Viking Shield 'Vegvísir' with Rawhide Edging, 60 cm
- Material: plywood, solid wood handle with leather wrap, leather (rawhide) edging, steel boss
- Painted with the Vegvísir
- Diameter: approx. 60 cm (23.6 inch)
- Thickness: approx. 13 mm
- Shield boss: overall Ø approx. 18 cm, bulge Ø approx. 13 cm, bulge height approx. 8 cm
- Weight: approx. 2.8 kg
Become a Norse warrior and bravely march into battle with this impressive round wooden Viking shield. With its intricate design and Vegvísir motif, this shield is the perfect accessory for your Viking costume. Whether for LARP events, reenactments, or as a stylish decoration, this shield will make you the hero on any battlefield.
Crafted from approx. 13 mm thick plywood, this Viking shield stands out with its detailed craftsmanship. In its centre, the shield features a generously sized steel boss that is tightly held in place with four rivets, and leaves enough space to accommodate even stout Viking hands. The shield’s edge is clad with rawhide (parchment), and the back is fitted with three riveted reinforcement slats made of wood. The central slat also officiates as a handle and is leather-wrapped in its middle section for a comfortable grip.
The central motif of the shield, the Vegvísir (way finder”) is a magical symbol or a so-called sigil (galdrastafir) of Icelandic origin. An actual representation of this symbol features for the first time in the Icelandic Huld Manuscript by Geir Vigfússon from 1860. There it says:
If this sigil is carried, one will never lose one’s way in storms and bad weather, even when the way is not known.
Although there is no historical evidence that the Vegvísir was used by the Norsemen during the Viking Age, it remains a meaningful symbol today. In Germanic Neopaganism, it is interpreted as a representation of the nine worlds of Norse mythology, while in modern everyday life, it is often worn as a pendant or talisman as a symbol for guidance in the figurative sense, intended to help its bearer weather the storms that life brings along the way, even on unfamiliar paths.
This wooden shield is a great accessory for re-enactment, LARP, stage or TV/film and will make your transformation into a proud Norse warrior just perfect. Besides it also makes for a nice collectible or display piece for all Viking Age enthusiasts.
