[MR] History Blog: Gokstad Viking Ship Shields Studied

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, Especially Vikings,

Today the History Blog is reporting on a recent study of shields from the
Gokstad Viking ship. The vessel survived because it was used as a ship
burial. It is preserved and is the centerpiece at the Viking Ship Museum
 in Oslo.

The hull was decorated with at least 64 overlapping shields. Formerly the
shields were thought to have been purely ceremonial, decorative or for
inducing terror. Careful study has shown that the shields are actually
fully combat capable, and some show actual battle damage.

The History Blog story is at http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/66936 .

More on the Gokstad ship is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gokstad_ship .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆