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A Chieftain in Red and White – Oseberg Viking Heritage

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A Chieftain in Red and White – Oseberg Viking Heritage

Quellenübersicht

Dieser Text beleuchtet neue wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse über den Gokstad-Chieftain, dessen traditionell als schwarz und gelb wahrgenommene Farben durch moderne Analysen als Rot und Weiß identifiziert wurden. Basierend auf einer aktuellen Dissertation wird erklärt, dass die ursprüngliche Farbannahme auf Verfärbungen durch die lange Lagerung im Boden beruhte, während chemische Rückstände nun ein prachtvolleres Bild der Wikingersymbolik zeichnen. Ein wesentlicher Aspekt der Forschung ist die Erkenntnis, dass die gefundenen Schilde aufgrund ihrer Konstruktion vermutlich reinen Dekorationszwecken dienten und nicht für den Kampf gedacht waren. Abschließend verbindet der Artikel diese akademischen Entdeckungen mit einem praktischen Nachbauprojekt, bei dem Sponsoren dazu aufgerufen werden, die Rekonstruktion der historisch korrekten Schilde für das Schiff Saga Gokstad zu unterstützen.

Inhalt

Veröffentlicht: 1. Februar 2022 | Text: Einar Chr. Erlingsen | Oseberg Viking Heritage

Until now, we've believed the Gokstad chieftain's colours as being black and yellow. New insight reveals that he more likely signalled his presence with white and red, and that the shields were made for decorative purposes only.

This information appears in the newly presented doctoral thesis Viking Age Shields by Swedish archaeologist Kerstin Odebäck (Vikingatida sköldar – Stockholm University, 2021). Odebäck worked with Norway's Museum of Cultural History and Professor Jan Bill at the Viking Ship House in Oslo, where she was given access to the original objects as well as hitherto unpublished research material from the "Gokstad revitalised" project.

Farben: Rot und Weiß statt Schwarz und Gelb

For almost 150 years, the Gokstad chieftain was believed to fly the colours yellow and black — the interpretation being the result of excavation leader Nicolay Nicolaysen's 1880 visual observations.

Since Nicolaysen's description from 1882 there has been no research on the shields, until now, through the "Saving Oseberg laboratory" (connected to the conservation project for the Viking ships). Through the use of modern technologies, remnants of lead and iron were identified within the shields, pointing to colours red and white. When Nicolaysen "saw" black and yellow, it was the result of darkening after more than a thousand years underground.

It is likely that Viking Age chieftains and kings were identifying themselves through the use of colours. Example: The two upper boards of the ship belonging to the Ladby king in Denmark were painted blue and yellow, respectively.

(Note: No shields were discovered at the nearby Oseberg mound. However, shields were depicted on remnants of the Oseberg tapestry. These shields are coloured grey and red.)

Konstruktion der Gokstad-Schilde

More or less well-preserved Viking shields are very rare. Gokstad is the primary source for how these shields were constructed. No less than 439 large and small wooden fragments of shields were excavated, as well as 18 iron shield bucklers. Nicolaysen writes that the ship carried a total of 64 shields, information that cannot be confirmed today. However, we know that the ship carried 32 oars and equally many rowers.

The Gokstad shields are made from thin pieces of spruce, narrowing towards the edges. A large number of small holes along the edge points towards some kind of fitting, but since no remnants of metal have been identified, these might have been made from more perishable material like leather and sewn onto the shield.

The diameter of the Gokstad shields is 94 cm. In the centre there is a circular hole for allowing space to the bearer's hand, protected on the outside by an iron shield buckler. No grip has been identified — these were perhaps made from more perishable wood than the shields themselves.

Dekorative oder Kampfschilde?

Recent research has revealed one more thing of interest: The "gripping holes" are probably too small to accommodate a powerful Viking hand. Thus, much points towards the shields having been made for decorative purposes only.

Nachbauprojekt Saga Gokstad

At the Sandefjord worksite, Tore Forsberg and his crew of volunteers have been busy producing material for 64 shields for the Gokstad ship replica. Thanks to Kerstin Odebäck's doctoral thesis, now they also know how to paint them.