Langeid Viking Battle Axe

Langeid Viking Battle Axe

There is an old Nordic saying that facing a Norseman with a battle axe is like looking death in the face. Looking at the discovery of this Viking axe in the Langleid region, it is easy to understand why.

Light but deadly and imposing in size, this axe was unearthed in 2011 in a pit known as Pit 8, where a beautiful sword was also found. Archaeologists thought it must have belonged to someone of a certain standing in society, but little else could be found about its owner to corroborate that theory.

The specialist archaeologist Jan Petersen categorised this type of axe as a type M axe, which dates from the mid-10th century to the beginning of the Middle Ages. The Viking battle axe from Langeid has been dated to the second quarter of the 11th century, a time which coincides with the Battle of Stamford Bridge and a well-known story in which a warrior dueled on a bridge with up to 40 Englishmen. The Norse warrior and his imposing axe were defeated by a soldier who speared him through the bridge from beneath the planks.

The original axe now rests in the Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo.

The item is delivered without a antler.

Specs: