anglo-Saxon
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Thin Spokes with Dots
From Art
Anglo-Saxon
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Flared Spokes
Crosses
Simple Cross
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From Art
Norman / Romance
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Complex Cross
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From Art
Anglo-Saxon
- c.1000 Oxford Junius 11, Caedmon Manuscript p.57
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Stripe
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From Art
Norman / Romance
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Stripe with cross
From Art
Norman / Romance
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Flared Cross
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From Art
Ottonian
- c.1015 Hildesheim door
- c.1000-1050 Arras, BM MS 559 (435), vol. 1
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Open Flared Cross
From Art
Ottonian
- c.1040-1055 Biblio. Mun. Avranches MS76
Anglo-Saxon
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Oseberg Cross
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From Art
- Carolingian
- c.790-795 BNF Lat. 12048 Gellone Sacramentary
- Scandinavian
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Goliath
Carolingian
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From Art
Carolingian
- c.800-825 Amiens BM MS18 Corbie Psalter
- c.820-830 Stuttgart, Bibl. Fol. 23 Stuttgart Psalter
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Late Saxon
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From Art
Carolingian
- c.820-830 Stuttgart, Bibl. Fol. 23 Stuttgart Psalter
Anglo-Saxon
- London, British Library, MS Cotton Tiberius C VI:fol.9r,16r
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Checkered
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From Art
- c.1000-1100 Biblio. Mun. Avranches MS50
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