Viking Combat Forum 2024 Event Report

To watch the complete Dane axe presentation, go here: exciting-pioneer-6049.ck.page...
You are welcome to get in touch e.g. via my website: dimicator.com
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Erratum: The event organizer's name is not Sølberg but Solberg. I apologize.

[@swordandshield]

To watch the complete Dane axe presentation, go here: exciting-pioneer-6049.ck.page/68ce4e381d You are welcome to get in touch e.g. via my website: dimicator.com Find hundreds of related posts here: www.patreon.com/Dimicator/posts Erratum: The event organizer's name is not Sølberg but Solberg. I apologize.

[@jancello]

It's surprising to see how far from Matt Easton's view on the Dane axe (presented in an excellent video) they are.

[@richstone2627]

Thank you for sharing this video and your time.

[@swordandshield]

You are most welcome. Thanks for your appreciation.

[@Davlavi]

Amazing thanks for sharing I hope this continues.

[@SM-nz9ff]

Nice yeah keep up the good work. Its important to remember like you point out a lot your self is that biomechanics are still the same and we are in a different context but have the same human brain. So much that you've shown on your channel alone is very plausible and indeed worth showing/doing.

[@boghoss5798]

Can't wait until this all becomes mainstream information and we start to see it in the popular media during the next inevitable viking resurgence in the culture. I'd love to see you and your peers hired as historical advisors/choreographers for film and TV!

[@swordandshield]

I would like that too, and I have advised documentaries occasionally. However, final decisions are with the director and producers, which is why so often we see top researchers in a documentary, and then there are scenes with lousy props and filthy actors with long fuzzy hair in ahistorical crap costume. But: Hope springs eternal!

[@manfredconnor3194]

Wow! This is incredibly interesting! I am jealous!

[@billpark8988]

Excellent presentation. Concise and informative. Well done.

[@swordandshield]

Thank you.

[@brucemagee3199]

Exalant information, thankyou for posting it.

[@swordandshield]

You are welcome.

[@gorbalsboy]

Very good , I would hope you are getting recognition for being a driving force in this area of research,most of the hema based research seems to be based on interpretation and the most effective techniques for one on one combat rather than massed combat .all the best from sunny Troon 😊

[@swordandshield]

Thanks for your appreciation. Being invited to academic conferences already is some great recognition of my work.

[@cambo1200]

7:27 My business meetings would be more interesting if we also had live combat demonstrations.

[@swordandshield]

😆On day 2, we had to move to a different conference room, as the previous one was double-booked. When the guys of that other meeting learned about the nature of our conference, they said they would much rather join us and watch the demos!

[@cambo1200]

@@swordandshield 😂

[@Widsith83]

👌⚔️

[@tatumergo3931]

The term recreationist should also be used.

[@swordandshield]

In which context?

[@tatumergo3931]

@@swordandshield . What I meant to say was that recreationist should be included in these talks, instead of just reenactors who don't necessarily tend to be historically accurate. To me reenactors sounds to much like LAARPing and not having the seriousness for this project.

[@HrothgarTheSaxon]

No spears? 😲

[@swordandshield]

Of course spears were discussed in various contexts, plus we looked at originals too. Yet any such format can only cover so much.

[@HrothgarTheSaxon]

@@swordandshield Wasn't a reproach. Swords always get the glory...

[@swordandshield]

@@HrothgarTheSaxon True. And I am a sword geek too, although that's no news I guess.

[@giftzwerg7345]

@@swordandshield can you answer me why reenactors dont usae fencing masks? like year its not historycal, but so is the fencistyle that has to be guild around it to keep everyone save. Greek hoplite reenactors show how it can be done, and they also show why people didnt fight in shoving matches (b c everyone would die, tho for some reason they dont seem to change thier mind.

[@swordandshield]

@@giftzwerg7345 I notice you also asked this question in a separate thread. I have replied to it there.

[@giftzwerg7345]

Reenactors need to start wearing fencing masks, and be equipeed with save spears, an then they need to experiment and acctually try to do deadly blows and reacreate battlefield drawings and accounts. The way how the reenactors fight in this video really shows the problem, they fence / fight with the spears ad weighst chest levl, far away for the unprotected head and face to avoid hitting it when in reality that and the shoulders would have been your prime target. i realy dont understand why reenactors care more about one to one equipment that a one to one reacreation ofthe action, the combat that happened.

[@swordandshield]

I did re-enactment fighting for many years myself, and had some great wild fun. So I for one understand why one would enjoy it. Of course it is ahistorical and far from what is suggested by historical accounts and archaeology, e.g. in terms of technique, weapon length etc. However, putting on masks and using other blunted weapon simulators is just a different form of distorsion, if we are honest. You may argue that it is closer to actual combat because there is no limitation regarding hit areas etc. And I am inclined to say that this is true, in particular considering range and measure. However, in my experience, people wearing masks tend to take risks that they would not take without protection. Plus, even more importantly, sharp weapon interaction is a major factor in historical combat. Blunt weapons are distorting this. For instance, sharp spears get stuck in shields, sharp swords can move shields and control spear shafts in a meaningful way. Sharp edges get dull in combat so that they can still kill but no longer bite and bind with precision without resharpening. All these options and correlations are gone when weapons are blunt. Really makes you wonder what training looked like in the day.

[@tatumergo3931]

Reenactors are just that, actors who are reenacting. Instead we should concentrate more on recreationists who are the ones more interested in historical facts and accurate information!

[@swordandshield]

@@tatumergo3931I agree that actual research and archaeological experimentation is not a focus of the general sports fighting re-enactment community. However, this does not mean that research is not appreciated by that community. In fact, I'd say the opposite is true, even when there is little noticable impact. Plus, there are always exceptions: I originally come from that scene too, and so does Tom, Jersø. I think there is a great overlap, and in regard to craftspeople, we should be happy that re-enactment/living history exists. With a clear focus, it is possible to takle the best from both worlds, and like you I hope there will be more people interested in history per se in the future.