[ANSTHRLD] Wherein Snorri Bangs his Head Against a Wall

C. L. Ward gunnora at vikinganswerlady.com
Mon Feb 2 10:38:46 PST 2004


Snorri said:
>The arms I'm hoping to register will
>be evocative of the Norse culture, be
>field-primary or single charge, and
>will be respectful of the fact that the
>Norse had no heraldry.  So I'm thinking
>either something like "Paly vert and
>argent" or a single charge on a simple
>field.  I'm very open to other suggestions
>along this thinking.

First, going back to a comment about Vikings and fur-wearing barbarians in
this thread (for which Snorri was not responsible), while there is evidence
of some fur cloaks from Birka, wet fur doesn't do much for keeping you warm.
Wool does, even when wet.  Therefore it's not too surprising to find in that
climate that actual Viking Age folk were much likelier to wear outergarments
made of fake fur - a woven textile with combed wool tufts looped in - than
actual fur.  Or just good old vaðmal, woven tight.  Vikings were not
fur-wearing barbarians - we sell the fur south and take the silver, thank
you very much.

Snorri, compare these:

Gyronny arrondi
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID=5639
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID=5642
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID=6964
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID=5612

Also:
Gyronny
Quarterly

If you want inspiration from sails, how about:

Lozengy
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID=5635
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID=5632
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID=5638
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID=5615
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID=5611

And you can look to Viking art for possible charges that translate to
blazonable language as well:

Saltire
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield13.jpg (see
Oseberg tapestry shields)

Raven
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/raven_d_diagram.gif
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/raven_d.gif
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/raven_a_diagram.gif
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/raven_a.gif
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/raven_f.gif

Eagle
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/eagle_c_diagram.gif
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/eagle_c.gif

Cock
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/WOV6654_CarvedTerminalDublin.gif

Wolf
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/wolf_b_diagram.gif

Animal Head
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/wolf_d.gif
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/WOV4527WOV4529_2ViewsJellingDragonH
eadWolinPoland.gif
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/wolf_b.gif

Bowen knot
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID=5626

Wake knot
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/graphics/WOV861_UrnesDecorationPaintedRedOnC
hurchbeam.jpg

I'm sure I could find lots, lots, more.

I also have to recommend most highly that Viking folk looking to design a
device read:

Mistress Thora Sharptooth's article, "Personal Display for Viking Age
Personae: A Primer for Use in the SCA" at
http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/display.html

And also take a look at this article for visual inspiration:

Peter Beatson, "The 'Viking Shield' from Archaeology"
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html

::GUNNVOR::




More information about the Heralds mailing list