RAIDS
No monastery was safe from the fiery scourge that swept over the land from beyond the sea
DEADLIEST WEAPON
SWORD Swords were designed to be held in one hand, with the shield in the other. Only high-status Vikings would carry swords with elaborately designed hilts.
AXE One of the most common Viking weapons, battle axes had larger heads and longer shafts than the ones used as tools.
KNIVES Vikings had two different types of knives: plain, single-edged knives and the seax, similar to a modern-day machete.
SPEAR The main weapon of the peasant class, Viking spears had metal heads mounted on wooden shafts of two to three metres.
BOW
AND
ARROW Made from yew, ash or elm, Viking bows were pulled back to the chest rather than the chin. Arrows were created from iron, eagle feathers and bronze.
A dramatic Viking raid on the English coast
They had arrived in the dead of night; the darkness had been so thick that the monks had not seen their ship until it landed on the shore, when it was too late to call for help. A brother had run into the halls, waking the monks from their beds with shrill cries of: “The demons are here! They’re coming! They’re coming!” Some of the brothers began to scream for help, while others leapt into action, grabbing precious items and concealing them in the folds of their cloaks.