Small wooden Viking shield

Solid shield in wood, leather and metal. Leather handle on the back. No plastic as far as the eye can see. Genuine craftsmanship that stands up to hard knocks.

The Viking shields were round in shape and had a shield boss in the centre. The shield boss covered the hole in the centre of the shield where the handle was, and protected the hand. In the Nordic countries, shields were usually made of pine woods about 12-15 mm thick and were usually 80-90 cm in diameter. The edge was usually covered with a thick leather band that was soaked and allowed to dry around the edge and act as reinforcement. The front and back were covered with a thin layer of leather or linen that was glued on. The Viking shield could weigh up to 10 kg.

In Norwegian Gulaþing- and Frostaþing-laws specified how a shield should be built. It was to be made of wood with three iron bands and a handle attached to the back with iron nails. A later revision of the law said that the shield should be made of double boards (tvibyrðr).