There were several types of weapons during this period. There are archaeological finds of bows and arrows from f.ex. Danish sacrificial bogs. The arrowheads were made of iron or bone. Bow and arrow could also be used for hunting. Another relatively common type of weapon was the spear, which also could be used for hunting, as well as the lance. Some men were buried together with their weapons. In such graves you often find the combination spear and lance. Additionally, they were often covered with their shield. Since the shield was made of wood, it has often disappeared and the archaeologists find the shield buckle which protected the hand as well as the handle. The shield buckle was often made of iron, but also bronze was used.
The sword was more exclusive than spear, lance and bow. During the Early Iron Age (500 B.C. - 400 A.D.) single-edged cutting swords were the most common type, which evolve into so called sax swords during the Late Iron Age (400 A.D. - 1050 A.D.). A long, double-edged sword seams to have been more or less reserved for the richer and more powerful people in society, at least before the Viking Age. Some swords have been decorated with gold inlays.
The battle axe became more common in the Viking Age (800-1050 A.D.). The battle axe is very efficient as an attack weapon, but you have to keep the initiative, it is difficult to defend yourself with an axe.
Helmets and chain mail were very unusual during the Iron Age. There are finds from the Vendel Period (500-800 A.D.) in Sweden of very exclusive helmets, which were mainly for display. There are also finds of Viking Age helmets, f. ex from Norway. A whole chain mail suite has been discovered at the sacrificial bog of Vimose in Denmark, dated to the Late Roman Iron Age (200-400 A.D.). Both helmets and chain mail became more common in early Medieval times.
Vilka vapen hade man under järnåldern (SE)?
Det fanns flera olika typer av vapen vid denna tid. Man har hittat pilbågar, bl a i danska offermossar. Pilspetsar gjordes av järn eller ben. Pil och båge användes också som jaktredskap. Ett annat tämligen vanligt vapen var kastspjutet, som också kunde användas vid jakt, liksom lansen. En del män begravdes tillsammans med sina vapen. I sådana s.k. vapengravar finner man ofta just kombinationen av kastspjut och lans. Dessutom fick de ofta med sig sin sköld som gravgåva. Eftersom skölden var gjord av trä har den ofta ruttnat bort och det arkeologerna hittar är sköldbucklan som skyddade handen samt handtaget. Sköldbucklan var oftast gjord av järn, men även brons förekom.
Svärdet som vapen var exklusivare än spjut, lans och pilbåge. Under äldre järnålder (500 f.Kr-400 e.Kr) var det vanligt med eneggade huggsvärd, vilka under yngre järnålder (400-1050 e.Kr) utvecklas till s.k. saxar. Ett långt, tveeggat svärd verkar främst ha varit förbehållet de lite rikare och mäktigare i samhället. Tveeggade svärd blir dock vanligare under vikingatid. Svärden kunde ibland smyckas med guld.
Stridsyxan blir vanlig först under vikingatiden, 800-1050 e.Kr. Yxan är ett mycket effektivt anfallsvapen, men man måste behålla initiativet i striden. Det är svårt att värja sig med en yxa.
Hjälmar och brynjor var däremot mycket ovanliga under järnåldern, men de förekom. Det finns fynd från vendeltid (550-800 e.Kr) i Sverige av mycket exklusiva hjälmar som främst använts för uppvisning. Det finns även fynd av vikingatida hjälmar, bl a i Norge. Fynd av en hel ringbrynja finns från Vimose i Danmark, daterat till yngre romersk järnålder (200-400 e.Kr). Både hjälm och brynja blir betydligt vanligare under medeltiden.
