What Made Viking Weaponry So Effective? | Vikings | Absolute History

This series follows the Vikings everywhere they went, revealing new discoveries that turn Viking history on its head. We tell their incredible story from eye-witness accounts and the foremost experts on Viking warfare and way of life.
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[@hoi-polloi1863]

I understand the Oseberg reconstruction team then sailed South and plundered the British Museum and the Louvre. When asked why, the scientists explained they were going for "authenticity".

[@fredenord2411]

Im on a team that has made a 100 accurate replica of the Oseberg shown here and now we are making the Gokstad ship. We Will be done 5 - 6 years

[@tobilikebacon]

in what country?

[@mobilegamersunite]

I would kill to sail that ship! Sounds like a fun job.

[@mobilegamersunite]

Can you build me one that's motorized? 😂 Now that would be a badass ship....fuk a yacht ⛵ 😂

[@thisguy8100]

What is your life lol

[@fredenord2411]

@@thisguy8100 its pretty good. Could not wish for a better job

[@billmiller4972]

Big plus for mentioning the importance of wetstones.

[@MlSHKlN]

the intertwined art on stone carvings and metal work always make me wonder about how much more inscriptions and art that was probably carved into wood that we will never know about, and the historical and mythological events they may have described the metal work is so much more complex than the stone carvings, and since wood is easier to work with than either of them, i bet we have lost some of the most complex and amazing artwork humanity has ever produced

[@TrapperAaron]

I would argue that something like our contemporary spacecraft are far more complex than anything produced by the Norse peoples of 2000 years ago. Just saying.

[@MlSHKlN]

@@TrapperAaron artwork

[@civroger]

@@TrapperAaron Yes, because spacecrafts are filled with thousands of years of history and art...Way to miss the point entirely XD

[@kylegreene1356]

@@TrapperAaron learn to read.

[@bobjohnson1633]

Aside from China, the only generally literate people where citizens of the Roman Christian empire starting with normalization of Latin bibles in the 5th century. If you weren't one of a few advanced societies prior to 1000 years ago, your people likely had barely any writings of any kind.

[@georgepretnick4460]

The Viking fighting axe is very similar to hewing axes used to square logs and timber. Quite similar. A bearded axe and adze were integral to boat building. The iron age provided the technology to make larger boats. The tools {axes} they used to build boats were instantly utilized to raid and pillage.

[@thomasclerke4725]

I agree. When an axe is used and mastered to cut trees, it then would be most deadly. The force and aim is practiced to do the most damage efficiently with the least effort. They were certainly woodsmen.

[@simen6637]

They had at least 27 different types of axes for ship building. We know about sets of 27 but it might have been more.. It is true that the bearded axe is mostly for carving shipwork but also bigger bearded axes was used to fight with. They were mostly sharp both in front of the axe as usual AND underside of the axe head. They used that to cut anklels under shieldwalls.

[@yvc9]

The wood carvings are some of the most exquisite I have ever seen.

[@catharinepizzarello4784]

This is fascinating! Thank you so much for this beautiful documentary!

[@austinnewby9666]

I'm just a lowly welder. But in awe of their ability to forge iron hot enough to create these awesome mighty fearsome weapons.

[@chrisdeal9945]

Welders aren't lowly , carnies and roadies are lowly lol ! A lot of roofers also. Im a welder too and we are watching stuff like this over cartoons, netflix or bookface

[@mattl3729]

I've forged stuff like this for a long time and sure, it's cool but just like anything else, it's mainly only amazing because you can't do it yourself (yet). It's not actually all that difficult with some training and practice. I'm not a great welder so seeing how some people- let alone professionals- do it kind of amazes me LOL

[@kolspok6125]

Ur not lowly imo engineers are the most important jobs humanity has ever mby farming is its only equal think about it in the last 4000 years engineers have been responsible for almost every innovation in tech we buildt the world we live in today and we would all be cave men without them theres not many jobs u could say that about so be proud to be a welder ur trade had carried humanity into the modern age

[@TheNguyenGiap]

From a time when the ships were made of wood and the men were made of iron...

[@bobjohnson1633]

Expert engineers were far more limited in the scope of their skills compared to a welder that has 26 hours away from work to sleep and screw off.

[@hamsteren2509]

Fun fact... There is records that a sharpening stone was used as a weapon in war. It was a large stone.

[@ReasonAboveEverything]

I mean, it's a heavy thing. Propably occured more than once.

[@davidslor7103]

@Hamsteren 2 In the duel between Thor and the jætte (giant troll) Hrungner, Thor had Mjølner and Hrungner had his trusted and - until then - highly effective sharpening stone. They both hurled their weapons and Mjølner crushed both the sharpening stone and Hrungners skull in one go. But a splint from the sharpening Stone embedded itself in Thors forehead. It stayed there and it said that every time a human in middle earth sharpens a knive, sword or axe the splint vibrates and disturbs Thors thoughts...

[@raimundotorres44]

@@davidslor7103 I found sharpening my knives on a whetstone a bit therapeutic, but now that you said that I feel bad for Thor.

[@davidslor7103]

@@raimundotorres44 Hehe. Maybe that's why you should never let your tools go completely dull so they need a thorough overhaul, but just a very gentle touch up. Otherwise you might get an unpleasant visit from a headache ridden thundergod.

[@mattiaswennerhult9451]

2:14 "Vikings went to war equipped to kill". As opposed to whom? No other army had done that before? Tha facts man.

[@givemegrape1688]

as opposed to those who didnt obviously, silly question really

[@mattiaswennerhult9451]

@@givemegrape1688 Those who went to war not equipped to kill? Would that be people like you maybe? "I'm going to war equipped to plant flowers!"

[@givemegrape1688]

@@mattiaswennerhult9451 pfft, nah, someones gotta run the hotdog stand when time out is called. Come on dude, get with the picture here.

[@MyBinaryLife]

there is no one who didnt. everyone went to war equipped to kill@@givemegrape1688

[@jimtalbott9535]

38:50 - The Vikings did NOT "Capture" Constantinople. Are are they being conflated with the 1204 capture by Latin forces? If anything, the Vikings were very friendly with the Eastern Romans, and even provided Imperial Bodyguards.

[@kalebloshbough1551]

Yeah wtf is he talking about unless he means crusaders had Viking mercenarys

[@unicornstuffing4831]

you're right, they did try to sack Constantinople or at least Bjorn Jarnsida (most know him as "Bjorn Ironside") did, but they never captured it. After they tried Basil II was so impressed by them he created the Varangian guard. Only capture I remember on the top of my head is by Latin forces in the early 13th century and then later the Ottomans in mid 15th (1445 to 1450's)

[@wishnow3802]

Poor script writing combined with editing. Try not to blame the historians

[@Georges_Haussmann]

What its referring too is the swedes of Kiev, who on behalf of the deposed Roman emperor retook it

[@salrivera7578]

Jjj viking never even conquer galicia spain but I can tell they start to work for the Christian kingdom and by the end of the day they return back home talking they found the real God in the south plus they still have the cross hanging in there neck the only reason they went through the water gate in south spain because a deal was made with the Christian kingdom first and then they start going east to get everything was needed and they still work for the bother hood princess

[@jeffstevens156]

Earned a sub and another notch in the algorithm. Thank You!

[@tropicalbabe1]

After doing geneology research, which I began years ago, I have found out and need to let others, including the curator at the Oslo Viking Ship museum, know that the female older lady was indeed, my direct ancestor, Asa Haraldsdottir, Queen of Norway, and my 40th great grandmother. She was the daughter of Harold, The Redbeard, born in 743 in Norway and died in 834. LOL, I startaed kayaking in the 1990's, which have a very similar build to these Viking ships, generally, in terms of being able to navigate shallow waters. Also, my skeleton is almost the same as the one of the "older lady" found in the ship! 🙂Also, I have a battle axe, which is very comfortable for me to hold, as well as other classic Norwegian traits, included being "addicted" to being in the water, for all of my life! Reply

[@blitzkreg335]

Dude just think how incredibly amazing it would be to build a Viking ship, from start to finish, completely the way they used to do it and sail it on the seas! I can't wrap my head around it.

[@ZuNk]

Just awesome! And sailing up rivers and stuff. In Norway we have a viking ship called ''Draken Harald Hårfagre''. Look up ''Draken in the north sea storm'' on youtube :D they sail it through some rough sea. They sailed it to the U.S aswell :)

[@shanechambers9529]

One day I'll know

[@henriknielsen9674]

We do it in my town, we got loads of real viking ships. (Roskilde viking ship museum)

[@Garblegox]

33:03 give these two a whole documentary

[@j.p.foleyjr.6333]

That head strike will cost him later lol

[@rodyates1]

Both the Oseberg Ship, at Oslo, and the Roskilde Museum in Denmark are so worth seeing. Next to the Oseberg ship, there are some fragments of textile that really make you marvel at how sophisticated such people must have been. Don't miss them. How can we comprehend that such people evolved with such finesse?

[@Apeshaft]

And if you visit Sweden, you should really visit the Wasa museum. It's not a viking ship, but it dominated the Baltic sea completely for over 15 minutes before it sank.

[@orionrodi]

As an "old" shipbuilder, i'm impressed, that some of the ships, could sail up to 22 knots.

[@tim1398]

@@Apeshaft That's what happens when absolute rulers design things.

[@francesbacon7825]

I loved the series where the celebrities became how people lived in certain times. Would love to see it done in different times again. That was excellent.

[@chris.asi_romeo]

Excellent documentary 👏👏👏. It filled my thirst for history

[@peterlee9691]

Love how ornate the ships were and the fact that both half of the ship is identical, split in half like a mirror from the same stock wood.

[@2003evodave]

What??? Why would any ships hull be different from the port side to starboard side?

[@george2113]

@@2003evodave the shipwright who built like Jake Lingerfelt would have been given the blood eagle. This guy built a house with the east side a cinder block shorter than the west side. His measuring tool was a yard stick with the first three inches missing. My brother and I put the shingles on the roof.

[@cherylcallahan5402]

Absolute History weapons of the Viking & Ships Listening from Mass USA TYVM 💙

[@ExkupidsMom]

This is so interesting. This is the kind of Absolute History episode I really like, second only to watching Ruth & Co. live and work in historical settings.

[@varden506]

They’re actually not produced by absolute history, all these history channels are owned by Little dot studios who pay to relicense other companies documentaries for monetization on KZbin. You can actually find all of the ones they haven’t released on KZbin , some are even on their other channel “Timeline”. Just incase ya wanna find the rest of some of these series!

[@ExkupidsMom]

@@varden506 I had no idea! Thank you so much! I will keep my eyes out. Your explanation makes so much more sense. I couldn't understand how this lovely calm show sometimes went completely off the rails into sensationalism. Now I know. :-)

[@varden506]

@@ExkupidsMom my pleasure! Yup that’s exactly how that ends up happening 😂 I had a similar experience before I found out. The channels of theirs I’ve found besides this one so far are : a Odyssey-Ancient History channel, Timeline, Perspective, and Tracks. and they’ve all got super fascinating documentaries on there depending on what one is looking for!

[@ExkupidsMom]

@@varden506 Thanks! I'm going to go check them out. Not that I need any more distractions from work, but I'm going to take my chances! You're a peach, RV.

[@garyfordham4447]

@@varden506 hvhb no

[@j.p.foleyjr.6333]

31:47 The guy doing the translation is definitely going above and beyond to have a strong warrior's voice! LOL

[@TheMattc999]

🤣

[@VulcanM61]

wtf was that. why was he a cartoon 😂

[@waynegray675]

I know right! I was hoping to find a comment pointing out the translator's hyperbole 😂🤣

[@zhanglin3265]

"Vikings believed that everything had its place and purpose; there was a deity for practically everything. Their religion was polytheistic, animistic, and pantheistic; in their belief system, even inanimate objects had souls. They held old-world magic in high regard, and there were elements of shamanism in their religion. This list explores the key elements of what Vikings believed." - Lyra Radford

[@jakevoss7885]

Sounds remarkably like Shintoism

[@woodspirit98]

Sounds like you knew a whole lot of them.

[@LegendStormcrow]

@@jakevoss7885 I thought the same thing. Weird that I know more about Shintoism, yet I'm decended from the Norse.

[@woodspirit98]

Even their shoes had souls

[@TrapperAaron]

TLDR Don't mean to be a dick but doesn't polytheism cover the rest of the adjectives listed?

[@rafehr1378]

Thank You for the knowledge.

[@bufordhighwater9872]

In all the talk of the modern reproduction of viking ships, no mention of Gerhard Folgero's cross-Atlantic voyage in 1927, or the Hjemkomst's in 1982?

[@ovehall6359]

Hjemkomst means homecoming

[@bufordhighwater9872]

@@ovehall6359 It was also the name of a ship built in Minnesota by a school guidance counselor, whose children sailed it from Duluth, Minnesota to Bergen, Norway in 1982.

[@OpalBees]

Thanks for giving me another rabbit hole to fall down, haha. I can already see where this voyage would have proved… a lot

[@MrVvulf]

You left out the "Viking" which sailed from Bergen, Norway to Chicago in 1893, and was an exact replica of the Gokstad ship. The Atlantic crossing portion of the journey took around a month, and then a couple months (with publicity stops) to navigate the riverways up to Chicago. It was sailed by Captain Magnus Andersen and 11 crew members. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_(replica_Viking_longship)

[@suaspontenun7752]

Excellent job and a joy to watch!

[@bueford668]

We have the first Gokstad Viking Ship replica here in the USA. Norway built it and sailed it here in 1893 for the Chicago Worlds Columbian Exposition. My friend Max was key to getting it put away and back under cover from the elements saving it. Before they moved it inside he took me to see it ware they had it sitting outside just under a tin roof canopy for years. I climbed under the cheep fence and went aboard taking many cool pictures.The ship is still intact but needs restoration. Max Hansen has been to Norway and brought it to their and everybody's attention to save it. That is how it got moved indoors. I felt my heritage when I was on that ship.

[@fishsoft92]

The Vikings are my biggest influence in knife design. I can’t wait to get the forge up and running to start making them.

[@donbrown2391]

Nice. But...the Vikings did not "Capture Constantinople."

[@davidstambaugh569]

Wood that comes from bent logs can have what is known as reaction wood. The wood on the convex side can be very brittle and crack easily. I would imagine that they had a sharp eye for such features, but must have rejected a lot of wood.

[@kezzler9556]

They used the same method when building the 17ct man of wars. They would study the natural curve in each piece and use it to gain strength.

[@dougyfresh198095]

It's really not hard to see the planks one can get out of each individual tree. Because just like everything else no two are the same. Especially since living in true nature was life. I sometimes wonder what they would think of the world today if they could see it.

[@Fenrir.Gleipnir]

They where craftsmen and the wood they choose is very very very strong!

[@tobilikebacon]

i really enjoy the roskilde vikingeskibs museum if you ever visit near the area it's a place filled with information about viking history!

[@vaughnslavin9784]

Thank you!

[@jimmorris8158]

The Vikings also stripped the dead foes of weapons and armor

[@stephanreichelt2700]

The Warriors wielding them

[@palmarolavlklingholm9684]

At least in the beginning, not many Viking Warriors had Swords. Swords were very expensive, and the first raids were done out of pretty much desperation for resources. The most common weapons were axes and spears. The outspread use of swords came later. And when it came to armor they used whatever they could get their hands on. In later period the chainmail were much used, once they had resources to get them. But they used whatever they could get their hands on, however they could get their hands on it. They were practical, in the way that they did not just keep using whatever they always used. If they could get their hands on something better, they used it.

[@Redbird1504]

I remember reading a scientific study on Norse swords from burial mounds that actually disagrees with a few of the points here. The scientific teams analyzed the composition of the swords and discovered they were much to brittle to have been used in battle. The teams surmised that the swords were much more likely a status symbol than a battle weapon. I guess it kinda plays into the Viking love for axes theme.

[@pjschmid2251]

But most of the time then we were referred to as ceremonial swords which would seem to indicate that they were swords that would not have been carried into battle and therefore being brittle would not be a consideration.

[@juliamorales6620]

If the Vikings were pirates, how could yhey

[@grendel_nz]

And those swords could have been captured from defeated ppl rather than wasting the good weapons they passed thru their families.

[@Redbird1504]

@@grendel_nz I don't think you'd bury your loved ones with someone elses shit. Plus these were made in the Norse style not the English.

[@Redbird1504]

@@abcdef-qk6jf Pretty sure anyone with access to the actual grave goods and scientific equipment to analyze the make-up can tell the difference.

[@thomasclerke4725]

These were farmers and fishermen that were tough and had to be creative just to live. They left their homelands in search of a better life. They took it. And most of the times left no witnesses. Creative and intelligent.

[@anthonycoffey6565]

Why were Vikings so prolific in battle? Well, I certainly don't want to fight someone whose highest goal is to die in battle 😂

[@theidahotraveler]

i love this channel so much it gets better and better. how do I work for you? I live in Idaho and have recording experience and have been on tv and the radio a few times in my life. Anyway, my name is Sandon Sims and I'm a 9th generation Idahoan.

[@robertostefanowicz9749]

A simple stick wielded by a master will always defeat, a masterful sword wielded by a simple man

[@laurienevells8301]

My grandmother came here from Oslo ,Norway when she was 14 years old. I love learning more about my heritage.

[@bobjohnson1633]

9th century Norwegians and 21st century Norwegians are not really the same people. We raped, pillaged, and took all the hot ladies from other countries we invaded. After a few hundred years, Norwegians are more genetically diverse for homosapiens, which is a plus

[@dinogovender5074]

I hope you also love you original religion as well. It is just as important!!!

[@laurienevells8301]

My pagan roots are firmly planted.

[@dinogovender5074]

@@laurienevells8301 Do you still follow the Pagan religion or Christianity?

[@laurienevells8301]

@Dino Govender I don't practice any organized religion. More Shamanism, honor the Mother Earth and all things . Some may say ,I'm a witch. Nature is best. I don't believe in sacrifice.

[@zhanglin3265]

LEGENDS & CHRONICLES. Thank you, I am happy to know the Tree and the Rainbow Bridge. "The Vikings belied in a multitude of realms or home worlds in their universe, nine in total, populated by the Gods, humans, the giants and the sinners. These realms were bonded by the Viking world tree, known as Yggdrasil, which was an ash tree with special powers, its home was rooted in the centre of these Norse realms. The three primary realms were Niflheim, Midgard and Asgard, which we go into a little bit more detail about below. Nilfheim Nilfheim was the world of the mist, and literally translates as the ‘land of freezing mist’. Dark, cold and clouded in said mist, Nilfheim was unfriendly if we were to describe it in a few words. Niflheim was located in the far north, and on the lowest rung of the Norse universe. It was reserved for cold blooded murderers, people who broke the Viking oaths and ner do wellers. Midgard Midgard was the middle realm, the land of mortals in ancient Norse times. This human filled land was linked to the home of the Gods, Asgard by the rainbow bridge. Asgard Asgard in ancient Norse mythology and religion was the home of the Aesir gods, led by the mighty Odin. Asgard itself was home to many realms inside its boundaries including Valhalla and more. Asgard was located in the middle of the Viking world, and on the highest rung of the Norse universe. It was populated by the elite gods the Aesir, including such as Odin, his wife Frigg, Thor and many more."

[@cliffwoodbury5319]

read a book called "Byzentium" that had Vikings that ventured all the way to Central Turkey were they were slaves until they were freed and went back to Scandanavia. It was a great book!!!

[@LegionTacticoolCutlery]

I thought they were paid mercs.

[@TheKnitch]

Byzantium?

[@cliffwoodbury5319]

@@TheKnitch by steven r. lawhead

[@primovictoria353]

@@TheKnitch pretty sure that’s the name for Constantinople before Constantine the great renamed it, reason Byzantine empire was called Byzantine

[@Cardan011]

@@primovictoria353 eastern Romans never called themselves Byzantines, that was invention of 19. Century Anglo Germanic historians

[@jesseerickson662]

33:00 😂 when he hits the guy on the head. The look on that guy face, like wtf bro.😂

[@corytucker6668]

Did not expect to see Kai-uwe Faust from Heilung in this. A nice surprise.

[@garethtudor836]

My immediate thought when I saw him: "He looks very familiar." Then the name...

[@thibod07]

Wet stones and their proper utilisation is still to me so important to sharpen my tools. I never realized before where this habit came from. Thanks for clarifying it for me. I am partly Norman and Scott’s.

[@jameswilliams3241]

I had been given to understand that the Norse method used in the Viking age was done using needle and thread. A needle was threaded and the ink applied to the thread and the pattern literally sewn into the skin,the thread was pulled through, and the ink was deposited. The method demonstrated as the Vikings method was one I've encountered amongst Polynesian and western Pacific people. I'm no expert if anyone knows for sure please put it into the comments.

[@goose4454]

my Samoan friend had his tattoos all done with a hammer and chisel like device.

[@nothanks9503]

The thread technique was used by native Americans as sort of transformation through pain ceremony but it’s likely people did this in multiple places as people in prisons all over the world still use this method

[@nothanks9503]

@@goose4454that’s an under statement it’s more like a paint brush of needles than a chisel

[@goose4454]

@@nothanks9503 sorry mate didn't mean to belittle the way it was done.

[@nothanks9503]

@@goose4454 really tenderizes the meat

[@Vikingocazar]

I had a beautiful stick and poke tattoo done at Kai Uwe Faust’s studio in Copenhagen. Good to see the old sod in his glory!!

[@robsan52]

I can't imagine crossing the North Atlantic in a long boat. It's been years since I read about it but the long boats didn't come out on top everytime fighting the sea. I believe Leif Ericsson set sail with 22 ships and 14 arrived in Greenland if I'm remembering correctly. I don't think the story mentions if the sailors and families were rescued from the ships that foundered. Life was dear and cheap at the sametime.

[@nothanks9503]

Life was in more ways cheap to this it’s still part of Finnish culture to leave crying babies outside in a box the government gives you and to my understanding their weapons and boats were substantially outclassed by almost everyone they ran into they basically won battles out of desperation and they were desperate because they didn’t have many resources back home

[@grendel_nz]

Why is the voiceover actor hamming it up and taking the piss?

[@SecretSquirrelFun]

YES. Thank you, it’s so weird. I’d like to know what the brief was, because they really really got it wrong. One of the voices translating, sounds like the guys had a little bit too much caffeine or way too many red lollies ha ha,

[@AlexSaysHi2013]

32:00 took me so off guard. That voice actor had a lot of fun lol

[@brandontyree3250]

wow incredible

[@tomasfredward3175]

Nice👑💎

[@LoKing1337]

Those weapons are glorious, perfect for almighty warriors

[@onetruekeeper]

Axes and hammers are for carpentry work and very durable. Also very effective as impact weapons.

[@skylerbergeron7453]

You could say “atleast” 100’years before. But let’s be real. The Angles, Saxons, and jutes were basically Vikings about 6 centuries before the first recorded “Norse viking” raids.

[@fiacradoyle7474]

I'm a decendant of these great warriors mup.

[@alandonsaji6673]

What a legendary people 😳👿

[@ReclusiveEagle]

"Because the Vikings did not use Swords, they used axes to cut the wood" ???? Yeah no shit. Wtf are you insinuating?? That you cut wood with swords normally??

[@pollauritsabrahamsenjq1618]

Saws

[@FoxySpartan117]

The courage of the arm that weilds them.

[@northmanlogging2769]

yes the old argument, chainmail is very expensive, and therefore very rare, because we never find it in graves... yet most tapestries and paintings show armies in chainmail, saga's describe armies in chainmail... maybe, and this is a guess, because it was expensive and difficult to make, (its not, just time consuming) it was saved from the grave? You'll also note that fancy swords are buried in fancy graves, swords that are easily bent... (granted they could be heated and then bent) but rarely do you find utilitarian weapons, the ones that work well got handed down to the grandkids who wear em out and ... recycle them... Also note: rome fielded entire legions covered in armor, yet very few examples have survived, but no one ever questions that roman legions were not armored. Why?

[@tylerjarrett5979]

I'm just here for the "I'm descended from Scandinavia so I'm a viking" comments....😂😂😂

[@MyBinaryLife]

you dont even have to be scandinavian to be a viking, it was more of a culture and lifestyle, one that many scots adopted around the year 900 despite having no shared ancestry.

[@adrianaslund8605]

I think Ive heard that "the sword is for play, the axe is for work" was a Viking proverb. The axe was the iconic weapon. The spear was the second most used. But that goes for all cultures on earth almost. They had a god of archery "Ullr" that gave name to alot of places in Sweden. But is not mentioned much among the outflown vikings. Bows where made of a lesser material than down south and where probably used more for hunting.

[@NathanTarantlawriter]

Everyone should have the chance to swing a Viking ax against an enemy at least once in their life!

[@sirbuleletideas1137]

Historical significance of the materials recovered from the earth revealed the ages and how they were built and made of.

[@toddaulner5393]

I may be wrong but i believe there has only been one fully in tact Viking Helmet? I saw a tool used for making decorations fro 700-800 A.D. that shows a man on the left with giant horns on it in a very Japanese style helmet and to his right a Ulfhednar. A type of Berserker dressed as a wolf.

[@josephnebeker7976]

In reference to what the man is saying at 24::45, the Vikings did not have or use Damasc (Damascus) steel. They used pattern welded steel, which is very different, and a person in his position should know the difference, and not conflate the two.

[@jamesmeppler6375]

I think this is a decent topic and one I don't know too much on...but is this whole video about boats or do they get to the metal weapons which is why I'm here? Shows a boat in the background but the focal point is a guy with an axe and sword, so I figured thats what it would start with

[@almartyrharaldsson8654]

The one thing that bothered me in this documentary was when the Narrator say's at 2:11 *víkings went into battle equipped to kill" it kinda explains itself that when you go into battle you kill. What else would you do plant doilies.

[@lhj6335]

Great video, Lathom house ( Lay thumb) Lathom.

[@kaldordraigo56]

Engravings give every tactical advantage

[@Svartalf14]

BTW, what do you call a 'ceremonial' sword? I know the Norse liked ornate weapons, but I never knew them to have any solely for display.

[@myfaceismyshield5963]

They would just call it a sword or a ceremonial sword, there's no fancy name for that, just translation. Some swords had given names, if the weapon was important or said to be magical. Many characters in norse sagas about heroes and gods had named weapons, so many vikings would also name their weapons. An example of a story like this would be the Hervarar saga, where a man named Angantyr and his two brothers were said to have been given three magical swords Tyrfing, Hrotte and Misteltein. Many real norsemen would emulate these stories by naming their own weapons or armour. There were also many ceremonies and rites in the ancient norse religion (many of the rites were inspired by celtic traditions, like most of their ornamentations and crafted items were, after the vikings had raided and traded across celtic areas) and a lot of those rituals would have used weapons as symbolic objects. And often they wouldn't want to use a real weapon in a ceremony, or make a real weapon so ornate, since ornamentation could hinder effectiveness in battle. These impractical weapons wouldn't have been given fancy names, unless they symbolised a particular mythological weapon, such as Gungnir or Mjölnir.

[@tiveyhornberger3668]

As a blacksmith I'm always baffled by how the Vikings forged there swords amazing people so much art went into everything they did

[@mickryan2450]

Not hard when u know how

[@natetaylor9002]

....no evidence of leather padded armor. Leather would be more used for boots/straps and such. The armor the narrator probably meant was quilted linen (many layers)...super cheap, warm, light, can swim in and offers good defensive properties. A good choice for raiders!

[@flyfin108]

PERKELE best tactic ever

[@kathleenburns7732]

I love it. They thought that the bones of their ancestors made their swords stronger and the bones did. It brought carbon into the mix and therefore the swords were made of steel. Maybe the first steel. Accident, or did their ancient wisdom know something?

[@bobjohnson1633]

Humans hadn't been there long enough compared with societies in north Africa, Asia and southern Europe. Steel is definitely older than Nordic peoples.

[@zipperpillow]

They definitely did NOT "capture" Constantinople. Also, the overstatement of "Vikings" reaching the "farthest steppes of Russia" would mean Lake Baikal region, which they certainly never even approached. They descended the Volga, and much later, the Dnieper.

[@maestroboy]

I like how the voiceover sometimes sais totaly different things than the person they are dubbing..

[@stocktonjoans]

if you have a crew of 30, plus a helmsman and lookout, you have a crew of 32

[@thedude8046]

Aha!

[@juliamorales6620]

If the Vikings were pirates how could they also be tradesmen? I for one, would be terrified enough not to want any contact with them other than to kill them.

[@SK83RJOSH]

@@juliamorales6620 I wonder if maybe history isn't so black and white, and that perhaps just as we do today, they had different alliances and relationships with their neighbors? Not to rain on your parade or anything of course.

[@noahway13]

You have a PHD in math ?

[@citin7829]

@@noahway13 i do

[@mikmik9034]

WHY did the first replica sink?

[@markrowland1366]

Trading and raiding, true. Trading dried cod from Iceland to the Levant. Boats traded into the United States, the Kensington stone, and and traded with India for crucibal steel. They founded Russia, fought for the Turks of Constantinople, and settled southern Italy for the Pope.

[@Svartalf14]

What do Ulfberht swords have to do with vikings? to the best of our knowledge,

[@JohnFleshman]

I think my favorite part of this video is how if the person being translated looks wimpy they have a rather refined almost prissy sounding voice in the translation vs if the dude is dressed in armor and holding weapons the voice is a big gruff sounding voice. Really adds to it in some way I cant explain. lol

[@kaedonhodges9014]

I’m studying bearded axes to know how to properly use them in Blade & Sorcery VR.

[@ourcolonel1685]

Tactics and weapons are a small part. The hardy nature of Vikings, relishing the arctic seas blasting over their boats with freezing cold. How did the Viking fight off the cold so well?

[@bobjohnson1633]

They had lots of babies with neanderthals prior to moving to Scandinavia, making them genetically superior to more pure homosapiens, and they are a whole lot of meat being in such cold places with no plants. Genetic diversity and lots of deer.

[@OutnBacker]

To be fair, I doubt they were any hardier than most other cultures. They were soundly beaten when they tried to round the corner and enter the Med by the Spanish Moslems. It was the first time the Norse faced a discplined army that knew how to fight and obey their orders. The mythical nature of the Norse was because they raided and plundered so quickly that their victims had no chance to summon help and they rarely attacked against odds. They actually preferred a good trade to a good raid. No one in their right mind relishes arctic seas, breaking over their boats. They froze as well as any other peole, too. There must be many ships that went missing in foul weather that we'll ever know about. The Norse were not stupid or rash sailors, and mostly kept to within sight of land whenever they could. So did everyone else back then.

[@jeffstevens156]

How long did it take the ship builders of the day, to turn one out?

[@mtman2]

The original planks were split - NOT sawn = perfectly along the grain fromj one end to the other (30ft-40ft+ long) likely in a quartersawn configuration(log 1st split into 4quarters) for greatest strength & flexability capable....i! Incredibly brilliant intelligent use of a perfectly strait White Oak tree - craftsmanship being superlative thru-out construction...!!!

[@RiotMeows]

I've always heard about the Vikings' reputation, but this gives a whole new perspective on their effectiveness in combat. Still, I wonder how much of their 'invincibility' is mythologized by history.

[@Vikingocazar]

It’s interesting. Not all the Viking nations were tempered the same. My people were Danes. They were incredibly vicious by reputation. The Norwegian Vikings basically got their asses handed to them by the natives in Newfoundland and turned tail to run away. So no, they were far from invincible.

[@thomaslemay8817]

What evidence do you have that the bent swords wear bent to prevent grave robbery? It is possible the bending was for completely different reasons. Like possibly guilty of dishonor or crimes against the wrong people ?

[@Svartalf14]

at 25:.5 yur source mentions damask steel swords. Doest that mean REAL Damascus steel, made from wootz, as we know some of the Ulfberht swords were, or do you mean the modern way of pattern welded steel? (which was known to the Norse and widely used)

[@billg4369]

What did they do for shelter and suppies?

[@realityquotient7699]

How many times can they repeat the same information?

[@aarongusel442]

How and where did they find the metal to build all the weapons and armor? I’ve always wondered this question.

[@stuartmaltby2035]

Sweden has iron ore and coal I think.

[@zatanlkken8714]

Usually bog iron. Scandinavia has a lot of wetland and bogs. Atleast where i live.

[@davegutierrez3670]

Northen sweden has very good iron ore

[@mikkelnpetersen]

Vikings were some of THE best (and therefor most expensive) mercenaries of their age, some empires had betallions of viking mercenaries as part of their honor guard.

[@cohee100]

It ain't the bow, it ain't the arrow, it ain't the quiver, It''s the injun.

[@Caramelo23606]

OMG the story of the bearded woman viking warrior/witch is so good!

[@mblaydoe]

Vikings never conquered Constantinople. There was a major assault in 860, but it was turned back. The only way they got inside the walls was as members of the Varangian guard, the personal guard of the Byzantine Emperor. And there's no hard evidence that tattoos were commonplace in the Viking age.

[@ascendingstar5673]

Greetings from Norway 🇧🇻 the land of Vikings my decendents are vikings and anglo saxons as I'm part norwegian and british. This is so interesting great video☺️👍🏻

[@tysker666]

Great Doku but only one tiny mistake, the sworts get bent only of enemies , because on that way they cant fight u in Walhalla with that . Not because of stealing. Greetings from a danish viking.

[@andykapsar4667]

was it that? or did they bend them because they thought swords carried mythical power, snd bending it broke that power?

[@laun4724]

Why did they have to fight in Walhalla? Where can I read how the imagined the afterlife.

[@magniwalterbutnotwaltermag1479]

@@laun4724 they fought each day in the courtyard as practise for Ragnarök, though the most common reason to bend swords of the dead was so they don't come back as Draugrs, or if they did they would do so without a good weapon

[@samTollefson]

I am a proud "Born Again Pagan" of Viking ancestry.