What Weapons Did the Vikings Use? Their Arms, Armor & Defenses

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Explore the fighting techniques and weaponry of the Viking Age

Co-authored by Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: June 22, 2025 Fact Checked

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Viking Weapons & Their Uses

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Armor & Shields

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Weapon Decoration & Quality

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Viking Combat Techniques

Are you curious about the types of weapons, armor, and other equipment Vikings used to fight their battles? You’ve come to the right place! While there’s plenty of media in pop culture depicting the fearsome and powerful Vikings, not all of it is historically accurate, which is why we’ve put together a guide on Viking weaponry and equipment of all shapes and sizes. Read on to learn what Viking weapons actually looked like, how they were used, and what combat techniques were like during the Vikings’ heyday.

A Quick Overview of Viking Weapons

The most common weapons used by Vikings included knives (also known as seaxes), axes, spears, and bows, for both combat and everyday tasks like hunting or gathering firewood. Swords were also used, although exclusively for battle, and they were wielded mainly by wealthy or higher-status warriors due to their value.

Section 1 of 4:

Viking Weapons & Their Uses

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Sword Viking-age swords were one-handed with double-edged blades. Their design was heavily based on the Roman spatha, with a tight grip and less prominent cross-guard. Because swords were much more costly to make compared to other weapons (and could take up to a month to forge), they were also highly valued, often becoming rarely-used family heirlooms and carried by warriors of higher status. They had four key parts: the blade, fuller, quillion, and pommel.^{[1]
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- The blade, obviously, dealt damage. The sword’s fuller (a long groove running down the blade, also called a “channel” or “blood-channel”) lightened the sword’s weight. The quillion (cross-guard) protected the wielder’s fingers and hands, while the pommel served as a counterweight to balance out the sword.^{[2]
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- Viking swords often featured intricate designs, particularly on their hilts. Some hilts were even made from rarer materials, like whalebone.
- While other Viking weapons (including the knife, axe, spear, and bow) had uses beyond combat, swords were strictly used in battle to defeat enemies.
- The older the sword, the higher its value. Owning a sword was a great honor in Viking culture, and some warriors were even buried with their swords.
- It was also normal for swords to be given formidable names by their owners, like Sköfnung (a legendary Danish king’s sword) or Gram (owned by the Norse hero Sigurd).
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Knife (Seax) Knives were common during the Viking age, both as weapons and tools used in everyday life. There were two main types of knife: the plainer, single-edged knife (called a knifr) used for everything from hunting to combat, and the seax, a heavier, single-edged, machete-like knife that was usually also higher-quality.^{[3]
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- Plain knives have been found in Viking burial sites of all kinds, from those of warriors to women and children, indicating how common (and essential to daily life) they were.
- By comparison, seaxes were typically associated with wealthier individuals and warriors, although they were still widely used among Vikings and Germanic tribes.
- Seaxes also came in different sizes. There was the smaller “scraem seax” (or “injury knife”) and the bigger “lang seax” (or “long knife”). As the name would suggest, the lang seax was more commonly used in battle.
- So, while seaxes didn’t function exactly the same as swords (being much simpler to wield and cheaper to make), they could still be quite intimidating!
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Spear Spears were the most commonly used weapons among Vikings! They could be thrown or used in close-quarters combat as a “thrusting” weapon. Plus, in a melee, spears could hurt enemies while simultaneously preventing them from getting too close, making them quite versatile. There were several types of spears used by Viking warriors: short spears and long spears (for melee combat) as well as javelins (for throwing).^{[4]
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- Spears were also easier for blacksmiths to produce cheaply. Generally, they consisted of pointed metal heads attached to wooden shafts, which could be anywhere from 2 to 3 meters (6 to 9 feet) long.
- Throwing spears were lighter and narrower, while heavy, broad-headed spears were used for stabbing enemies.
- Vikings also used differently-shaped spearheads (referring to the point of a spear). For example:
  - The angon spearhead was designed to get past enemy shields.
  - There were winged spearheads called krókspjót (hooked spears).
  - Large-headed spears called höggspjót (chopping spear) were used to cut things.
- Spears also held a particular importance in Viking culture, with Odin (the Norse god and Allfather) wielding a legendary spear named Gungnir.
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Axe Axes were also extremely common among Vikings, and much more affordable to produce than swords. They functioned as both weapons of war and utility tools, with larger varieties of axes designed especially for use in battle. Hand-axes were used for things like cutting firewood, and bigger “Dane axes” were wielded in battle as devastating two-handed weapons. Axes generally consisted of a bladed wedge connected to a shaft.^{[5]
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- Axe shafts were typically made from ash wood, used not only for gripping the weapon but also for balancing it. Axe heads were made from wrought iron, often with a steel edge.
- Wedged axe heads often had a “bearded” design, allowing them to catch and control opponents’ shields or even hook enemies’ limbs.
- The most common type of axe was smaller, sturdy, and could be thrown or swung in close combat.
- Dane axes were enormous compared to regular bearded axes or everyday handaxes; their heads were mounted on long, spear-like poles, and they could be used to deal tremendous blows to any enemy, from foot soldiers to cavalry.
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Bow (and arrows) Viking war bows were made from wood, typically ash, elm, or yew. They were large and had a considerable draw force, capable of firing arrows out to at least 660 feet (200 meters)! When firing arrows, Viking illustrations suggest that the bowstring was pulled all the way back to the chest, rather than the mouth or chin (which is the practice today), explaining the incredible range.^{[6]
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- Viking arrowheads were usually made with iron and affixed to a wooden shaft, although some arrowheads were made from wood, bone, or antler instead.
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Sling Slings were another type of ranged weapon, albeit much simpler than the bow and extremely easy to make. They were simple to make, as they were composed, essentially, of a rope with a leather cup (which could be loaded with rocks or slingstones), which meant even lower-class Viking warriors and light infantry had access to a ranged weapon.
- And, for all that a sling might seem paltry compared to a sword or Dane axe, slingstones could absolutely do damage to enemies through armor!

Section 2 of 4:

Viking Armor & Shields

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Chainmail (Maille) armor Chainmail was probably rarer and more expensive to produce than other types of armor; most likely, only a few Viking warriors in an army wore it. This type of armor was worn over clothing; chainmail shirts offered protection from cuts and slashing attacks, but were less effective against blunt force or thrusting attacks (such as those from a spear).^{[7]
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- Chainmail consisted of small, interconnected iron rings, and a single suit required thousands of them to complete.
- Viking warriors with chainmail likely wore a “four-on-one” variety of the armor, which featured four solid rings connected by one riveted ring.
- Chainmail also had to be assembled by hand, so it's no wonder that it was very expensive and usually worn by people with money or higher status (like professional warriors in the mid-9th-century Great Heathen Army).
- In fact, evidence suggests that making a maille shirt around the year 1066 could’ve cost more than building an entire castle!
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Cloth and leather armor While it’s tough to pinpoint exactly what style of armor the average Viking would’ve worn, it’s possible they used quilted cloth gambesons, furs, or leather. At the time, leather was still quite expensive, so lower-class warriors probably didn’t even wear that (although leather Viking clothing has been discovered, proving its use). In fact, the rank and file Vikings may just have worn their everyday clothes rather than any kind of armor whatsoever!^{[8]
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- Thick, woollen cloth and stiff linen could still have offered some basic protection for warriors who couldn’t afford proper armor.
- Here’s a guide to fashioning a Viking-style cloak for yourself!
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Foreign-made armor and weapons Vikings didn’t just use their gear—they traded and plundered foreign weapons and armor, too. In particular, Norse Vikings are known to have possessed Frankish weapons and armor from the Carolingian Empire in Western Europe (which spanned modern-day France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands).
- Frankish swords in the 10th century were superior to Viking swords, making them highly valuable. Over 100 Frankish swords have been discovered in modern-day Norway!^{[9]
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Lamellar armor Lamellar armor consisted of small iron plates, either laced together or attached to a thick fabric (or leather). Although the remains of lamellar armor dating back to the Viking age have been discovered in Sweden, it’s unclear whether Vikings wore lamellar or foreign visitors—such as mercenaries—wore it instead.^{[10]
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- So, while lamellar is a potential type of Viking armor, it may also not have been worn by Vikings at all. Unfortunately, we just don’t know!
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Helmet Pop culture often associates Vikings with horned helmets—but that association began in the 19th century. There isn’t any real evidence of Vikings having used horned helmets (and they would’ve been unwieldy and impractical in a battle). In reality, the few, poorly preserved examples that have been discovered suggest that Viking helmets were quite simple overall.^{[11]
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- Viking helmets were little more than caps with a nose guard, and metal helmets were relatively rare.
- It’s possible that more elaborate, horned helmets or headdresses could have been used in ceremonies, but not in battle.
- Ceremonial Nordic helmets with metal horns have even been discovered, though they date back to the Bronze Age (thousands of years before the Vikings rose to prominence).
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Shield Vikings used round shields for defense in battle; as the name suggests, they were circular, typically made from wood (and sometimes reinforced with leather or iron). Round shields could be anywhere from 18 to 47 inches (45 to 120 centimeters) in diameter, though the most common size for Viking shields was around 30 inches (90 centimeters) in diameter.^{[12]
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- Shields were also mounted on the railings of Viking ships to protect the crew from both wind and water.
- Shields could be decorated with symbols, insignia, and even Skaldic poetry called “shield poems.”
- Large, almond-shaped kite shields (or “long shields”) are primarily associated with the Normans in Europe; some theories have suggested that the Vikings introduced these shields to Europe, but this has not been proven.^{[13]
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Section 3 of 4:

Viking Weapon Decoration & Quality

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Viking weapons were typically held to a certain standard. Predictably, the Viking standard prioritized functionality above all else. Weapons had to be sharp (of course), durable, and balanced for the wielder. For example, a sword’s center of mass had to be near the handle for the blade to be usable; similarly, all Viking weapons had to be balanced for them to work effectively.^{[14]
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- Durability and flexibility also went hand in hand for some Viking weapons.
- For example, Vikings valued sword blades that could bend without breaking and return to their original shape, making them resilient to even the most powerful blows in battle.
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Many Viking weapons and shields feature decorative elements. Despite their practicality, Vikings also took pride in the visual appeal and design of their weapons. Shields were sometimes painted or decorated, and weapons could bear patterns or engravings made from precious metals (like copper or silver). This increased their value, meaning Vikings highly prized their ornamented weapons.^{[15]
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- Furthermore, weapons featuring these decorative elements were regularly gifted in diplomatic or political exchanges.
- Curious about Viking decorations? Check out our comprehensive guides on Viking symbols and runes!

Section 4 of 4:

Viking Combat Techniques

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Shield walls While a great deal of information about Viking combat techniques has been lost to time, we do know that they relied on shield formations on the battlefield. In these formations, warriors with shields would form a circle (or “fort”) with their shields held out and possibly interlocked; then, protected by the shield wall, they’d stab outward with their spears at approaching enemies.^{[16]
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- Shield walls were also designed to be flexible; they could change based on the flow of battle.
- Other techniques likely used on the battlefield include the use of longbows, first and foremost, with arrows taking out enemies before any other weapons were needed.
- As Vikings closed in on their enemies, they’d throw spears. Finally, as they made contact with the opposition, they’d use their melee weapons (while relying on shield walls for protection, of course).
Vikings were also known for their impressive fleets, which could consist of hundreds of longships. Viking longships were narrow, maneuverable, and fast, able to sail along rivers and launch swift surprise attacks on enemies. Viking campaigns in England and against the Frankish Empire relied on these ships (as well as cargo ships transporting supplies) for success!^{[17]
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