Hweinlant
09-11-2009, 09:43 AM
The Vlfberht sword blades are propably the first brand product with clear logo as sign of quality. These blades were common during the Viking age. I found this stuff fascinating.
The Vlfberht sword blades reevaluated
ANNE STALSBERG
Background
Readers of archaeological literature about Viking Age weapons are familiar with the male
name Vlfberht which is welded onto Viking Age Sword blades. The name is in the
archaelogical literature also written Ulfberht; V and U were used intechangably for the semivowel [w],
but the sword blade signature is with one single exception "written" <V>.
He is regarded as a Frankish blacksmith and the name is Frankish, from the lower Rhine Area,
and it is generally supposed that his sword blades were traded from the Frankish Realm to pagan Europe.
During preparations for the publication of the Norwegian-Russian Sword Project it
struck me that these "axioms" need a renewed discussion (on the Norwegian-Russian Sword
Project: Stalsberg 1994). I also realized that there, - to the best of my knowledge -, is no
typology of the variants of the Vlfberht signatures and geometrical reverse marks usually
accompanying the Vlfberht signature. To be able to discuss production and trade of the
Vlfberht blades, a typology of the variants of signatures and reverse marks is needed, and the
chronological and geographical distributions of these variants must be analysed to form a
basis for the reevaluation of the Vlfberht blades.
http://i32.tinypic.com/1z3qw77.jpg
full study:
http://www.easy-share.com/1907716425/Annestamanus_swords.pdf
The Vlfberht sword blades reevaluated
ANNE STALSBERG
Background
Readers of archaeological literature about Viking Age weapons are familiar with the male
name Vlfberht which is welded onto Viking Age Sword blades. The name is in the
archaelogical literature also written Ulfberht; V and U were used intechangably for the semivowel [w],
but the sword blade signature is with one single exception "written" <V>.
He is regarded as a Frankish blacksmith and the name is Frankish, from the lower Rhine Area,
and it is generally supposed that his sword blades were traded from the Frankish Realm to pagan Europe.
During preparations for the publication of the Norwegian-Russian Sword Project it
struck me that these "axioms" need a renewed discussion (on the Norwegian-Russian Sword
Project: Stalsberg 1994). I also realized that there, - to the best of my knowledge -, is no
typology of the variants of the Vlfberht signatures and geometrical reverse marks usually
accompanying the Vlfberht signature. To be able to discuss production and trade of the
Vlfberht blades, a typology of the variants of signatures and reverse marks is needed, and the
chronological and geographical distributions of these variants must be analysed to form a
basis for the reevaluation of the Vlfberht blades.
http://i32.tinypic.com/1z3qw77.jpg
full study:
http://www.easy-share.com/1907716425/Annestamanus_swords.pdf