Ragnar Lothbrok and the Viking Shield: Art, Tactics, Wood

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the Viking shield as both a practical weapon and a canvas for identity. From the wooden planks of Gokstad and Trelleborg to the painted designs of the Icelandic sagas, they uncover how shields were made, how they were used — in the shield-wall, in ship-to-ship combat, and as symbols of loyalty and myth. Discover the archeological evidence from Birka and Hedeby, the difference between linden and spruce, and how the sagas describe shields painted with dragons, gods, and geometric patterns. Also: the controversy over whether Viking shields were held in the hand or strapped to the arm, and what the Byzantine sources say about Varangian shield tactics. A dense, specific look at an everyday object that carried enormous meaning.

#VikingShield #RagnarLothbrok #ShieldWall #Gokstad #Trelleborg #Birka #Hedeby #LindenWood #SpruceWood #VarangianGuard #Byzantine #IcelandicSagas #SkaldicPoetry #VikingWeapons #VikingTactics #ExperimentalArcheology #FexingoHistory #History

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