Viking Wooden Shield - Painted

Most shields of the Viking/Saxon period were circular. They were perfect for the formation of the Skjaldborg (Old Norse) or Scildweall (Old English) Shield Wall that was prevalent in Dark Age warfare. Warriors would overlap their shields to benefit from the protection from their neighbours’ shield as well as their own. When battling the Vikings, the Anglo-Saxon Fyrd (militia) would use this formation as it required less skill than hand to hand fighting. The Bayeux Tapestry features Anglo-Norse Huscarls using round shields working in close cooperation with two-handed axemen.  The Viking Round Shield fell out of use towards the end of the 11^th century, giving way to the Norman style Kite Shield with afforded better protection, both on foot and on horseback.

Our Painted Viking Shield is one of the best value shields available to buy in the UK. It is constructed from 10mm thick wood and features a wooden grip and steel boss with brass fittings. It is edged with brown leather to protect from sword and axe cuts. The face of the shield is painted with Viking/Saxon style horse motifs. This could be done to identify the owner or his affiliations.  This shield is a little on the light side for full contact re-enactment but is perfect for theatre and film work and great as a display piece.

Buy the Painted Viking Wooden Shield with confidence from the UK’s leading Viking shield retailer.