Atgeir

Atgeir

An atgeir, sometimes called a "mail-piercer" or "hewing-spear," was a type of polearm in use in Viking Age Scandinavia and Norse colonies in the British Isles and Iceland. It is usually translated in English as "halberd", but most likely closer resembled a bill or glaive.

Arguably the most famous atgeir was that owned by Gunnar Hámundarson, whose life was described in "Njal's Saga". According to the saga, Gunnar's atgeir would make a ringing sound (or "sing") when it was taken down in anticipation of bloodshed. ["Njal's Saga" §§ 78]

Notes

References

*Cook, Robert (transl.) "Njal's Saga". Penguin Classics, 2001.
*Oakeshott, R. Ewart. "The Archaeology of Weapons: Arms and Armour from Prehistory to the Age of Chivalry." London: Lutter- worth Press, 1960. pp. 119-120.

External links

[http://www.valhs.org/history/articles/manufacturing/text/viking_misc_weapons.htm "Other Viking Weapons" at Hurstwic]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Saaremaa — This article is about the island. For the village in Võru County, see Saaremaa, Võru County. Saaremaa …   Wikipedia

  • Viking Age arms and armour — Our knowledge about arms and armour of the Viking age (8th to 11th centuries Europe) is based on relatively sparse archaeological finds, pictorial representation, and to some extent on the accounts in the Norse sagas and Norse laws recorded in… …   Wikipedia

  • Laconic phrase — A laconic phrase is a very concise or terse statement, named after Laconia (a.k.a. Lacedaemon [Greek Λακεδαίμων ] ), a polis of ancient Greece (and region of modern Greece) surrounding the city of Sparta proper. In common usage, Sparta referred… …   Wikipedia

  • Military history of Iceland — This is a brief overview of historical warfare and recent developments in what today constitutes the Republic of Iceland. Contents 1 The Settlement and the Civil War 2 In Union with Norway 3 The coming of Lutheranism …   Wikipedia

  • Pole weapon — A selection of polearms, mostly halberds A pole weapon or polearm is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is placed on the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, thereby extending the user s effective range. Spears …   Wikipedia

  • Gunnar Hámundarson — was a 10th century Icelandic chieftain. He lived in Hlíðarendi in Fljótshlíð and is probably better known as Gunnar of Hlíðarendi (Icelandic: Gunnar á Hlíðarenda). He features prominently in the first half of Njáls saga, which tells of the chain… …   Wikipedia

  • Naginata — Samurai with naginata The naginata (なぎなた, 薙刀) is one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades (nihonto) in the form of a pole weapon. Naginata were originally used by the samurai class in feudal Japan, and naginata wer …   Wikipedia

  • List of premodern combat weapons — Premodern combat weapons include include both ranged weapons and mêlée weapons weapons which, in general, existed before the invention of the true flintlock gun around 1610, or until the 1700 s for incendiary weaponscite book | title=Weapon: A… …   Wikipedia

  • Deadliest Warrior: The Game — Download display art featuring five of the playable warriors. Left to right; Spartan, Samurai, Pirate, Knight and Ninja. Developer(s) Pipeworks Software …   Wikipedia

  • Gunnar Hámundarson — Gunnar en batalla. Gunnar Hámundarson fue un guerrero vikingo de Islandia en el siglo X. Vivió en Hlíðarendi, Fljótshlíð y es más conocido como Gunnar de Hlíðarendi (nórdico antiguo:Gunnarr á Hlíðarenda). Se le cita principalmente en la saga de… …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”