Anna Selvi.
Vikings were Norse seafarers, mainly speaking the Old Norse language, who during the late 8th to late 11th centuries, raided and traded from their Northern European homelands across wide areas of Europe, and explored westwards to Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland.
Facilitated by advanced sailing and navigational skills, and characterised by the longship, Viking activities at times also extended into the Mediterranean littoral, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Following extended phases of exploration Vikings plundered Constantinople in 860. The city was the largest the Vikings knew of and it is not so strange that the Vikings referred to the city as Miklagard (The Great City). The great wealth of the city soon made it a tempting prey for the Northerners, though because of the size of the city the Vikings quickly decided to go into the service of the emperor Basil II. In 988 he established his own Viking-guard known as the Varangians. Hagia Sofia still has a dateless evidence of Vikings attendance – on one of the columns you can still read “Halvdan was here” etched in the marble in Runic symbols.
The warfare and violence of the Vikings were often motivated and fuelled by their beliefs in Norse religion, focusing on Thor and Odin, the gods of war and death. In combat, it is believed that the Vikings sometimes engaged in a disordered style of frenetic, furious fighting known as berserkergang, leading them to be termed berserkers. So as war was the most prestigious activity in Viking Age Scandinavia, beautifully finished weapons were an important way for a warrior to display his/her wealth and status.
Military culture dominated Viking society and this was reflected in the wide range of laws and regulations which overlooked Viking social life. These laws extended to the construction and maintenance of shields as well which Vikings considered a vital part of their battlefield gear. The most common type of shield used by the Vikings was the round shield.
Shields were large and well constructed and shield walls were common on the battlefield. The shield wall or “skjaldborg” was a main formation in which accomplished Viking warriors would create a line of interlocked shields and thrust spears at adversaries.
“Hrafnsdale” Shield
Diameter: 60 santimetres
Boss: painted steel
Material: chipboard, mosaic, leatherette
Pattern: six black and gold anti-clockwise spirals
Hrafnsdale (rough translation “Valley of the Raven”) was a long standing Vikings tribe between 793 and 1066. Hrafnsdale shield was a very effective defense: it does not absorb the shock of the blow, but redistributes the shock over a larger area, making it possible for the human body to absorb the force of the blow with reduced risk of injury. Additionally, the shield has been used to push an attack off-line, so that the attack is no longer a direct threat. Shield was decorated with 6 black and gold anti-clockwise spirals. Gold colour reflects grandness in terms glory and the generosity of the owner while black colour signifies wisdom.
“Arnvid Husstand” Shield
Diameter: 60 santimetres
Boss: painted steel
Material: chipboard, mosaic, leatherette
Pattern: black Raven on red
Ravens may be the animal most associated with the Vikings. In Norse art, ravens symbolize Odin, insight, wisdom, intellect, bravery, battle glory, and continuity between life and the afterlife. Odin was a god of war, and ravens feasting on the slain were a common sight on the battlefields of the Viking Age. Red background symbolize intention of war.
Ravens are also associated with the 9th century Viking hero, Ragnar Lothbrok. Ragnar claimed descent from Odin through a human consort. Ragnar’s Vikings charged into battle with a raven banner flying above them, and each time they did, they were victorious.
Shield of Bjorn Ironside
Diameter: 60 santimetres
Boss: painted steel
Material: chipboard, mosaic, leatherette
Pattern: black “Jera” rune on red
Björn Ironside, son of Ragnar Lothbrok, was a legendary king of Sweden who lived in the 9th century and is said to have been the first ruler of the Munsö dynasty, that ruled for many generations before being overthrown by a civil war in the 10th century. The name of the dynasty comes from a hill that is believed to be the grave of Bjorn Ironside himself. Bjorn was quite clever in his strategies. He elaborated a lot of deceive and seizure plans during his raids. Rune “Jera”, represented on his shield has a meaning of fertility, creativity and harmony with the land.
About me
Mosaic came along into my life in 2017 and shortly became not just a hobby but a daily occupation. I can’t call it easy as mosaic demands attention, creativity and patience, but it is definitely worth it. Every single step, from first sketch till last finishing touch, fascinates and inspires me.
