Viking (babw)

purplybunny

purplybunny

Active Member
In Ireland this year there is a Brian Ború festival marking the 1000yr anniversary of his death. It's a year long festival and I will be going to a small part of it. I want to dress my babw lion as a Viking Warrior. I want this to be as accurate as possible. I have watched some of the first series of the show Vikings, on RTÉ. I have also tried to do a bit of research online, but it is a bit of a minefield.

Yeah, I know no horned helmet, some didn't even wear helmets or so I've been told. Clothes wise, basically wollen/fabric clothing, if they wore a cloak, a bit of fur along the top. Axes and round shields for weapons.

Have I got the basics of it correct? Before I start sourcing materials and cutting up fabric.

Any help/advice would be appreciated.
 
Being a swede id say that the clothes used in the series "vikings" is pretty much what scandinavians would say is accurate!
Theres not much fabric found that can tell us just how they were clothed but they used alot leather also as protective "hats" rather than metal helmets
Most vikings were farmers and businessmen trading with neighbours and other countries so the warriors as we often see them portrayed in films etc
Would probably look alot different to the average man in a viking community thevikings3-crop.jpgs60.jpg
 
swede: thank you so much for your reply :) It is good to know that I am on the right track. Does it matter what pattern is on the round shield? Did the colours/pattern have any meaning?

SmilingOtter: thank you for the link. I will look at it in detail when I have more time.
 
No worries mate,
Again shields found has no or very little color left :) but they were probably very colorful and perhaps also connected to certain clans/villages but no proof of that as far as i know. vikingaskold1.jpg

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96589_viking_warriors.jpg

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Helmet from a museum..20131014-062023.jpg
 
swede: thank you :) already designing this one. I can make the axe from the same fabric I used for some of the Sith Stalker armour. The axe hilt (correct word?) I can make metallic looking with fabric and the handle I can cover with brown fabric and paint to look wooden. This will be attached to his belt. The shield, I'm thinking fabric, maybe painted as well. Thinking of having this attached to his back some way, maybe with a belt. As I have noticed in the tv show that they have shields on their backs when walking towards a raid. I can probably get away with using the same brown boots as the Sith Stalker. Thanks for the photo of the helmet, it shouldn't be too hard to make either. Again will be fabric, maybe painted. The clothes have started to source possible material, but can't buy anything until next payday.
 
purplybunny said:
Hoping to make a start on this soon, still in design stage at the moment.
Click to expand...

Interested to see your progress on this.

Im planning on making a Viking costume for halloween this year myself. I found a really nice helm that appears to be from 6-8th century Sweden. I really like the open design and the simplicity of the helm.
ulltuna.jpg

Am also thinking of making a deerskin tunic and attaching faux metal plates to it. I know a lot of Vikings were depicted as wearing chain mail but simple Brigandine armor like this doesnt seem out of the realm of possibility. Jarl Borg from the Viking series is seen wearing some as well.
 
Thank you :) Nice looking helmet, look forward to seeing your build.

Safe to say, I won't be making chainmail for this! I would love to, but I would not have the time, plus I've never made it before. Maybe for another build in the future. Lots of scope to work with.
 
Starting to panic, as no supplies arrived yet *shakes fist at postal system* Might have to go into town on sat and get some, this really needs to get started. Will prob end up doing brigandine armour as doubt will have time to even make faux chainmail.
 
Brown trousers have arrived for this and a friend says they've solved the chain mail problem for me. I'm being sent lots of silver 5mm (i think) open jump rings that I can make the chain mail out of :) Will sit in front of the tv and while away the hours making chain mail for the Lion.

Odd thing is that someone over 20yrs ago said that one day I would be making my own chain mail. Whether he thought it would be for a stuffie or not is another matter lol
 
The jump rings arrived and they're really tiny! :(

Anyway, "real life" has jumped in and am unable to complete this in the time frame. He can be a Viking Warrior at Comic Con, Belfast instead. That will give me a bit more time and source some larger jump rings for his chain mail.
 
purpylbunny,
It would be easier to list the things in the Vikings show that they got right, it's just I would have to watch all the episodes to find those 2 things. Seriously, I don't know what swede is referring too, the props, clothes, in the Vikings series are the worst of Hollywood stereotypes. It is all awful.
There are plenty of fabric examples found to give us a pretty good idea of what was being worn. Wools, linens, silk. Trade from the east and south was very strong, so you can find influence (limited) from as far away as china. Hollywood's use of leather in these Viking shows is almost cartoonish.
If you really want authentic Viking gear, do a search for "Living History Viking" or "Moesgaard Viking" or "Ribe Viking". These will get you correct (or at least much closer) example of historical Viking gear.
Note: In modern times, we consider the Viking age from 793 to 1066. The 2 helmets imaged above are both Vendel helmets, (550-790) before the Viking age. In fact, the only helmet found in a true Viking age grave, is the Gjermundbu helmet. (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Hjelm_av_jern_fra_vikingtid_fra_Gjermundbu.jpg) However, there is enough other evidence to show that many other styles of helms and armour were used.
Now, all that said, if you want the "Hollywood look" this is the RPF, so go crazy. But don't be fooled into thinking it has any historical correctness.
Here are 2 examples of more or less correct period kits: The left image is 2 Vendel kits. (I'm on the right & made most of what you see) The second picture is of a Viking era kit from Estonia or Finland. And third is a closeup of my helmet made from steel and gold plated copper alloy. (inspired by the "Valsgarde 5" helmet)
mmmmm.jpgMagnusFront37.JPGmm.jpg

If you want authentic mail, (or pretty close) look here for help: Hurstwic: Viking Mail
 
Thanks everyone! :) I've got a non chainmail viking outfit sorted for Thomas Marshal the Lion :) Which is good because the chain mail with the jumprings wasn't working out. I'm taking the Lion to part of the Brian Ború festival next wed, so he'll wear it then :)

Thank you once again, for all your help and answering of my questions. Will share selected pics and a link to that adventure wed night :)
 
Viking costume finished! :) Made the tunic and the pouch on the belt myself. The trousers I bought online, the belt was from the Sith Stalker costume. Already had the boots.
front.jpgside.jpg

He's ready for his adventure on Wednesday now.
 
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