NMS


 

Record

X-ray, of sword (detail)

< 1 of 1 > Back

from Kiloran Bay, Colonsay, Inner Hebrides

X-ray, of sword (detail)
Add to album

This picture shows an x-ray of the sword hilt found in a man's grave at Kiloran Bay on Colonsay in the Inner Hebrides. He was buried in a boat between 875 and 925 with a range of Scandinavian weapons, tools and a pin.

The sword is fragmentary and in very poor condition. However, the x-ray clearly shows that it originally had a pattern of twisted silver wires in a chequer-board pattern on its hilt.

Warriors were important people in Viking society. They could show off status by the quantity and quality of their weapons. A sword such as this one belonged to a wealthy man able to decorate its hilt with precious metal.

Record details

To search on related items, click any underlined text below.


< 1 of 1 > Back