A Rus or Scandinavian-Rus viking Borre style sword chape

Slideshow of sword chape

Having had the opportunity to hold a similar sword chape in hand a few years ago, I wasn't quite happy in the end by the quality of the chape in respect to the prize I had paid for it. Viking Age artefacts from good quality with a distinct Scandinavian art style decoration aren't easy too get and (very) valuable.

Sometimes in life, one gets a second chance..

It is from the 10th century and was found in the Ukrain in the Vinnitsa region. Several of this type of chapes were found in settlements (Araisa, Steigen, Birka, Hedeby, Nimschütz) rather than graves and without their swords. Charlotte Hedenstierna- Johnson notes that "the total number of known sword chapes dating from the Viking Age is extremely limited" and that their distribution differs from that of the swords. "In fact they are generally uncommon, and even though they are mainly connected with a high status weapon, the sword, this is not always the case. They also appear on their own and seem to have a meaning and value apart from being the decorative end of a scabbard."

This sword chape depicts a face within Borre style interlace/knots wich, concerning to Ru Smith, is connected to the Hávámal story of Odin's self sacrifice. He highlighted the design elements of the example he has and clearly a figure can be seen, hanging within interlaced branches with leaves. I additionally would suggest another proof of Ru Smith's theory, as on the top of the tree - Odin is hanging upside down in the tree - a face of a bird can be seen wich very much looks like an owl. As everyone knows, the owl is known for its wisdom. With its feet connected to the owl, he connects with its wisdom.

Maybe not so far stretched..

David Mullaly commented: 'I've actually read at least one commentary which suggested that the face in the center surrounded by the interlaced design is that of Jesus. The fact that much of the Borre-decorated items were made fairly early in the Viking Age would suggest that the Christianization of Scandinavia and even more so the East would have been too late to have such a prominent place on a sword scabbard like this. Odin or another Norse deity is a much likelier identification'.

According to Ambrosiani (2001) "The limited number of motifs to be found on chapes indicate that they were designed to symbolise something very particular. One possibility is that they functioned as symbols of rank or office".

In an earlier article I have suggested "Why not depict 0din on a sword chape, to protect the carrier of the sword

by giving him the wisdom of 0din in battle and remembering the sacrifice one needs in life to achieve its goals?" Of course, all these thoughts are highly speculative and remain in the Viking Age mist for over 1000 years now.. 

References:

Ambrosiani, B. 2001. The Birka Falcon. Eastern Connections Part One: The Falcon Motif. Birka Studies V. B.

Androshchuk, F. & Zotsenko, V. 2012 (Scandinavian Antiquities of Southern Rus'. ACHCByz, Paris, 367 pp.)

Hedenstierna-Jonson, Charlotte. 2002. A group of Viking Age sword chapes reflecting the political geography of the time. Journal of Nordic Archaeological Science 13, pp. 103–112.

Larrington, Carolyne (Trans.)1999. The Poetic Edda. Oxford World's Classics.

Paulsen, P. 1953. Schwertortbänder der Wikingerzeit. Stockholm, p.

Williams, G., Pentz, P. & Wemhoff, M. (eds.) 2014. Vikings, Life and Legend. British Museum, p. 107.

Previous article on Academia: https://www.academia.edu/12528841/Odins_self_sacrifice_as_a_protection_for_the_Viking_sword_http://lifeartearth.blogspot.nl/2015/05/a-viking-sword-chape-and-havamal-story.html

Blog Ru Smith, http://lifeartearth.blogspot.nl/2015/05/a-viking-sword-chape-and-havamal-story.html

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Well. I could have been with these stones until after dark, but as my wife wanted to travel on.. well.. I see you again, some day, hogback stones from Gosforth. And if you happen to be there one day, do not forget that monument on the outside...

Further on with the Cumbrian hogbacktour !

In - yes, luckily again in - St. Peter's church in Heysham, there is a truly beautiful hogback stone. The guide told us, it had been studyied by Thor Ewing, a writer, in 2000. in 'Understanding the Heysham hogback' A tenth century sculpted stone monument and its context (link), Thor Ewing tells in detail what he dicovered on the both sides of this hogback stone.

Just being brought in the church as late as the 1970's accompanied with some protest here and there among the church visitors, considered as being a token of old paganism, it had been remarkably nice preserved, and a lot of detail can be seen, still. Truly worthwile a visit.

I had a small debate with the guide in the church if the - zoomorphic, in my opinion - faces on the sides were lions (or hippo's). The guide doubted if the vikings could have known about lions. Well I guess so, concerning the runes on the Ancient Greek lion statue at the Arsenal, Venice. For example. Vikings did travel south..

But when he told me he was doubting the vikings 'discovered' (as the native inhabitants were of course, in the first place) America before Columbus, I decided to rest my case..

One has to know when to start and to end a conversation ..

Just discovered the book in a bookstore written by Geoff Holder - The guide to the mysterious Lake District, I knew there had to be another hogback stone in Lowther, St. Micheal's Church. With a promising image described in the text of 'a naval and a land-based force of shield-bearing vikings above a fish and what might be a coiled sea serpent. On the reverse is a row of female figures with snakes, possibly a representation of the hideous hag Hel'. Wow. If that did not sound as a true pagan promised land ..

Not complaing too much after all we have seen, this visit was the dissapointing one of them all. But if you wife states 'I am happy to have seen them' and I am answering 'Measuring is knowing' and the even more obligate verb 'handling 'if we did not see it at all, we wouldn't have known anything at all of how they were looking' the glass was again half full, at the last day of our journey..

The hogback stone appeared to be just being tolerated within the entrance segment part of the church. As something you never use anymore but you do not throw away - entirely. That sort of feeling emerged when seeing this hogback asylum seekers.. Bed, bath and bread, ás we say in Dutch, but no luxury at all and standing on some outcuts of wood, you would balance the table with at home..

Come on, St. Micheal's Church.. care a bit more of your 'children' !

This hogback stone was moved in the church in 1907. Hogback stones layed partially buried in the churchyard before it was dug up and moved into the church.

The promising depiction of a longship - as certainly can be seen after some studying - see http://vikingminds.co.uk/pages/longship

we have missed !

The stone itself is (157 x 50 x 30 cm) and very worn.

The hogback stones in Cumbria - very diverse in quality, but everyone worth a visit ! Especially on a gloomy day in late October ...

The churches to visit - see photos of resp. St. Andrew's church in Penrith, St. Mary's church in Gosforth, St. Peter's church in Heysham and St. Micheal's church in Lowther.

Did I miss out on another one in Cumbria ? Let me know !

In a next blog I will take you to four - still remaining utterly mysterious- statues 'guarding' the graveyard of St. Andrew's church in Dacre..

For the last blog of October 9th see this link.

References: (as always, links to where the books can be ordered are attached).

Edwards, B.J.N. Vikings in North West England - The artifacts (1998);

Emery, Gordon, CURIOUS CUMBRIA, The Lake District & Beyond: A celebration of Cumbria (2023)

Ewing, T. 'Understanding the Heysham hogback' A tenth century sculpted stone monument and its context ;

Hall, R. Viking Age archaeology in Britain and Ireland (first printed 1990, reprinted with amendments in 1995);

Holder, G. The guide to the mysterious Lake District (2009)

possibly also (as there within the part of Cumbria dealing with Carlisle, the Eden Valley, Barrow-in-Furness, Whitehaven and the west coast is being dealed with)

Holder, G. Paranormal Cumbria (2010)

http://vikingminds.co.uk/pages/longship