From the fury of the Northmen O Lord deliver us!
Elinor and I went to an exhibition at the Castle Museum in Norwich during May this year. The subject of the exhibition was ‘The Vikings’ and the items displayed were objects discovered mainly in Britain. There were treasures on loan from the British Museum in London and from The Yorkshire Museum in York as well as things found here in East Anglia. East Anglia was part of the Danelaw in the 9th Century.
The first exhibits we looked at were items found from when the Vikings first invaded Britain; things they had brought with them on their journey across the North Sea. We saw some of the weapons used by them and also by the Anglo Saxons in their battles for land and supremacy. We then saw artefacts made and used by the Viking settlers once they had made their home here. They were wonderful traders, with routes across the Irish Sea to Ireland, up to the Arctic Circle, across the Atlantic to America and all over Europe and into Asia, Russia, Turkey and India. They brought some of the goods they found abroad, home to Britain. The exhibition also showed how the Vikings assimilated some of the fashions and crafting techniques they found here in Britain and eventually became British themselves. If you wish to read further details of the Viking invasion of Britain this is a fairly good account.
I know I have included too many photos here! I am sorry for the poor quality of several of them – I had a lot of trouble with reflections off the glass cases.
The Gilling Sword – made from iron and silver with an ornate silver gilt handle. Probably owned by a powerful Saxon earl in the service of Northumbrian King Oswiu.
The York Helmet – made from iron and brass by Anglo-Saxon craftsmen. It has a beautifully decorated nosepiece and there is a Latin inscription across the top which dedicates the helmet to God.
An Iron Axehead with arm and neck rings. The rings were symbols of Viking status, power and wealth. These would often be given as gifts to reward followers and faithful retainers.
A double-edged Sword, which would have been used by one of the wealthiest Vikings. Also, rivets from a clinker-built ship, an iron axe head, an iron spear head, an iron shield boss and a gold arm ring.
This is a re-used Christian cross showing a warrior with a female hostage.
There were a number of information boards in the exhibition and a large area was taken up as an activity room for children. A recording of a man and a woman talking quietly together in Old Norse with the sound of wind blowing and seagulls crying in the background was playing all the time we were there. I found this extremely atmospheric and not at all irritating.
The Ormside Bowl – made in AD 750, the outer skin produced AD 850-900. It is decorated with religious scenes, the work of monks in a Northumbrian monastery. It was discovered in the grave of a Viking man and it had been transformed into a drinking cup.
A bone plaque made by a Viking in the image of a Viking.
This is a rare find, there not being many likenesses of Vikings especially ones done by themselves. The only written accounts of them are made by others.
The object on the left is an iron rangel or rattle which may have been used during ceremonies. On the right are two Islamic coins (probably traded for fur and slaves), four silver pennies and some ‘hacksilver’; part of some beautiful silver jewellery. The Vikings traded with bullion and goods and didn’t use coins at first. They would cut up (hack) any treasure or jewellery they had and use it as payment for goods.
Leather shoe with a toggle found in York – This is of turnshoe construction. The leather is cut to shape, moulded and stitched together and then turned inside-out so the seams are on the inside. A method used in Scandinavia and Britain.
A silver neckring from Russia. These became very popular with well-to-do Viking ladies and sources record that men would have had to collect and melt down 10,000 silver coins to obtain enough silver to have one of these made!
A carved walrus-tooth gaming piece owned by a merchant who travelled along the trade routes from Norway to Ireland. This piece (a knight) is part of a complete chess set probably made in Norway and found in the Western Isles of Scotland.
When this set was made the Western Isles were part of the Kingdom of Norway. The set includes kings, queens, bishops, knights and warriors. The warriors are carved as berserkers, fierce men described in sagas as biting their shields in frenzy before battle. Scary!
Here is Elinor in the model of a viking boat.
At the time of our visit, Elinor was doing research for her final project in her Level Three Art and Design course at college. She produced a graphic story book and her character’s clothes and belongings were loosely based on Celtic, Saxon and Viking designs.
A seal made from walrus ivory depicts a man called Sharrus who worked as a tax and toll collector in York during the 12th century. Sharrus (the name can be seen on the perimeter of the seal) is the Latin form of his name, Snaresnorri, meaning ‘shrewd’.
A balance and sets of weights. This is a portable balance and would have been the property of a Viking trader dealing in bullion. This method had long been replaced in England by the use of coins. There were still other areas where commodities were traded directly without the use of silver.
This image of two men carved on a gritstone cross comes from York. One man carries a sword and the other a horn and they are grasping hands in greeting. Another very rare image of Viking people, this cross would have been commissioned and financed by them as a public demonstration of their status and Christian piety.
These two discs are fairly small and the detailed work on them is extremely fine. They are both pendants and would have been worn by a wealthy pagan woman.
A comb case
Deer antler blank (unused antler) and roughouts (pieces of horn used to try out designs before including them in the finished article) with a finished comb and cases.
A phyllite whetstone and a gold finger ring. These belonged to a wealthy woman called Egwen who lived in Scotland. The ring is dedicated to St Peter and that saint may also be the image shown on the whetstone.
Torc from the Bedale Hoard
A tiny gold socketed terminal made from gold sheet and decorated with filigree wire depicting an animal’s head. It is probably the terminal of a pointer or aestel.
This object is a similar shape, though much smaller, to the Alfred Jewel which is believed to be an aestel.
Socketed object made of gilded copper alloy in the 8th/9th century. Probably another aestel.
Two silver pennies of King Aethelred of East Anglia. These are immensely important as only seven coins of this obscure king have been found. They show that after Edmund was killed he was succeeded by another East Anglian ruler not recorded in any historical documents.
A collection of strap ends (decorated metal ornament added to the end of straps) made from silver and niello, a copper alloy tulip mount and a silver (gilt?) disc brooch
Three coins, part of the Bishopshill hoard l. to r. Silver of Aethelred II; Silver of Cnut; Silver of Harthacnut.
A whalebone handle
The following are photographs of several hoards that have been discovered all over Britain.
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I hope you enjoyed seeing some of these wonderful things.
I am very grateful to the curators of the Norwich Castle Museum for this exhibition and for all the information they imparted.
Lavinia Ross said:
Thank you for the tour of the museum, Clare! Good to see you again!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Lavinia! It has taken me some time to put this post together.
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H.J. for avian101 said:
It’s the first time I see objects of art made by the Vikings! Very interesting and beautiful! 🙂
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, HJ. I am so pleased you enjoyed it 🙂
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Retirement Reflections said:
What an interesting visit! I thought that your photos were great — and gave us a great sense of what you saw and experienced. Thank you for sharing this with us!
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Clare Pooley said:
My great pleasure, Donna. I spent a lot of time trying to find just ten items to include in the post and then realised I wouldn’t succeed and the post wouldn’t get written. 😀
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susanpoozan said:
What a splendid array of Viking treasures, i thoroughly enjoyed looking at your selections, excellent photographs too.
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Clare Pooley said:
You are very kind, Susan; thank you very much.
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East of Elveden said:
Glad that you enjoyed the exhibition, Clare. I found it really interesting too and have visited a couple of times.
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Clare Pooley said:
I also visited it again just before they dismantled it. I loved it!
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Jill Weatherholt said:
What a great outing for you and Elinor. She looks adorable manning the boat! Thanks for taking us along on this interesting tour of the exhibit, Clare!
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Clare Pooley said:
It was a fabulous outing for us both. Thank you so much, Jill.
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germac4 said:
What a feast for the eyes! This is a wonderful exhibition and so interesting to actually see objects and jewellery made by the Vikings. I enjoyed learning a bit more about Viking history. I hope you and Elinor had a pleasant visit.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you so much, Gerrie. We learnt such a lot from this exhibition and I have been reading more about them this summer.
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Laleh Chini said:
Wow, very interesting.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Laleh!
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Andrew Petcher said:
That shoe looks very fashionable even today!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you, Andrew – it does!
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Peter Klopp said:
Wow, what a treasure of the past you shared with us, Clare!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Peter; I’m so pleased you enjoyed it!
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Laurie Graves said:
I’m with Peter. Holy cats, what a post and what an exhibit. Wowsah! I’ve been to the viking museum in York and found it fascinating. Also, so cool that Elinor wrote a graphic novel.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Laurie! I have yet to visit Yorvik and the museum. We always seem to bypass York on our travels. Yes, Elinor wrote a short graphic novel for her diploma and was told it was print ready! She is reluctant to print it as she can already see improvements that she wants to make!
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Laurie Graves said:
That’s always the way it is with writers and artists. But there comes a point when you just have let it go. 😉
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Clare Pooley said:
I am sure that is so 🙂
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tootlepedal said:
A treasure trove. Thank you for sharing this with us.
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Clare Pooley said:
My pleasure, Tom and thank you.
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New Hampshire Garden Solutions said:
It is believed that we have Viking blood in my family though we came over from England, so I’m always interested in hearing about them.
Just the other day I was reading about how some scientists think the berserkers might have been so fierce because they used henbane before battle. If you’r interested you can read it here: https://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/stories/plant-may-have-made-vikings-go-berserk-before-battle
Thanks very much for a very interesting post!
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Clare Pooley said:
My pleasure, Allen and thank you! A very interesting article indeed – thank you for sharing it. It had never occurred to me that they might have been drugged!
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New Hampshire Garden Solutions said:
I thought they must have been some type of super men. I suppose in a way they were.
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Clare Pooley said:
I think they were. They wanted land, power and wealth, just like everyone else at that time but Scandinavia had limited resources. They determined to do all they could to obtain these three things by fair means or foul. And they were extremely determined and very tough!
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(Kitty) Cat Strawberry - Meow! said:
Interesting! This certainly makes sense as to why they were so crazed in battle 🙂
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New Hampshire Garden Solutions said:
Yes!
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Lisa G. said:
Such beautiful artifacts, Clare! Thank you for documenting everything here; I so enjoyed it. Some of it is so well preserved, I’m amazed. The Gilling sword is especially beautiful, and I was just eyeing a pair of shoes recently in a very similar style to those in your photo! 😀 A good design is timeless.
Elinor is to be commended for writing a graphic novel – I would find it awful, since I don’t like them, but maybe for the young people it isn’t so unappealing.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Lisa; I am so pleased you enjoyed it. I used to have a pair of soft green leather shoes just like that Viking boot, and they were so very comfortable! It is true what you say about a good design! Elinor did very well with her graphic novel. I don’t read them myself but they are, as you say, very popular with young people. She has always been keen on drawing picture books and stories and she is now studying for a degree in illustration at university.
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quercuscommunity said:
I’m pretty sure that to this day one of my sons has only read graphic novels and textbooks. I spoke to a librarian about my concerns and she told me that it was better to read graphic novels than not to read. I recently gave away a pile of my own Asterix and Tin Tin books – all graphic novels, with great plot and characterisation.
To be able to produce one is a great talent, so well done Elinor!
.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Simon. She is now at university and learning how to use Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop etc and hasn’t had time to draw anything for some weeks!
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quercuscommunity said:
I hope she manages to find tie again.:-)
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Clare Pooley said:
Me too! 🙂
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quercuscommunity said:
Or even “time”.
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quercuscommunity said:
Or even “time”. 🙂
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Jane Sturgeon said:
Great visit, Clare and thank you for sharing. I thought your photos were lovely. ❤ for you, always ❤ with hugs xXx
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you so much, my dear Jane xx ❤ ❤ xx
Love and hugs xx
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Jane Sturgeon said:
I forgot to say a ‘hats off’ to Elinor for her graphic novel, sorry. Not an easy thing for her to do at all. ❤ xXx ❤
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Clare Pooley said:
How sweet you are xx ❤ xx No need for apologies xx
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Jane Sturgeon said:
❤ ❤ ❤
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Clare Pooley said:
xxXXxx
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bitaboutbritain said:
Excellently documented and photographed, Clare. I would enjoy that exhibition. The ‘Vikings’ are such a part of our heritage. Jorvik is amazing – what they have achieved is astonishing – and certainly worth a visit, though I must say that I found the ‘ride’ poor value for money . It’s great that Elinor has a graphic novel in the pipeline – as Laurie, above, suggests, sometimes you’ve just gotta go for it!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Mike. When I eventually get to York I will head straight for Yorvik!
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Ste J said:
Those reflections can be a nightmare, you did a good job with the photos regardless of that though. It’s great to see so many fantastic exhibits. The soundtrack is a nice touch as well. Our history is indeed rich, and here richly chronicled.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Ste J. I was impressed by the soundtrack; it added so much to the experience.
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Ste J said:
Stimulating more than one sense is always good for atmosphere, and for learning I find. A bit of sea spray is always a good one when near the coast, when they put that into a museum piece, you know you are onto a winner.
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Clare Pooley said:
🙂
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Resa said:
This visit was delightful and enlightening. The photos with the history is a great way to learn. So, I learned here today. Thank you, Clare!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you so much, Resa! You are very kind ❤
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Resa said:
U 2! ❤
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Clare Pooley said:
❤
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Jacqui Murray said:
That was an amazing visit. I don’t know enough about Vikings.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much for visiting, Jacqui! xo
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navasolanature said:
What an incredible exhibition. Such treasure hoards and perhaps there’s more under our old earth. I can see it being an inspiration for art and design too. The photos capture so much and help share the visit.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you so much, Georgina! We thoroughly enjoyed the visit to the exhibition and I even went back to experience it all again.
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Richard Sutton said:
A comprehensive display to go with the recent BBC documentary ‘The Vikings’. Eventually ‘The Good Lord’ did begin to deliver us when the Vikings accepted the Christian Faith! Thank you for all the work you put into this, Clare.
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Clare Pooley said:
My pleasure, Richard and thank you. I loved the Vikings documentary with Neil Oliver and am currently reading the accompanying book; a fabulous read!
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(Kitty) Cat Strawberry - Meow! said:
Wow, so fascinating, thank you so much for sharing 🙂 🙂 ❤ I'm always interested in history but have a particular fascination for older history including the Vikings. It's amazing how they managed to create so many things with such intricate details back then. Today we use machinery for almost everything and I fear we've lost so much knowledge of how to create things by hand.
I love that whalebone handle by the way, anything featuring an animal looks especially interesting and sometimes strange, lol 🙂
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Cat. I loved that handle too but I just couldn’t get it in focus! 🙂
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Liz said:
What a fascinating post, Clare. Vikings have been in my mind recently, given their links to the Orkney Islands, so it has been such a pleasure to wander through your pictures. Isn’t it amazing how much we have been able to find out about these ancient people and their lives (although still plenty more that we do not know of course).
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Liz. I do so want to visit the Orkneys! I have been trying to persuade my husband to go there with me for years! 😀 xx
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Liz said:
Keep at it – you’ll both love it once you get there!
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Clare Pooley said:
I know I will! haha
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Cynthia Reyes said:
How very fascinating! They have become legendary, yet I have never seen such artifacts. Thanks for sharing. Hi to Elinor.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you so much, Cynthia. I learnt a lot from that exhibition and have been reading and researching ever since (time permitting!) I will pass on your greeting to Elinor in the morning xo
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Andrea Stephenson said:
A fascinating exhibition Clare. It’s amazing to think about all those things being worn / used by the Viking peoples so many years ago.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Andrea. It is amazing! Much of the stuff was stolen by them from others and some was old and second/third etc-hand when they obtained it.
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Charlotte Hoather said:
This looks great, I saw some of The Vikings on Netflix it really piqued my interest in them.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Charlotte. I haven’t watched ‘The Vikings’ but have heard it’s been good. I have become fascinated by them recently. What amazing people! So strong, brutal in many ways and completely focused on what they wanted.
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Charlotte Hoather said:
I can recommend the series all my family loved it, I can’t wait to get some time to watch the end of the series.
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Clare Pooley said:
I hope you get a little time off before too long xx
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Annika Perry said:
Clare, a fascinating post packed with information. The photos are great and capture the exquisite craftsmanship of the Vikings! What a wonderful day out for you all! Elinor looks set to sail away! 😀
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Annika. We had a lovely time and much to my surprise Elinor agreed to have her photo taken! I hope you and the family are well.
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Annika Perry said:
Thank you, we are very well and my son now settled at university and things sorted for family and friends.
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Clare Pooley said:
Good news! ❤
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kevin cooper said:
Amazing artefacts… I especially loved the sword. Thanks for sharing, Clare. 🙂
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Clare Pooley said:
My pleasure, Kevin and thank you very much. The sword is amazing and it’s incredible that so much of it has been preserved after over 1000 years in the soil.
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kevin cooper said:
Yes, makes you wonder if it was in some kind of scabbard that protected it for a while before it desintegrated. 🙂
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Clare Pooley said:
🙂
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quercuscommunity said:
Great post. They really were a fascinating people. I remember Francis Pryor saying in one of his books that he was told in Denmark that men with fair hair and ginger beards are the descendants of Vikings. When I had hair it was fair, and my white beard used to be ginger so I like to think I might be descended from a line of Viking adventurers. 🙂
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you, Simon. Have you considered having a genealogy test? I would love to know where my distant ancestors came from.
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quercuscommunity said:
I’m not sure about all this science…
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Clare Pooley said:
😀
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John Bainbridge said:
A great museum. Reminds me of my time at university there and visits since,
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you, John. I visit it fairly often and have whiled away many an hour there. I think it’s having a make-over at the moment.
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