. Social Scandinavia in the Viking age. nd bladelike, and others having sharp,backward-pointing prongs, like fishhooks, while stillothers displayed characteristics of a different casting spear was lighter than that used at closerange; the head as well as the shaft was shorter. Andoften the former part was attached very lightly to thehandle by means of a single nail, which could be re-moved before the weapon was thrown, in order that theenemy could not so readily cast it back. As in the caseof the sword, the spear head was often decorated withprecious metals, and the wooden shaft was
. Social Scandinavia in the Viking age. nd bladelike, and others having sharp,backward-pointing prongs, like fishhooks, while stillothers displayed characteristics of a different casting spear was lighter than that used at closerange; the head as well as the shaft was shorter. Andoften the former part was attached very lightly to thehandle by means of a single nail, which could be re-moved before the weapon was thrown, in order that theenemy could not so readily cast it back. As in the caseof the sword, the spear head was often decorated withprecious metals, and the wooden shaft was carved withrunes having the power to charm and thus aid the physi-cal efforts of the owner of the weapon in his struggleagainst the *^ The warrior used both hands in wielding the stabbingspear, but the throwing spear seems to have been shot iTFalk, Waffenkunde, 9-37; Gustafson, ^orges Oldtid, 101-102. 18 Bugge, Vesterlandenes IndflydeUe, 208. 19 Talk, Waffenkunde, 38-41; Gustafson, Norges Oldtid, , Waffenkunde,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidsocialscandi, bookyear1920
