JORVIK Viking Centre | Viking Weapons

[@Overlord99762]

40 seconds in and this guys are already shanking each other, this is wild

[@bleachedink]

Shepard.

[@garychynne1377]

after you cut his hand he never smiled again.

[@masseyfurguson8871]

😂

[@masseyfurguson8871]

0:12 That's not a knife..THIS is a knife 5:54 Y’all didn’t mess around This was so well done 👍🏼

[@Jürgen_von_Schumacher]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@masseyfurguson8871]

@@Jürgen_von_Schumacher Lol funny seeing you here!!!! 😂

[@Jürgen_von_Schumacher]

@@masseyfurguson8871 Yeah, didn't expect to see you here either🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@masseyfurguson8871]

@@Jürgen_von_Schumacher A great Viking video have brought us together!

[@Jürgen_von_Schumacher]

@@masseyfurguson8871 Hahahahaha! Yup! Heilir Víkingurinn!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@KorpsePaintKlown]

I love the weapons and techniques, but my favorite part is definitely serious mustache man.

[@jakemarsh8967]

An 8 foot long spear is fair for a one handed spear of the time, obviously it is based on preference but that is short for a spear of most other time periods.

[@jakemarsh8967]

True, the only whole intact spear find we have measures somewhere between 7 and 8 feet I believe. My point is that the two handed spear they present in the video is really closer to a one handed spear of the time. In fact that same spear has a removable pin we believe was used so you could throw it at the enemy and the shaft would bounce out on impact ao the enemy couldn't throw it back.

[@jakemarsh8967]

True, I suppose both could be true and I dont see why they wouldn't be depending on the shape of the pin or the spear shaft.

[@jakemarsh8967]

Yeah but the pilum is designed to bend on impact (I mean some dont but still) so it achieves a similar effect.

[@jakemarsh8967]

I mean kind of. It did bend just below the tip because below the head the shaft was of softer metal. It's still kind of up for debate whether that was because of design, a design flaw, or because of improper handling. I believe it was just cheaper to make them that way since it can use less pure metal and they figured if it did bend when thrown that's a quick repair so it's effective either way.

[@joeyfragile2330]

We train with 7ft spears as our one handed spears, using 7ft as a minimum length for one hander

[@michael9r9r]

Only a slight correction: the vast majority of mail in the Viking period was made from a mix of solid and riveted rings. It was also usually lighter than butted mail, due to the strength of the rings coming from the rivets instead of the thickness of the ring. Great video guys!

[@glassirok]

This video is beautiful! It especially shows the details of the anime saga of Vinland, where the characters just use the similar weapon described in the video. Thank you for it!

[@johngalt969]

Anime is degenerate. Read the sagas.

[@stechnicalmike3058]

Fenomenal video, imagine if the warriors in Vikings TV show looked like this

[@crazyalabamaguy4970]

6:40 they're holding the sword wrong, the viking sword has a massive pommel that would dig into one's own flesh if it were held that way, they should be holding it closer to the pommel, and it would extend their reach

[@BrodieB762]

Underhållande och roligt!

[@fitolinolocchegg1103]

Awesome performance

[@Assassins-creed_Valhalla]

How many meters

[@gabbeg7829]

Amazing video! Easily digestable and informative. Keep it up!

[@artbrixxtheviking5000]

Yup

[@haeleth7218]

The massive Norseman on the narrow bridge at Stamford Bridge is said to have killed 40 Saxons before he got speared from below. Great video.

[@JordanAlexochannel]

Great video, really like it. Those Vikings' helmets are so cool. Thanks!

[@richstone2627]

LOL Mace. Also your mail shirt isn't correct. The mail found from the Viking Age is round ring and alternates round ring riveted then round ring solid. There was no split ring or open ring mail, that's a modern thing. All round ring riveted mail came later and flat ring riveted mail was not introduced until after the Viking Age.

[@marklayton5374]

That was amazing. Thank you both so much I’m definitely subscribing. Iv a huge thirst to find out as much as possible.

[@andreascarlberg3998]

You guys are so funny, thank you!!!

[@ronaldwinfield307]

Thank you for the lesson in Viking history. I consider Viking history both fascinating & important.

[@tatumergo3931]

Recently I came across research regarding bowie knives duels. Seems like although the bowie knife is a good chopper, it was used mostly as a stabbing weapon. It being so similar to the seax makes me think that the seax might have been used in a similar fashion. Specially when they were wearing armour...

[@Jürgen_von_Schumacher]

The runes on the shield spell Jórvík as in the Danish kingdom of York in the Danskerret (Danelaw) that was conquered by the Danes

[@dking2121]

Awesome!

[@forevertoremain]

"Cleave a horse and rider in two" lol yeah

[@tatumergo3931]

It was a very tiny horse with a very small rider on top of it!......About four feet tall!

[@isabellehenderson779]

Excellent guys. Thanks.

[@bushwalker75]

Elder Futhark runes on a viking age shield?

[@richstone2627]

Wrong Runes for the Viking Age.

[@YngvarTheStag]

And we still to this day, wonder how the Vikings got so far. How could we not, with such technology? Honestly.

[@CaptainMarmite]

Looking well brother. 😉

[@dergraf4681]

and when is the age of every part originally?

[@hilmarheathkliff9511]

isnt that daneaxe a bit longer than the historical ones in order to keep up with reenactorisms? definitely seen even longer in my short time reenacting, so i gotta praise the restraint of the added length. think the real ones tended to be 30 cm or so shorter in the handle. maybe for close quarters swinging rather than formations like ive seen in reenactment?

[@ResidentWeevil82]

Their Dane Axe is consistent with typical finds, which ranged between 0.9 - 1.2m in the haft and 20 - 30cm in the arc of the cutting edge. These were field weapons, and indeed were used in formations frequently, particularly well documented by the Byzantines when describing the Varangian mercenaries.

[@TheGardener14]

thank you that helped with my work

[@reubenfoster3066]

ye same with me

[@WOLFENDRACUL]

Thank you for sharing! I Have a Combat School in my country, and one day I want to meet you!

[@takingbackthehammer6527]

Rivited mail is heavier the butted? My rivited mail is half the weight of any butted I have seen

[@harryh4rp4n31]

indeed, since most (almost all) period accurate mail was not only riveted, but they were also flat rings so it should be much lighter than modern round butted mail

[@thememorablenovelist5876]

this is historical accurate wow j love this

[@Logan71838]

Isnt one of those helmets from the vendal period which predates the viking age?

[@konradin8715]

Yes, it´s from the Vendel Period, but the borders between the Vendel Period and the Viking Age are pretty vague. Furthermore, good pieces of armour were extremely valuable and therefore passed on for generations. At least for the early Viking Age, the usage of helmets crafted during the Vendel Period is plausible.

[@russbrown4137]

Where do you get all your gear from?

[@dsmit9998]

thanks this was usfull for school work

[@FeatheredDino]

Chain mail likely wasn't common among Vikings, it was almost certainly reserves for the far more wealthy among them. As best we can tell, the majority of Viking likely wore their every day clothes into battle, usually a few layers of thick cloth or fur lined clothing covered by some sort of gambeson like cloth garment; as it happens, the thick winter adornment was relatively effective against weapons.

[@hilmarheathkliff9511]

i dont know if you watched all of it but in the chainmail segment they kinda say that chainmail was very hard to acquire

[@LucidWanderer]

First lets get that whole "Viking was an occupation not an ethnicity" blah blah thing out of the way, It is generally well known that when someone says Viking they are referring to Germanic raiding culture. What you must understand is that when you say Viking you encompass a very large group of people from a variety of nations and organizations. Early Viking raiders such as those as Lindisfarne in 793 probably did not all have chainmail but thick winter adornment as you have said correctly, although they might have discarded some of this due to the warmth of the southern lands. Those such as the Jomsvikings, who were an elite order of mercenary warriors, deeply devoted to the Norse gods Thor and Odin, during the 11th century most likely all had chainmail equipment as these were professional warriors who demanded large sums of payment for their service.

[@the.medievalist]

6:30 I believe that the sword could also be bent and buried with a warrior..

[@Juanmantt]

Sometimes, but if they had kids, they would’ve probably passed them down (unless their kids had their own sword already)

[@dominicbrandl7843]

Das war ziemlich üblich, um zu verhindern, dass sich der andere aus dem Grab heraus rächt. Denn ist das Schwert gebrochen ist es auch seine Kraft und Seele

[@theviking6052]

I do hand carved handle for the seax

[@ME_YA4P]

Aren't those sword hilts too long?

[@tylerthrash3155]

Broken back was a Anglo Saxon knife more common to them than the Vikings, vikings had more drop point or straight across knives like a mora. From what I have found in weapon history

[@ResidentWeevil82]

Correct, though Anglo Saxon style knives did see use enough for it to considered acceptable kit for a reenactment set. Remember that the Vikings were quite pragmatic, often looting any decent gear they find, and it's not unreasonable for them to pick up a knife in the field and see good use for it.

[@forevertoremain]

Definitely some broke back Viking between shield brothers lol

[@Christopherson2006]

Is Wunjo also used as a V? Not just a W

[@tommo101able]

i read somewhere that the Saxons got their name from the Seaxe that they carried

[@YngvarTheStag]

Brilliant.

[@yas4702]

7:14 these are not to be trifled with *proceeds to trifle with*

[@harperwalsh9041]

Where did you get your seax knives? I can see their blunt for reenactment, trying to find one myself.

[@gillianstewart5686]

Armour Class make them. Scottish sword maker

[@rickbolt1308]

Armour Class, Heron Armouries and Wieland Forge would be a good starting point, also Black Raven Crafts from Ireland👍

[@harperwalsh9041]

@@rickbolt1308 cheers man, very helpful

[@taylorahern3755]

Great Demonstration👍👍👍👍👍 Irish Gallowglass mercenaries still dressed in similar types of chain mail up until the dawn of the 1600s, fighting skillfully & ferociously with axes, all while Scottish Highland clansmen were donning such chain mail & also wielding Norse styled axes until the 1650s, if not until the late 1680s in some cases. Great Stuff!! Odin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@thegreenmage6956]

And of course, the highlanders were descended from the Celts, the original INVENTORS of this chainmail as well ;)

[@tatumergo3931]

​@@thegreenmage6956 . But weren't the Gallowglass and some Scots also descendants of vikings as well?

[@jamiecorrigan3241]

For anyone interested in the Viking sword, they should see 'The Viking Sword What It Was And Was Not' by Peter Johnsson which in its way is quite amazing. It is a MUST SEE. But don't forget to read the newest comments. Comments from which Peter Johnsson has Run Like A Frightened Rabbit For Over Two Years NOW.

[@Vladimir-no4vo]

I haven't seen any evidence of viking maces. Yes they did find a bronze mace in Sweden but it was dated too around 12 th 13 th century after the viking age. As there is no evidence of them in the sagas

[@Vladimir-no4vo]

Also they did use animal bones (not ancestors) to reinforce iron with carbon making primitive steel however it's not known whether or not they did it knowingly probable not as they were wising to enchant the weapon with the animals spirit

[@ResidentWeevil82]

I'd say they deliberately made their steel, given the fact that the usage of bones is noted as extremely rare, but most of the steel found in their sites shows sign of good carburisation, as well as them using methods like pattern welding to get the most out of it. Perhaps the usage of bones cones from the animist cults, known to coexist in their society alongside the mainstream belief in the gods. As for maces, we have no real findings that suggest that they made them, and there was not a huge degree of need, given their more nimble style of combat and the fact that they weren't often facing heavily armoured opponents. Even the Varangian mercenaries employed by the Byzantines saw little need for things like maces, finding that their axes and spears were sufficient. Against most opponents, it would be a matter of not going for the head, and watching out for the ones who used maille, going more for known weak points and whatnot. Maces would become much more popular later, as plate started to emerge more frequent, and opponents were much more likely to at the very least be using gambesons and maille. When all oponents are heavily armoured, blunt force weapons become much more appealing, as those can deal directly with that sort of thing.

[@gregoryengberg2878]

They may be referencing the Kievan Rus and Varangians who used knobbed bronze/copper alloy maces late in the Viking era.

[@dandulus9393]

such a cool and funny video !

[@kevinroche3334]

Sounds just like an early army recruitment video!

[@trygveblacktiger597]

Spears wasnt just common it was the warriors weapon easy to make easy to learn and very deadly in the hands of a skilled warrior. Most vikings including nobles mostly likely where armed with them with swords and axes being secondary incase it broke.

[@gradyratliff2034]

Recreating....the..good..ol....days.

[@polar-jake786]

this was very fascinating to watch,Thanks for the video.

[@maudarbocushashim5688]

pause at exactly 3:47, this looks badass

[@user_abbuser]

And have a vikings bows and arrows?

[@baronzaebos8888]

Yes. Vikings did also use bows for hunting as well as battle.

[@colingroot1877]

I like this video a lot but I would be very impressed indeed if you could chop a horse in half with that Dane axe

[@CIA-M]

do you have any written or archeological sources for adding the bones of their ancestors to the steel for swords? sounds interesting, but haven't found it in my research.

[@JORVIK-Viking-Centre]

There is some speculation about this - sourced from Lotte Hedeager’s Iron Age Myth and Materiality (2011), in which she cites Gansum, Terje. ‘Role the bones - from iron to steel.’ Norwegian Archaeological Review 37 no. 1 (2004): 41-57. However, this is speculative rather than a proven act.

[@CIA-M]

@@JORVIK-Viking-Centre will look into it for a bit, thank you.

[@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603]

@@JORVIK-Viking-Centre We do know that they used bones, But as for using the ancestors bones I kinda think it's a nice story to tell the kids.Yet it's still believed by a lot of people.

[@pablo918]

Hail to the gods for find you!!!!

[@paulbentley1705]

Cool!

[@travisgoonan7667]

Is that an armour class sword?

[@haeleth7218]

One thing was forgotten in this video. If you owned a full mail shirt and helmet - it was probably the equivalent of owning a Bugatti Veyron nowadays.

[@marvinnope6050]

I never heard that Vikings used Maces, what is the source for that?

[@andreaslarsson5084]

Great work.my friends. I am i interesting in knowing more about the mace. How common was that weapon? And who wielded it?

[@jimpickens4067]

@The JORVIK Group what is with the Norman mace?

[@personifiedape5347]

Well the Normans are Viking descendants. Just later 😆

[@jimpickens4067]

@@personifiedape5347 How does that justify the use of a post Viking era weapon being used to demonstrate what weapons Vikings used?

[@personifiedape5347]

@@jimpickens4067 my god. It’s called a tutorial. Chill out!

[@jimpickens4067]

@@personifiedape5347 I do not think you are familiar with the Jorvik Group at all are you.... or even the word Tutorial... the purpose of the group is for education, non factual statements is not education it is mis information

[@personifiedape5347]

@@jimpickens4067 considering I’ve lived in York since I was 5 I know very well the Jorvik Group. I think you are nitpicking considering the mace was used albeit not that popular with the Vikings. Trying to make out they are spreading misinformation is utter nonsense, simply because the head of the mace was not a Viking region design. Are you this pedantic about everything in life?

[@atrior7290]

Butted / Split mail was *never* used as armor in history. The only archeological finds of such mail are : -some 16th century Japanese "armors" that were trying to immitate what they saw the portugese wearing after their first contact for fashion -on the neck of some extremely ornate ottoman helmets (so ornate and garnished with precious stones that we're pretty sure they weren't ment for combat) -some extremely rare and scarse fragments from the Iron age 450 B.-C. There were rumors of a roman find but they were dissmissed by the British Arms Museum who take care of the piece that was thought to be split mail and they confirmed it was riveted.

[@demetric4476]

Awesome content sirs, gratitude! Where can I find some riveted Mail shirts like his?

[@ericdpeerik3928]

Start digging in York... That's what they did 🤪

[@demetric4476]

Hah!

[@dphillips95c]

At 4:33 I was actually a little worried he was going to cut him as a demonstration.

[@ericdpeerik3928]

Next video they're demonstrating the bloodeagle

[@europeanlion6212]

This was great information. Thank you 😊

[@rhysnichols8608]

Interesting video, although on the sword demo, you can’t slice a man open through mail. It’s almost impossible to slice open steel. Swords were for stabbing at the torso or slicing exposed area!

[@forevertoremain]

You have spotted a flaw in this pantomime!

[@jjflores512]

You guys should do Aztec weapons

[@ericdpeerik3928]

The Aztec population of Jorvik was legendary

[@გიორგი_ჩირაძე]

Nice video 🤙❤

[@natetaylor9002]

....always fun to see Mall Ninjas in action....or in this case, old pot bellied men playing at being vikings! What they said was accurate enough though...

[@tatumergo3931]

When you get older, you get to live all of your childhood fantasies! ......Mom can't tell you not to spend your money on toys!

[@marinoproton3066]

Thank you for explaining the weapons of Vikings. FYI, the Samurai warriors never used shields. So there is a way for Viking spearman to fight alone.

[@bogi2557]

Well they are Across the globe, so they would probably never fight

[@someguy3861]

Samurai never used shields, maybe, but japanese footsoldiers did for some time. Might have something to do with Samurai's primary weapon being a bow, tbh.

[@edcrocker1367]

knew of shield maidens but not shield brothers. fucking sick

[@ajayavsm7476]

Sheild Maiden is just the name for female Vikings it does not mean they only use sheilds

[@tristinkirby]

these guys are great 🤣

[@fenrirsfury9856]

Its called longaxe 👍

[@tatumergo3931]

Is it no longer called a Dane axe? Damn and I was already getting used to the name....!

[@ernststefan583]

Bow and Arrow? Slingshot? Crossbow?

[@bjornbanan684]

Its called longaxe

[@giggityskull8986]

Idk about that mace guys. Are you sure thats historical? What about the atgeir? The viking halberd?

[@tatumergo3931]

It definitely would have been the oddity in a battlefield, yet there's record of it being used by the Normans. It was also one of the first weapons on record of the proto-northmen as well as of most other northern european tribes. The Atgeir mentioned in one of the sagas, what did it look like? Was it a winged spear, or some type of Dane axe? So far no one knows for sure...

[@mgregormaywether2575]

I watched this at scolle

[@earthdog2244]

i understand that the Dane Axe was a formidable weapon, I agree. I don't think it could cleave a man, let alone a horse, in half, in one stroke. Sorry I call bullshit.

[@AndersAnvil]

What is the source material for your combat?

[@nathandebue9209]

There are none. We have the sagas but that's, as Skallagrim would say, viking Hollywood. We also have paintings but they don't talk so it needs to be interpreted. Truly we can only guess on how they used their weapons. The closest we could have in historical manuals is the use of short sword and buckler, except the shield is way bigger. But it can give an idea.

[@Daylon91]

@@nathandebue9209 they wouldn't be clanging there swords like in the demonstration lmao like stupid Hollywood movies

[@nathandebue9209]

@@Daylon91 oh yeah definitely. I'm aware of that don't worry haha

[@romdoesmtb3152]

Do not mess around with Viking weapons they are dangerous 😬😮

[@НовостнойканалМ.Ю.М]

you are in battle without a comforter ?!

[@HrothgarTheSaxon]

I love the scowls from the guy on the left! You should avoid fencing with saxes in that manner and thrusting the top of an axe-head into your opponent's chest will do practically nothing. People have been clubbing each other ever since the first stick was discovered lying on the floor, but there is no evidence of Vikings having maces. Nice video though. "The Dane-Axe-Man, not to be trifled with!" - so I'm going to go up against him right now...

[@wayneemery5709]

Where’s your biker gear 😂😂😂

[@rya7642]

my lord

[@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603]

Mace ? . I have used every other weapon even have a lot myself but I didn't know they used the mace. I would questions that fact. They also used bows and sling's and I don't think they used a crossbow as they would have been to light for battle. And as for throwing the axe I have said for years I didn't think they would throw a perfectly good weapon away maybe if they had no choice but not in a normal fight.

[@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603]

As for chainmail most people couldn't afford it in any type. A few extra layers of clothing was what most would have had.

[@danielgomezmartin6706]

@@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603 Not to mention butted mail is not historical... ;P

[@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603]

@@danielgomezmartin6706 butted mail started in India as far as I know. And any that survive is from the age of fire arms

[@albrechtvonhummelsberg9089]

As far as i know there is no evidence for butted mail in europe. The only butted mail that I know of is from asia, for instance japan or as you mentioned india.

[@danielgomezmartin6706]

@@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603 Exactly! Meant not historical for europe, just India, Japan and some others of Asia

[@crafter170]

A bit like the East End of Glasgow in the 70s.......

[@bigbake132]

Stab city lol

[@p.s.5135]

Wiliam walace is a viking wow

[@nathandebue9209]

Where did you get that?

[@p.s.5135]

@@nathandebue9209 you hear the accent ? This dude thinks he a viking

[@nathandebue9209]

@@p.s.5135 oh yeah haha right.

[@Preuen-zs1fz]

0:35 wa is dat 😂

[@-OokySpooky-]

Actually that exact moment is my favorite part. Obviously these are supposed to be very verrrry simple introductions to the weapons themselves to people who don't really know but at 0:35 there's a split sloppy moment of both of them having jittery hands. That's actually real as hell. Without hand protection a knife fight is literally the scariest thing in the damned world to be in. So you see for a split second that 😬 moment in both of their movements towards each other till they realize their blunts and get into playful stage fighting. The short spear one got me pretty good though lol

[@masseyfurguson8871]

@@-OokySpooky- that’s why I wear mechanix ruggedized gloves 🧤

[@n7justin994]

there were no unriveted chainmail in general because its fucking useless ! its a modern cosplay thing

[@richstone2627]

Indeed. The fragments of mail found from the Viking Age were round ring riveted followed by a row of round ring solid then a row of round ring riveted etc. etc.

[@kyleminks912]

"probably not thrown in battle" (tlking about the axe) the vikings: literally famous for charging in with 2 axes or 2 spears and chucking them at the enemy before forming a shield wall me: audible confusion

[@rogerwood4846]

excellent and not a woke in sight

[@kmstirpitz4285]

That's a nice head you have on your shoulders.

[@sdv4675]

I have problems with this video, or more so with some claims made in it.

[@Juanmantt]

Such as?

[@joeyvanhaperen7715]

All of these are fine, but mace? I'm pretty sure vikings diden't use maces, they knew what they were and they did exist in there time but I'm pretty sure they just diden't use them. Maces are great against armor but the armor of the time like your showing just wasn't that great yet, not to say it wasn't highly protectif, but they diden't really need to resort to use blunt force to bypass armor they could still chop true it. Also I have yet to hear about a archilogical find of a macehead that would confurm that vikings used maces. Daneaxe cleaving a horse in 2 is not really true the blade doesn't have enough edge to actuely do that, but serieusly f*cking horse up or severing it's legs with one blow YES FOR SURE. 🤣 This is a really good video for people that know very little about vikings. Would have liked it if you also explained why the nazel helm has the nazel, cause that little piece of metal will look very strange for people that are less informed about the subject. All and all good job though! 👍

[@matimus100]

The guy that's saying nothing looks trouble

[@A.W.B174]

Bruh