Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Britain’s first ever Viking helmet discovered
Preston Park Museum (UK) ^

Posted on 08/07/2020 4:34:18 PM PDT by ameribbean expat

A corroded, damaged helmet unearthed in Yarm, Stockton-on-Tees, in the 1950s is a rare, 10th century Anglo-Scandinavian helmet, the first ever found in Britain and only the second nearly complete Viking helmet found in the world.

**** The hammer marks covering the surface and ragged edges of the infill plates show the helmet was made at a blacksmiths forge without benefit of additional refinement. The rivet holes were punched through hot metal from the outer side, ensuring a smooth exterior that would not catch bladed weapons. The out turned lip of the brow band was a later alteration, pushing the mail curtain away from the neck, possibly to protect an injury.

***** The construction of the helmet is workmanlike and indicates that it was intended for use, not display. This fits with its suggested date of being Anglo-Scandinavian (Viking). By the 11th century armies were larger and used tactics such as shield walls with archers raining arrows down, as shown in the Bayeux Tapestry. This differs from the individual combat of an earlier period where the use of armour would not have been necessary. The lack of armour, helmets and mail hauberks (shirt of chain mail), was considered a key factor in the Vikings losing the battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066.

***** The Yarm helmet now joins the Gjermundbu helmet, Norway, as the second example from this period.

The iron of which the helmet is made, its method of manufacture, its shape, even its plain functional nature correspond well with a 10th century date...All the evidence points to this being a rare early medieval helmet which was most probably made and used in the north of England in the 10th century.

(Excerpt) Read more at prestonparkmuseum.co.uk ...


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: ancientnavigation; godsgravesglyphs; helmet; middleages; navigation; renaissance; stocktonontees; thevikings; viking; yarm
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-29 next last

1 posted on 08/07/2020 4:34:18 PM PDT by ameribbean expat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat

Didn’t know they played American football there so far back.


2 posted on 08/07/2020 4:56:14 PM PDT by kaehurowing
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

No horns?? its a fake


3 posted on 08/07/2020 4:56:46 PM PDT by escapefromboston (Free Assange)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat

4 posted on 08/07/2020 4:58:13 PM PDT by PROCON (Voting Democrat in November is tantamount to kneeling on the throat of Lady Liberty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat

A terrific find. Various iron hoops of dubious origin and function have been touted as Saxon, Viking, or Norman helmets, depending on the current fashion. This is clearly a helmet and was no parade adornement. It was a steel pot. A sword could easily cleave a skull, but with a proper helmet, a very bad headache might be the result. Real warriors needed a good sword and a helmet. A shield was more easily obtained made of wood and leather.


5 posted on 08/07/2020 5:03:21 PM PDT by centurion316
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat
Here are some British vikings...


6 posted on 08/07/2020 5:11:21 PM PDT by DannyTN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PROCON

My wife is ftom Mexico. The first time she saw the Minn Vikings play, she asked “why does that team have sperms on their helmets?”

They have been “The Minn Sperms” in our household ever since.

Too bad no NFL team will ever besmirch my TV again.


7 posted on 08/07/2020 5:13:40 PM PDT by freedumb2003 ("Do not mistake activity for achievement." - John Wooden)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: PROCON; SunkenCiv; Gamecock; SaveFerris
Wonder if Newman got tickets to a Super Bowl game?


8 posted on 08/07/2020 5:17:39 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat

Dont tell the Swedes, they’ll want to destroy it as part of their program of cultural self-destruction.


9 posted on 08/07/2020 5:34:08 PM PDT by Crucial
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat

https://thornews.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/only-existing-viking-age-helmet-norway.jpg

The Scandinavian one is a lot nicer. Wonder why? Is this one older?


10 posted on 08/07/2020 5:37:15 PM PDT by Beowulf9
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat

Dang, I was wondering where I left that one! I only took it off a minute........


11 posted on 08/07/2020 5:45:58 PM PDT by Viking2002 ("If a really stupid person becomes senile......how can you tell?" - George Carlin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat

This Yarm helmet shares the same general shape of the Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo helmet, circa 625, absent the full face guard of the very decorative and functional Sutton Hoo.


12 posted on 08/07/2020 5:48:01 PM PDT by Covenantor (We are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by foo, thatls who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat

“We want to hire the man who GAVE him those wounds”

1960


13 posted on 08/07/2020 5:48:51 PM PDT by treetopsandroofs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Beowulf9

The British helmet sat submerged in moisture for centuries. Otherwise, think Scand design: Volvo vs. Vauxhall. Nothing new. French cavemen at Lascaux outdrew other contemporaries centuries before Seurrat and Monet turned the art world on its head


14 posted on 08/07/2020 5:55:15 PM PDT by ameribbean expat (Attention! All persons having the corona virus...please report to the nearest IRS office. Thank you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Ping!


15 posted on 08/07/2020 6:01:15 PM PDT by Albion Wilde ("When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice." --Donald Trump)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat

Wasn’t referring to physical condition. Was referring to a nicer design.


16 posted on 08/07/2020 6:10:24 PM PDT by Beowulf9
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: DannyTN

Lovely Spam, Wonderful Spam!


17 posted on 08/07/2020 6:16:10 PM PDT by EvilCapitalist (Fire Fauci)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat
Ahhhhhhaaaaaahhhhhaaaaah


18 posted on 08/07/2020 6:17:37 PM PDT by xp38
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ameribbean expat

Hagar the Horrible?


19 posted on 08/07/2020 6:23:17 PM PDT by beethovenfan (Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Beowulf9

20 posted on 08/07/2020 6:40:26 PM PDT by knarf
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-29 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson