Viking Sword

A double-edged straight sword and the most expensive, high-status weapon of the Viking Age, carried by wealthier raiders aboard longships that struck coastal Europe from the 8th to 11th centuries. Some blades, such as those bearing the Ulfberht inscription, were made from unusually pure, high-quality steel for the period. Its cost meant it was far less common in Viking warbands than the axe or spear.