In this episode, we had an interesting chat with William Short and Reynir Óskarson who are experts in the experimental archaeology of Viking combat and weaponry. You know…the shiny, sexy stuff that comes to most people’s minds when they hear the word “Viking.”
We talked about their methods for understanding fighting in the Viking Age, the famed Ulfberht sword, how Vikings may have trained, their battle tactics, and the honor-bound cultural ethos that was critical to life as a Viking.
Learn more about William and Reynir’s work at Hurstwic.
You can also read Reynir’s article about Glíma, an important method of fighting without weapons during the Viking Age which is Iceland’s national sport to this day. Or if you fancy reading the original in Icelandic, you can find it here.
Also be sure to check out their book Men of Terror: A Comprehensive Analysis of Viking Combat
Swords, Shields, Axes, Spears, and.....Rocks??