This Viking man is inspired by the Viking grave Gjermundbu I.
The Norwegian Viking grave of Gjermundbu is very well-known. It is one of the few places where a complete Viking helmet has been found. Another unique discovery is a large number of fragments of a mail shirt (hauberk). Grave Gjermundbu II has also been excavated, but was less richly equipped. When we refer below to the Gjermundbu grave, we are talking about Gjermundbu I.
The grave dates back to the second half of the 10th century. To keep the composition accessible, we have not created an exact reconstruction of the grave. Firstly, because we do not want everyone walking around in a direct copy of the equipment, leaving more room for personal interpretation during your composition. And secondly, not every object found in the grave has a reproduction that we can use. We have also omitted items such as cooking utensils, horses, an enormous sled, the eight arrows, and likely associated quiver and bow. For convenience, we have given this Viking man a name: Arne.
Arne was evidently a very wealthy aristocrat. His cremated body was buried with a helmet, a mail shirt, shields (only four shield bosses remain), a sword of Petersen type S, two axes of Petersen type K, three spears of Petersen types G, K, and M, eight arrows, spurs, stirrups, horse bits, a sled and rattles, cooking utensils, and tools.
Viking Clothing
Unfortunately, there were no fragments of Arne's clothing left. However, he likely lived in the area of Ringerike in South Norway (near Oslo) and was buried during the winter.
Viking tunic
The undergarment Arne is wearing is a simple unbleached undertunic.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/linen-viking-tunic-ragnar-natural.html
Over his undertunic, Arne wears a warm woolen tunic. The luxurious red color reflects his wealth. If he had been poorer, he would likely have worn brown, green, or yellow.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/tunic-lodin-red.html
Viking baggy trousers
As pants, he wears baggy trousers as depicted on most men in the 9th-century Oseberg tapestry, on the Lillbjärs Runestone, on the Broa Stone (Halla, Gotland), and on the 10th-century Viking cross of Weston in England.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-trousers-dublin-brown.html
Viking kaftan
Kaftans are depicted on the stones of Etelhem and Lärbro in Gotland, and possibly on the aforementioned Oseberg tapestry. The brown color is a personal choice; he could have even worn an embroidered blue or red kaftan.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-caftan-loki-brown.html
Viking hood
In this ensemble, Arne is wearing a hood. Hoods were worn as early as Roman times. An 8th-century original was found in Orkney, and an 11th-century original was found in the grave at Herjolfsnes.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/chaperon-herringbone-motif-knud-olive-grey.html
No leg wrappings or cloak?
Since no hooks for leg wrappings or brooches for cloaks were found in Arne's grave, we have chosen to omit the cloak and leg wrappings in this reconstruction.
Viking belt
In the Gjermundbu grave, we did not find any belt fittings or buckles. Therefore, we have chosen a belt with as little hardware as possible.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/9th-century-viking-belt.html
Viking shoes
Arne is wearing shoes based on originals found in the northern English city of York.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-shoes-heimdall.html
Viking sword
In the Gjermundbu grave, a Viking sword of Petersen Type S was found. Hence, our choice for this particular sword of the same type.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/deepeeka-10th-century-norse-viking-sword.html
Viking axes
The grave contained two axes of Petersen Type K. For variety, we have used both a Petersen Type K and a Petersen Type A.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-axe-hand-forged-steel-type-a.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-axe-type-k-engraved.html
Viking shield
Arne was buried with as many as four shields. The wood has rotted away over the centuries. Viking shields were made of multiple planks attached together. In the middle, there is a hole where the shield boss was attached at the back. Just like the originals, this replica consists of multiple parts. The shield's edge is wrapped with leather.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-shield-dragon.html
Viking spears
Arne had three spears in his grave. However, Arne has only two hands, and he already needed to hold his axes. Therefore, we omitted the spears in this portrayal. In the Gjermundbu grave, spears of Petersen types G, K, and M were found.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/medieval-spearhead-approx-40-cm.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-throwing-spearhead-approx-41-cm.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/large-medieval-spearhead-approx-52-cm.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/medieval-spearhead-approx-455-cm.html
Bow & arrows
Eight arrows were found in the Gjermundbu grave. However, in this reconstruction, we have chosen not to include these arrows. Often, Viking aristocrats were buried with a wide variety of weaponry. Not all of these weapons were carried simultaneously. Vikings used both the traditional European longbow (longbogi) and the recurve bow. The general term for a bow was 'hornbogi,' which could refer to a bow made from multiple layers, including horn, hence a recurve bow.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/marksman-bow-70-178-cm-dark-brown-40-lbs.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/epic-armoury-horsebow-brown.html
Viking Gjermundbu helmet
Of course, Arne is wearing the well-known Gjermundbu helmet, named after the discovery site. Only a few Viking helmets and fragments of Viking helmets have been found: Gjermundbu, Yarm, Tjele, Lokrume, Kyif. This could be because the helmets were too unique to be buried in a grave, perhaps because spangenhelms consist of multiple parts and are more perishable over time, or possibly because Vikings, in general, wore relatively few helmets.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/dark-gjermundbu-helmet.html
Chainmail, hauberk
The fragments from the grave constitute the best-preserved and documented armor from the Viking Age. Usually, only a few rings or small sections of chainmail are found. Chainmail was extremely expensive at the time, and it was likely reused and repaired for as long as possible. Anglo-Saxon and Byzantine sources also mention Vikings wearing chainmail. The hauberk Arne was buried with is short and has short sleeves, reaching approximately hip height.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/halflong-hauberk-mixed-flat-rings-round-rivets-8mm.html