Spear

Spears were the most popular combat weapon. It was cheap (mostly made of wood), could be used when hunting and kept the enemy a safer distance away.

With spear and shield, the Saxon foe-men

In period, there was little or no distinction between spears and javelins. However, the Vikings Society's combat rules requires them to be rather different. Socketed spears may only be used in melee; shorter tanged javelins may be thrown or used in melee.

Spears in the Vikings Society

Illustration of the parts of a spear

Weapon Specifications - Spears Spear Specifications Overall Length Shaft Diameter Blade Length[1] Wings Permitted Min Max Min Max Min Max 1H Short Spear 1.20 m 1.80 m 19 mm - 100 mm 180 mm Yes 2H Long Spear 2.00 m 2.50 m 25 mm - 100 mm 600 mm Yes [1] Blade length does not include the socket. Measurement should be taken from where the socket begins to widen to form the blade. Spearheads must be of socketed construction and be securely attached with a rivet. Rivets must go through both sides of the socket and be closed at both ends, a preformed rivet or nail may be used. They should be closed tight to the socket, with no sharp edges nor anything that can snag. The edges of the blade must be no less than 2.0mm, semicircular profile. The spine of diamond or cross profile blades must be blunted to no less than 2.0mm semicircular profile. The tip of the blade should reach a minimum contact surface area of 100mm2 before reaching a depth of 5.0mm. Please see Fig. 1. The contact surface of the tip must be a minimum of 3.0mm thick. The tip must have at least one axis (thickness, width or diameter) larger than 10.0mm, semicircular arc or shallower. Tips that curve in both thickness and width, including spheres, are limited to 10.0mm diameter, semicircular arc or shallower. This is because even though they do present the contact area at depth, the initial point of contact is more concentrated. The sides of a flared tip should have a minimum depth of 5.0mm. Transitions between widths and thicknesses on the blade should be smooth with nothing that can snag. All corners and edges must be rounded. Dimensions should accommodate the loss of contact area due to rounding off. Flared tips may be built up with weld, but spearheads with ball bearings, discs or any other separate additions welded to the tip of the blade are not permitted. Blades must be solid, not thin sheet folded or welded to form a hollow box section. Wings must have edges of not less than 2.0mm, semicircular profile. Tips and corners must be rounded to a minimum of 18.0mm diameter (5p coin). Wings may be welded on. The shaft of the spear must not bend excessively due to the weight of the head when the spear is held horizontally at the butt end. The species of wood for the shaft is not specified. Ash is recommended. Straight grain that runs along the shaft is recommended. Coppiced poles are ideal, but can be difficult to obtain. The shaft should be smooth with no splinters. Spears used in one hand must have the entire hand within the middle third of the weapon's length. It is recommended that visible marks are placed on the spear to facilitate this. Apart from the spearhead, no other metal allowed. No metal collars by the head nor any other additions such as caps or spikes at the butt end. A portion of the shaft below the head may be wrapped in leather, rawhide or twine. Any such wrapping should be glued or stitched, not tacked. Spearhead may be made from mild steel. Please note these are the minimums allowed. Please do consider buying or making blades with larger contact points, there will be fewer queries and issues. The latest published specification, including profile diagrams, is available as a .pdf here.

Restrictions and Notes on Use of Spears Short Spear Assessment is required to use the Short Spear. Short Spear may not be used in conjunction with any other weapon. Specialist 2H Long Spear Assessment is required to be able to use the Long Spear. Spears used one handed must be gripped between a third and two-thirds of the distance from the head to the butt, with the norm being around half way. Winged spears may not be used to thrust past the thigh and draw back. When using a Long Spear, a short Seax may be used in the back hand provided that the thumb and first three fingers are able to touch when holding the spear and seax together.

Spear typology

A helpful summary of the main types of spear in use in the 8th-11th centuries, based on Petersen's typology of viking age spearheads.. Discussion of the types can be found at Viking Compendium site.

Pennants

From the later eleventh century, higher status combatants (particularly knights) may add cloth pennants to their spears, reflecting their cavalry origins.

Special types of spear

Large spearheads (aka "sword-on-a-stick")

There are a number of examples of ‘sword-on-a-stick’ spearheads from our period, in some cases 2’6” of spearhead. This may be linked to the ‘atgeir’, which appears in later sagas sometimes translated as ‘halberd’, but apparently used like a spear (see below). Very long spearheads do not seem to have been all that widespread and popular – Petersen’s type E are dated to the mid-ninth century, type 'I' to the first half of the tenth century (though probably not in huge numbers) and type 'K' to the "late Viking age". While we don’t object to ‘sword-on-a-stick’ spears, we would not encourage them in large numbers. In any case, since the overall length of a spear is limited to 7’6” for safety reasons, an excessive length of spearhead can look a bit silly, as well as producing a heavier and unbalanced weapon.

Winged spears

‘Winged’ spearheads were in use in the ninth century in England and are depicted in Norman and Frankish hands in the eleventh century (including in the Bayeux Tapestry). Wings do remain on spears for a long time (e.g. Napoleonic colour sergeants’ partisans). ‘Winged’ spears are acceptable throughout our period. They are particularly encouraged in Norman hands, especially for longer spears.

Irish single-edged spearheads

A number of single-edged spearheads have been found from viking age Ireland, including at least twelve from the Kilmainham/Islandbridge in Dublin. This type of spearhead is very different to the style usually found in the Anglo-Saxon or Viking worlds (and is not included in the otherwise comprehensive Petersen typology). This style seems to be distinctive to Ireland, possibly with greater use around the Irish Sea area.

Single-edged spears in the Vikings Society Single-edged spears may only be used as part of a set of Hiberno-Norse kit, at an event where Hiberno-Norse kit is permitted. Single-edged spears may only be used by combatants who have passed the required assessments. This may include both the specialist spear (2-handed) and long axe assessment.

Atgeir

Some of the Icelandic sagas describe warriors using a weapon called an 'atgeir' or 'aetgeir'. Exactly how this should be translated is a matter of debate. It is sometimes rendered as 'halberd' or 'glaive', raising the possibility of a hybrid polearm. As the weapon is sometimes described or translated as “hewing-spear” or “thrusting-spear” it could refer more to a family of heavy bladed weapons that are equally suited to chopping or thrusting, rather than an individual weapon.

Nothing that can be categorically described as an 'atgeir' has been found in the period 800-1100. The assorted spear or axe heads from the period all seem to be just that – spear or axe, not a hybrid.

However, hybrid polearms of this kind became much more common in the thirteenth century - ie the point at which the Icelandic sagas were being compiled and written down. In Njal's Saga, Gunnar uses an 'atgeir' which has a reasonably detailed description, and sounds much more like a later polearm than any type of known spear. It is also magical!

Unless archaeology or other new evidence suggests otherwise, the atgeir is probably best regarded as an element of thirteenth-century license when retelling the sagas.

Gripping a Spear

The first picture shows a single-handed spear with the middle third clearly marked. Whilst it is not compulsory to clearly mark the middle third of a single-handed spear, it does make everybody's life a lot easier.

Please remember that, when gripping your shaft, your whole hand – including your combat gloves – should be within the middle third of the shaft.

• 
  In this picture, the back of the hand is outside the middle third. This is not allowed.
• 
  In this picture, only the tip of the thumb is within the middle third of the shaft. This, too, is not allowed.
• 
  This picture shows a correct grip where the entire hand is within the middle third of the shaft.

Please remember – it is your whole hand – including your combat glove – that should be within the middle third of your shaft.

Spears in the Sagas

"Then Thorolf became so furious that he cast his shield on his back, and, grasping his spear with both hands, bounded forward dealing cut and thrust on either side. Men sprang away from him both ways, but he slew many."

- Egil's Saga, Chapter 53

"Gunnar clutches the spear with both hands, and turns on (Thorbrand) quickly and drives it through him, and hurls him down on the ground. Then up sprung Asbrand his brother. Gunnar thrusts at him with the spear, and he threw his shield before the blow, but the spear passed clean through the shield and broke both his arms, and down he fell from the wall."

- Njal's Saga, Chapter 76

"At this brunt Helgi, the son of Hardbien, rushed in with a spear, the head of which was an ell long, and the shaft bound with iron. When Bolli saw that he cast away his sword, and took his shield in both hands, and went towards the dairy door to meet Helgi. Helgi thrust at Bolli with the spear right through the shield and through him."

- The Laxdale Saga, Chapter 55