@@davidpurll4570 No joke, though, it apparently is a thing - well, cat colourism - black cats apparently are the colour most often passed over in shelters, because people are stupidly superstitious and don't want a black cat.
@@beth12svist The shelter near me gives them cute names like jelly bean or licorice and they seem to find homes just fine. I have no issues with black cats as long as I can find a black couch.
As a reenactor who does some experimental archaeology as part of reenacting, I can tell you - a sword is mostly useless for being anything but a sword (it doesn't cut wood or clear brush for shit), a langseax does a jolly good job of splitting kindling (because it's basically just a really big knife) and fighting the enemy (if you have a shield), a big knife can split kindling AND cut onions AND stab/cut the enemy, and an axe can chop down a tree, plane a board, and split kindling, AND (if necessary) be used as a weapon. If I had to choose a pair of medieval tools for surviving in a hostile environment, my choices would be a big knife and an axe, because multipurpose tools (knife and axe) will always be more versatile than single-use tools (sword).
There is a woman on RUclips that has a log splitting sword. It's mighty impressive in spite of its impracticality. (Nicole Coenen if you're curious enough to look)
A dull ax is still a deadly weapon. Yes, please, more information on weapons! Don't steal the cat, give it treats and pets and lots of compliments. All cats deserve compliments.
A blunt sword and axe are still big lumps of iron clubs. That's why today nearly everyone that does the combat wears gloves helmet's and some sort of padded clothing or mail.
For me, "we don't know all the answers," is one of the things that makes archaeology an exciting field. There's always more to learn, more research that can be done.
There were Viking age militia regulations from Norway that fined militiamen for showing up with wood axes instead of fighting axes. So, you're right about poorer people using their tools as weapons. But those were not considered as really proper in a military context, it seems. And rightfully so given the weight. So, 'preferred' is clearly distinct from 'available'.
I greatly appreciate how often you say "I don't know". As a scientist and science teacher, that is my biggest hurdle with both secondary students all the way up through uni is just saying that we don't know something (though in physics we often run into people thinking we know.... nothing..." I'm not the hugest weapons fan in general, but I loved this video. I would love to hear more about the combat knives (sax? seax? saks?) as well as spears & shields, especially how things may have been used together - which I know is basically impossible to know for sure. That would be really interesting! Especially as my wife and I may each be getting a seax on our wedding anniversary to go with the swords we exchanged at said wedding.
Although the scythe isn't pre-eminent among the weapons of war, anyone who has been on the wrong end of, say, a peasants' revolt will know that in skilled hands it is fearsome. -- Terry Pratchett, Mort
I thought there was another about a sword kept by an old soldier, who denies it's a weapon at all... just a memento, a keepsake, use it to stir the fire.... Something like that but I cannot find it! Bah!
Steal the cat? You don't understand how this works. It's the cat who makes the decsion as to whether or not you will be taken on as an indentured servant.
Yes More weapon videos. The cat could be a good sidekick too. “We don’t know what we don’t know” is my favorite phrase. Cheers History Jimmy & your Feline Friend
This might be about survivor ship bias. If you didn't have enough money to buy a weapon for war, your family definitely didn't have enough money to bury you with the family axe. Then, all these family axes were used and repaired until they couldn't be.
Overcoming survivorship bias is really hard & annoying. Extrapolating from a small sample size causes huge problems and "we don't know" really is the best answer. This was very informative and I would love more!
I seem to remember Captain Jean Luc Picard once saying something like ""I don't know" is the most fundamental statement in science, and the beginning of all wisdom."
I don't think the cat wants to be stolen - but instead you could give us a video on Viking cats.
Год назад+8
Axes are used in the kitchen as well. Cutting hard tissue like bones and tendons, or separating big pieces like a leg or a tail, it's done with a small (or not so small) axe or hatchet. Even today, butchers and cooks have hatchets to cut difficult or large pieces and hard stuff.
I think using an axe to create housing, art, shelter, assist in farming, etc., does not fit the narrative of certain groups who prefer an ultra masculine, brutal narrative for the Norsk. that's just my opinion based on my observations.
I love the weapons vids… and I also miss the sewing and chatting vids. Am hand stitching a tunic and trousers to fill my free time and would love another sew-along
As a scientist, I love hearing "we don't know" - it just means there's another research rabbit hole to dive into! Side note: voidling kitties are the BEST!
Even though I have never chopped wood, I have an axe in my shed - it used to belong to my grandad. I absolutely subscribe to the idea that people would use what's availlable (cf. the infamous mob with pitchforks. You don't want to be on the business end of a sharp pitchfork. It's like a spear with four times the stabby bits).
That parting comment about naming kids made me chuckle. While not universal, I am sure there were many folk that named practically everything. If there is anything humans like more than taxonomy, it is naming things that with more than a couple of days of permanence.
Very interesting! Axes were (and continue to be in certain places) absolutely everyday items that were essential to a person's livelihood as they were to keeping that person from freezing to death. I used to work in a late Victorian-early Edwardian museum in an old mining town in America (a bit removed from the Viking era, but bear with). We had wonderful examples of women's dresses (and a few men's clothing items) and other items used for special occasions -- Christening gowns, wedding dresses, mourning attire, etc. -- than we did of the working class person's daily attire, generally because the special attire would get worn very seldom and was often kept in as pristine condition as could be managed while everyone wore the snot out of their day-to-day gear. Perhaps the reason so many swords have been found in various areas is for the same reason -- for most people this was a very special item that wouldn't necessarily have been used to death like most axes.
My Grandmother told me in an emergency to use my cast iron frying pan as a weapon. She said since I used it everyday it was an extension of my hand. Same thing applies with an axe. Bravo muscle memory!Maybe less axes have been found because they were passed down in families instead of being buried with them.
Don’t *steal* the kitty... it might make some poor lonely person very sad. But definitely befriend the kitty and give it scritches and loves. And maybe snacks. And camera time. Maybe the thing about “sword’s only good enough to chop wood” was originally intended to be “so dull you must’ve been using it to chop wood”, because that does dull the crap out of your chopping tool, but it suffered the same inversion as “could[n’t] care less”? Maybe? Or I might be being too generous. There’s a fellow over there somewhere (in Yorkshire I think?) who runs a small business hand carving axe hafts, who could probably give you oodles of info on the process and how different ones are designed and whatnot. I can’t offer anyone who knows about Norwegian axe finds, but I could point you in this guy’s direction? Also! Unrelated, but you’ve mentioned a discord before, which doesn’t seem findable anywhere. Is it Patreon patron only, perhaps? If not, you might benefit from a link in your video descriptions. If so then nevermind! 😂
regarding the Norwegian Coat of Arms, the Axe is traditionally considered the weapon by which St Olav Harroldsson received the wound that killed him ( yes there is a lot of argument about this - whole academic thesis have been written about it). Since he is considered a Martyr by the Lutheran Church of Norway and the Catholic Church of Scandinavia its was logical that the Axe the instrument of his Martyrdom - hence entry into heaven would become associated with him. He is also considered our Eternal King in Norway soooo that's how the Axe made its way into the Coat of Arms (this is the short version).
I'd *LOVE* to see a video on this! I second this notion! I recall seeing somewhere a comment about kittens being given as wedding gifts, & I absolutely *LOVE* that idea! If this is a true thing & historical, it might've been as a prophylactic measure, where you raise the cat as a mouser to keep rodents out of your food stores. At least, that's what I would do, anyways.🐈😻
Love your videos man There is a short film here on youtube called "Draug", it's set during the Viking Age, i think that most of the costumes were done by reenactors, it would be really cool if you made a analysis
Honestly, with all the glorification of swords in media and their association with the aristocracy, it'd be nice to see a fiction series, historical or fantasy, that places the axe or spear as the hero's weapon. Closest I can think of is Stormlight Archive where Kaladin (primarily) uses a spear and actually hates swords.
So they were more... axe-cessible? And no, I'll never be tired of hearing "we don't know" or "Based on these finds, it seems like.." or "probably, but we can't be sure"! Never trust a historian who says everything with 100% confidence!
I've never thought much about whether the Vikings used axes or swords more, but it makes sense that most people would have axes laying around, so might as well use them. Thanks Jimmy. Pet the cat for us.
"We don't know" actually makes me feel better as someone who loves the Iron Age and comes to those conclusions about it a lot. It's good to know that's the real answer and not just something I think because I'm lacking expertise.
Starting with a cat is always good. Not to steal, though, it might have a nice home it misses. Wasp is a scary way to end a video. So, that’s axes & swords… anyone fighting with war hammers?
Access to axes I love those word nuances 😅 Anyhoo the answer is we don't know as always. So I'm narrowing to the same conclusion axes being more affordable but a sword was not such a rare sight on the battlefield as some tend to think.
Hello from Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Bring treats to the cat and it will choose to visit you again. Yes to further videos on weapons of various types please. Thank for this one today Jimmy.
6:30 Just a thought. Swords would have been more valuable than axes, so would have been looked after and past on to family members so would have survived longer. They have been found in rivers, peat bogs and graves so they also have great ritualistic significance which has helped preserve them. Axes on the other hand would have been common, made by blacksmiths everywhere, and probably thrown out or recycled into new items when worn out. Which may explain why there are more swords than axes from that period. Just look at biros, i must have bought hundreds of the things over the years but if you come round to my place you’ll be hard pressed to find one.
Once you do some spear training in any style from any culture you realize what a superior weapon it is, an ax is a nice cheap yet devastating powerful side arm. Spears were always primary weapons, axes and swords are side arms that most warriors probably hoped they wouldnt have to use. Most people would rather killy stab stab at a distance, swords and axes is close and frenzied....not fun, but you know, back then you had tobdeal with this shit but they were people like us.
I have seen an idea from martial arts that the first gamechanger we had was knives. That was scary as heck, so then we made swords and spears as knife fighting was too dangerous and too close. So then after that we made bows to not be within knife-reach.
Id love if you did an episode addressing how in general many things we in modern times think of as battlefield weapons, were really just converted farming and crafting tools
... flails. Typically, flails. (Which is something you get drilled into you if you're Czech, because hussites and their conspicuous lack of knights and therefore widespread habit of converting farming instruments into weapons. They kind of fail to tell you that phenomenon wasn't limited to the hussites.)
I prefer admitting what you don't know to making a wild claim based on very little evidence. I mean, I absolutely love wild claims as well, as long as they're clearly labelled as "speculation" or a "guess".
If you want to do a video about spears and how awesome they are, that'd be cool. Otherwise, more about tapestries would always be appreciated. As always, thank you for sharing your videos.
Yes, more weapon videos, please sir. I think your argument makes sense. Though I would expect the tool axes being picked to bring to battle to be the small hatchets, not the tree-felling ones. Felling axes are too heavy to be used as a weapon for very long. IIRC, large axes used on the battlefield were made for that purpose, and were not tools - they lacked the weight to chop large logs or fell trees. Seems to me, it would go like this: Average man may own more than one axe. One for felling, one hand axe for slightly more detailed work. He takes the hand axe to battle. He has a work knife, he brings that. He may have a spear for hunting boar, he brings that. When he answers his lord's call to arms, he's given a cheap spear if he doesn't have one, and a cheap wooden shield. If he's wealthy, he buys a sword, or if he fights well, his lord gives him one. That would seem the logical order of things, to me at least.
No, not tired of “We don’t know” it’s both honest, true and refreshing. I understand that that allure of a sword is almost irresistible to a Viking reenactor ( I’d want one!) but the axe, in all it’s many, varied, utilitarian forms was very common. Think of all those boys yearning to go off raiding with their elders. Practice, on the sly, with an axe was easy using what was at hand. Skill in using an axe for much much more than just chopping wood, was the norm. (Think Ray Mears!) I suspect that many swords survived because they were expensive and special, handed down to sons, or kept on the wall as a reminder of status and glories past. An axe, unless a very special one, would almost certainly have been used peacefully, then recycled when it wore out. One must never forget how scarce and precious, good iron was at that time. Also, a sword is very little use for anything other than posing and killing people. Please don’t try using your sword to chop down a tree it will not survive unscathed! The reason that serious warriors were so effective was that they practiced with their weapons until they became part of them. One is much more comfortable, competent and innovative with a tool that is familiar to one’s hand. There is good reason that women, when they kill, tend to choose a large, sharp, knife! 😜
I liked the video because you mentioned the fact that axes have simply been tools and people would use what is on hand to protect themselves. What I would like to see is a video on tools like axes, hammers and knives in different shapes for different kinds of work. What can be done with these tools and how would a viking craftsman build furniture? Thanks for the effort you put into the channel!
I had to laugh when you told about the comment of a sword used to chop wood isn't a "weapon". My immediate thought was - "Huh. I didn't know that squishy flesh was more difficult to cut/hew through than wood. - especially when you're putting as much power behind your swing as you did for chopping wood"
Maybe it's just my lackluster (or modern) wood chopping technique, but I feel like it would be harder to use a sword for this than an ax. An ax is a wedge on the end of a lever - the mechanics mean it transfers force really well. A sword just isn't built the same. I'm completely accepting that this may be my lack of experience, but I feel like my wrists wouldn't hold up to chopping wood with a sword quite as well.
As a historically interested Swede, the fact that to the Norse and pretty much every other frontier civilization in history, axes and hatchets were the multi-tools of choise is a much more likely explanation for the number of viking era axes found. A hand axe would be carried everywhere, and used for every kind of campfire work, ship constuction/repairs, house repairs, fence repairs, tool making/repairs. Even whittling is safer with a well honed sharp hatchet than with a knife that lack finger guards. And then a seax or smaller knife for food preparation, eating and detail crafting work where the axe/hatchet is unsuitable. Sure they would both be used as backup weapons if there was nothing else within reach, but they are no more weapons by design than a crowbar or a screwdriver. The main weapons of the Norse warriors as far as I've percived it was the spear, the javelin, the round shield and the spatha/gallic-derived one handed swords as well as the occational yew hunting bow pressed into combat service much like the hand axe and seax.
An additional point; when large mobile (boss-held) shields are ubiquitous then a front-heavy, choppy weapon with little-to-no hand protection is much more viable. Even the swords themselves are VERY choppy and frontloaded. Given the cost and difficulty of making a good sword that won't bend too easily, I am not surprised that axes are common; they are a great option at a fraction of the cost.
It always amuses me that the very stirring 😅 military music Sosban fach that is played at the end is about a big saucepan and a little saucepan 😂😂 Glad to seem so much better Jimmy x
Salutations from America Sir; as a human servant to a couple of black feline males I am glad to find out that you are a friend to one over there, yet another reason to be subscribed to your channel. I've learned knowledge from you that I cannot find anywhere else, thank you. Keep up the good work...
I actually love when people say there needs to be more investigation, there's nothing more boring that a finite study, I love knowing there's so much more to learn 😊
I had a thought about viking weapons recently. Famously the popular and quite violent god Thor fights with a hammer, but I never hear about actual viking warriors using hammers. Isn't that kinda weird?
Don't steal the cat! It might have a good home where it will be sorely missed. Feel free to start carrying cat treats in your pocket for random cat encounters, though. I love hearing you say "we don't know." I'd prefer actual data to romanticised conjecture in my history lessons, thanks.
I would be interested in archery! But also (and probably more) in more domestic stuff, to continue in the vein of the cesspit video. I know we've talked about longhouses and stuff, but I'd love to hear more about what we know re:cooking techniques and utensils, what evidence we have re: how houses were furnished/made comfortable, stuff like that. (And textiles but I'm biased)
dont steal the cat! And I would assume that weapon of choice is also a personal preference (if you can afford both weapons)? Maybe your choice could be influenced by who you'll be fighting. As an avid gamer I'd say I have a preferred fighting style that limits the weapons that suit it. You won't see me using a sword or axe, because I prefer the bow. But if I only can afford an axe I'll use it. Let's keep using 'we don't know' as well as 'what makes most sense' :)
I would say steal the cat but it looked like it had a collar on so it might belong to someone. More weapons videos, please. As for throwing axes, why throw a weapon to the enemy who might turn it back on you? I second the suggestion for Viking music (or instruments?)
Another aspect of the 'axes were cheaper' argument is that they could be made mostly of cheaper and easier to find low-carbon steel, with just a small bit of higher-carbon steel forge-welded into it as the cutting edge of the axe. This also made them more durable as the low carbon steel would flex rather than break.
Thank you Jimmy I woke to a smile this morning. Your talk of axes reminded me. Of Bailie Nicol Jarvie hatchet. My dad loved history but had a habit of improvising 😊 when he couldn't remember a full story he would weave his words around the bits he knew. The story he told was that Rob Roy tried to steel some cattle and the good bailie picked up his axe and threw it at the raiders(I know daft thing to do but I was only little at the time so it was believable) it got stuck in a tree and there it remained. Of course like any good story teller he had to weave in a twist. The twist in the tale is perhaps more believable than the tail itself.he said that the owner of the hotel in whose grounds the tree stood would take visitors to see the famous axe , one day a tourist asked if that was the actual axe since a long time had passed since it was thrown.his reply was och yes the self same axe he threw that night we have only had to replace the haft three times then with a little smile he would add and the head twice.
Terry Pratchett said that "agricultural implements" wielded by people who use them *all the time* can be terrifying. People probably fought with whatever they could afford that they had on hand and had practiced with. Would you rather fight with a sword you've barely used or an axe you're very familiar with? Swords required more metal & craftsmanship in one sense, so were probably more expensive. In our house, we have 3 swords & 0 axes. However, we live in a condo so we mostly need very basic indoors tools like screwdrivers. Also, the swords are "fake", for show rather than for actual use. They are still metal & can do some damage with enough applied force, but they're intended as decoration. On one memorable 4th of July, it was shown that the katana is capable of cutting through a watermelon, if wielded with sufficient force.
I read about a battle in 14th century Brabant, where the butchers guild held out for a long time using their work tools. Some passages in "Night Watch" made me think Pratchett had read about the same battle.
Love your videos. I would say that axes that are more specialized weapons can be quite different than tool axes. Fighting axes are often much lighter and thinner than, "tool" axes. Though it may still be possible to use them as tools, they are not ideal, and could likely be damaged. A "Dane" axe is an extreme example of this but it can be seen on smaller axes too.
i absolutely love watching you teach us things youre so affable. keep up the awesomeness Jimmy! more accurate information being given to the public can only be a good thing
@@TheWelshViking I had an idea for the "Nuance" T-shirt: lettering reminiscent of the Book of Kells illuminated manuscript, spelling out the word. *giggle* I'm an artist, I could do it. I'd have to do some research to get the design correct for period, though, & that would take a bit of time. Would you like me to give it a go? P.S: my PFP is my own design.😊
Couldn't it be that when men died they were more likely to be buried with their sword but axes got passed on? It seems that a sword was much more personal and noble than an axe and that's why people wanted to take their sword to the grave. But also, if an axe was so much more common or affordable, families with less money had axes. When they died the family maybe didn't have the means to stick a good axe underground so the axe was maybe passed on. ?
Weapon axes were also named. There's a reason that weapons like swords, axes and such would follow the dead, he would need them all in the afterlife. If he lacked one of the weapons, there were the risk that he came back as a draugr in search for it. That's also why swords were bent, the risk of having someone being reanimated as a draugr were one thing, but if the draugr had a functional sword...that would be worse
My understanding is that the characteristics of an axe that is intended to be used as a weapon are different than one that is meant to be a tool. You want a heavy head for wood-chopping, for example, while those Dane axes tended to be lighter and more nimble in the head. This isn't to say that a wood chopping axe is a *bad* weapon, particularly if it's the only weapon you got, but I imagine that the axes that are status symbols are more optimized for combat. Regardless, great video as usual!
Subject like this I like to keep the philosophy of Albert Camus in mind: "I can understand the length and breth of the universe but I cannot give it meaning." Now Camus was talking about Absurdism but in the case of reenactment and other historical events we have grave goods, iconography, and other things that give us lots of data but no real way to show how it was applied and used. And for use of axes in modern day, a few of my military friends saw people preferring to trade in their k-bars for tomahawks
According to Gulatingsloven § 309, who is considered to be among the oldest sets of laws in Norway, every free man was obliged to own the following weapons : Spear and shield and by choice either an axe or a sword. If a man failed to have those weapons ready for him, he would risk getting fined. From burial findings, it is found one or the other, but more axes than swords. Only in the richest graves have there been found both axes and swords. What has not been found much of in those graves, is helmets.
Your thoughts on this subject put me in mind of one of favorite themes (because navel-gazing), which is the importance of the willingness to accept uncertainty where no certainty exists. Humans want so badly to populate blanks in knowledge with a narrative, but being able to step back and recognize that there is an area of uncertainty about which we can hypothesize but that's it feels like a kind of essential piece of...wisdom, I guess?
My thought is that a sword needs some training to use well and safely. If you were a farmer who is going a-viking occasionally it might make more sense to just take your axe, rather than trying to acquire a sword. It might be that the markets and monasteries who experienced raids saw a lot of vikings with axes. Those who experienced a battle with a norse army might have experienced more swords and spears.
Now, if your Musket tends to fire any which way it wants (which is backwards if you´re really unlucky) using it as a club might be the safer way to go. Also, if i am not mistaken, you could fire once, then had to meticulously load the bugger before you could fire again. Meanwhile a club might come in handy, to ward off nosy or hostile audience. No? P.S. Please do not steal the cat.
Jimmy made a kitty friend! Kitty has a collar, so no steal but so adorable. I can't believe this channel has been going for 3 years. ❤ always amazing content.
I enjoy your videos, your approach, your honest "we don't know", your careful presentation of what we know and the possible indications of what it means. I will, after this particular video, have to do a partial rewrite to a short story, but that will be a good thing, a very good thing.
Nuance is keys. Has taken me a while to get away from reenactmenterisms I was told early on. The biggest problem is that theh are said with such certainty that is very easy to to assume they are based on something. "I dont know" is my favourite phrase. I find it strange that many people are not keen on saying it.
Just speculating here but an axe is a relatively big lump of metal. If an axe had outlived its usefulness it wasn't thrown away. No, you throw it into the fire and forge it into something new. No wonder most of the every day axes were 'lost'. A sword is relatively thin and delicate. Pretty hard to re-forge it into something new. Or at least the options are limited.
It's also the type of metal. For instance amongst the Norse a common source of Iron was Bog Iron. Bog Iron was soft and it reforged very easily, if you had a 2lb axe made of bog iron that broke you could reforge it and get an axe with as much as 90% of the original mass. Compare this to something way more complex like crucible steel which required a lot of skill to properly forge from a fresh billet let alone reforge.
@@CollinMcLean Apparently, a lot of the common Norse swords were made of this Bog Iron, so they were actually low-quality swords by most European standards. That's why they went ga-ga over blades they found on their travels & happily traded for steel from other locales. They especially loved Middle Eastern Damascus steel & would pay almost anything for it, or steal it in raids. When they could get good iron, & learned how to make better steel, they made excellent blades.
@@DrachenGothik666 You could certainly make swords out of iron, but they knew how to make steel. It's just one of those things that was better imported since Sri Lanka and the Middle East had strong and very routine seasonal winds to power their smelting furnaces that most of Europe didn't have.
It's not turned into something else, it's just re-steeled. That used to be a very common thing, even with the cheapest tools like hoes and digging forks. A friend has a billhook with clear traces of being re-steeled twice. A tool can be passed down for centuries.
There's SO very much to take apart in discussing this subject, and the misperceptions surround it. But I'll hone in on (so to speak) the funniest and most personal commentary I can possibly make: I used to work at the Bristol Renaissance Faire in Kenosha, Wisconsin, back at the end of the 90s, as a soldierly character. When we did our twice-daily "Weapons of War" demonstration, we'd explain the preference for non-swords among conscripted soldiers by asking anyone who had a hammer at home to raise their hand: most people would do so. We'd ask if they had a hatchet or an axe: fewer, but still some people. Then we'd ask if they carried swords around, and the field got a LOT smaller. As for absurd misconceptions about how weapons were used (and if you don't mind stepping out of the Viking Age), try to look up the nonsense surrounding a WWII soldier's knife called the "Cattaraugus 225Q," and why it's suffered in valuable as a collector's item, thanks to an implausible story about its origin & use: it's too ridiculous to waste more space her typing it, but it's one hell of a laugh.
A black cat is ALWAYS a good pet.
@@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145 Well, it's always a good pet for SOMEONE. 😁
Unless you have a white couch
Gasp,,,,, cat racism 😮
@@davidpurll4570 No joke, though, it apparently is a thing - well, cat colourism - black cats apparently are the colour most often passed over in shelters, because people are stupidly superstitious and don't want a black cat.
@@beth12svist The shelter near me gives them cute names like jelly bean or licorice and they seem to find homes just fine. I have no issues with black cats as long as I can find a black couch.
As a reenactor who does some experimental archaeology as part of reenacting, I can tell you - a sword is mostly useless for being anything but a sword (it doesn't cut wood or clear brush for shit), a langseax does a jolly good job of splitting kindling (because it's basically just a really big knife) and fighting the enemy (if you have a shield), a big knife can split kindling AND cut onions AND stab/cut the enemy, and an axe can chop down a tree, plane a board, and split kindling, AND (if necessary) be used as a weapon. If I had to choose a pair of medieval tools for surviving in a hostile environment, my choices would be a big knife and an axe, because multipurpose tools (knife and axe) will always be more versatile than single-use tools (sword).
There is a woman on RUclips that has a log splitting sword. It's mighty impressive in spite of its impracticality.
(Nicole Coenen if you're curious enough to look)
A dull ax is still a deadly weapon. Yes, please, more information on weapons! Don't steal the cat, give it treats and pets and lots of compliments. All cats deserve compliments.
A blunt sword and axe are still big lumps of iron clubs. That's why today nearly everyone that does the combat wears gloves helmet's and some sort of padded clothing or mail.
For me, "we don't know all the answers," is one of the things that makes archaeology an exciting field. There's always more to learn, more research that can be done.
Nice one Jimmy, don't steal the cat, befriend him with offerings of food and he shall become your familiar. :)
"Are you getting bored of me saying 'we don't know' yet?"
GOD no, that uncertainty is where most of the fun is. :D
"They named their kids, for that matter."
Never change, Jimmy. Another great video.
This was super interesting!! I also really love that you say "we/I don't know" when you don't know, rather than try to pretend that you do
There were Viking age militia regulations from Norway that fined militiamen for showing up with wood axes instead of fighting axes. So, you're right about poorer people using their tools as weapons. But those were not considered as really proper in a military context, it seems. And rightfully so given the weight. So, 'preferred' is clearly distinct from 'available'.
I would be interested in a video on Viking wood working tools, they were clearly great wood workers and carvers.
I enthusiasticly second this. Mästermyr tool chest, maybe?
Me: oohh, another Jimmy video!
Jimmy's video: cat
Me: GATO
I greatly appreciate how often you say "I don't know". As a scientist and science teacher, that is my biggest hurdle with both secondary students all the way up through uni is just saying that we don't know something (though in physics we often run into people thinking we know.... nothing..."
I'm not the hugest weapons fan in general, but I loved this video. I would love to hear more about the combat knives (sax? seax? saks?) as well as spears & shields, especially how things may have been used together - which I know is basically impossible to know for sure. That would be really interesting! Especially as my wife and I may each be getting a seax on our wedding anniversary to go with the swords we exchanged at said wedding.
Although the scythe isn't pre-eminent among the weapons of war, anyone who has been on the wrong end of, say, a peasants' revolt will know that in skilled hands it is fearsome.
-- Terry Pratchett, Mort
I thought there was another about a sword kept by an old soldier, who denies it's a weapon at all... just a memento, a keepsake, use it to stir the fire.... Something like that but I cannot find it! Bah!
Ah, the weapons of the commonfolk. Timeless
Steal the cat?
You don't understand how this works.
It's the cat who makes the decsion as to whether or not you will be taken on as an indentured servant.
Who are you who that is so wise in the way of science?
I was going to say the cat will choose who will serve his needs
Yes More weapon videos. The cat could be a good sidekick too. “We don’t know what we don’t know” is my favorite phrase. Cheers History Jimmy & your Feline Friend
This might be about survivor ship bias. If you didn't have enough money to buy a weapon for war, your family definitely didn't have enough money to bury you with the family axe. Then, all these family axes were used and repaired until they couldn't be.
I love that you say "we don't know"; that is the essence of science. Take care, be well.
Overcoming survivorship bias is really hard & annoying. Extrapolating from a small sample size causes huge problems and "we don't know" really is the best answer. This was very informative and I would love more!
This video has everything! Swords? ✔️ Axes? ✔️ Dapper clothes?✔️ Interesting history lesson? ✔️✔️ Bonus cat? ✔️✔️✔️
I seem to remember Captain Jean Luc Picard once saying something like ""I don't know" is the most fundamental statement in science, and the beginning of all wisdom."
I don't think the cat wants to be stolen - but instead you could give us a video on Viking cats.
Axes are used in the kitchen as well. Cutting hard tissue like bones and tendons, or separating big pieces like a leg or a tail, it's done with a small (or not so small) axe or hatchet. Even today, butchers and cooks have hatchets to cut difficult or large pieces and hard stuff.
Should you steal the cat? Well, that’s up to the cat.
Should the cat become some sort of co presenter? Yes.
I think using an axe to create housing, art, shelter, assist in farming, etc., does not fit the narrative of certain groups who prefer an ultra masculine, brutal narrative for the Norsk.
that's just my opinion based on my observations.
... which is funny when you consider that building a house for your family is kind of the ultra masculine thing to do.
I love the weapons vids… and I also miss the sewing and chatting vids. Am hand stitching a tunic and trousers to fill my free time and would love another sew-along
Woo. Here in the first 15 seconds! Pretty cat! Happy to have a new vid to watch!
I don’t get tired of you stating „We really don’t know“
As a scientist, I love hearing "we don't know" - it just means there's another research rabbit hole to dive into!
Side note: voidling kitties are the BEST!
Dont know how many viking era axes have been found in Finland but to this day over 400 swords have been found of witch 31 were marked "ulfberth"
Even though I have never chopped wood, I have an axe in my shed - it used to belong to my grandad. I absolutely subscribe to the idea that people would use what's availlable (cf. the infamous mob with pitchforks. You don't want to be on the business end of a sharp pitchfork. It's like a spear with four times the stabby bits).
Thanks for being willing to say what we don't know and why we don't know it.
That parting comment about naming kids made me chuckle. While not universal, I am sure there were many folk that named practically everything. If there is anything humans like more than taxonomy, it is naming things that with more than a couple of days of permanence.
Very interesting! Axes were (and continue to be in certain places) absolutely everyday items that were essential to a person's livelihood as they were to keeping that person from freezing to death. I used to work in a late Victorian-early Edwardian museum in an old mining town in America (a bit removed from the Viking era, but bear with). We had wonderful examples of women's dresses (and a few men's clothing items) and other items used for special occasions -- Christening gowns, wedding dresses, mourning attire, etc. -- than we did of the working class person's daily attire, generally because the special attire would get worn very seldom and was often kept in as pristine condition as could be managed while everyone wore the snot out of their day-to-day gear. Perhaps the reason so many swords have been found in various areas is for the same reason -- for most people this was a very special item that wouldn't necessarily have been used to death like most axes.
That makes sense. Everyday clothing was used and patched until it couldn’t be used anymore then repurposed. Why wouldn’t the same be true for axes 🙂
My Grandmother told me in an emergency to use my cast iron frying pan as a weapon. She said since I used it everyday it was an extension of my hand. Same thing applies with an axe. Bravo muscle memory!Maybe less axes have been found because they were passed down in families instead of being buried with them.
The people have spoken: More kitty content! 😻😻😻
Speaking of... The Vikings had pets...right? Were people buried with pets?
Don’t *steal* the kitty... it might make some poor lonely person very sad. But definitely befriend the kitty and give it scritches and loves. And maybe snacks. And camera time.
Maybe the thing about “sword’s only good enough to chop wood” was originally intended to be “so dull you must’ve been using it to chop wood”, because that does dull the crap out of your chopping tool, but it suffered the same inversion as “could[n’t] care less”? Maybe? Or I might be being too generous.
There’s a fellow over there somewhere (in Yorkshire I think?) who runs a small business hand carving axe hafts, who could probably give you oodles of info on the process and how different ones are designed and whatnot. I can’t offer anyone who knows about Norwegian axe finds, but I could point you in this guy’s direction?
Also! Unrelated, but you’ve mentioned a discord before, which doesn’t seem findable anywhere. Is it Patreon patron only, perhaps? If not, you might benefit from a link in your video descriptions. If so then nevermind! 😂
So what you're saying they were more axe-cessible...
Get out!
*GROOOOAAANNN* The door's *that* way, sir. --> LOL🤣😂
@@TheWelshViking I am out
Well met. . . Dad.
regarding the Norwegian Coat of Arms, the Axe is traditionally considered the weapon by which St Olav Harroldsson received the wound that killed him ( yes there is a lot of argument about this - whole academic thesis have been written about it). Since he is considered a Martyr by the Lutheran Church of Norway and the Catholic Church of Scandinavia its was logical that the Axe the instrument of his Martyrdom - hence entry into heaven would become associated with him. He is also considered our Eternal King in Norway soooo that's how the Axe made its way into the Coat of Arms (this is the short version).
Next video about viking cats or animals they kept in general? Mostly because I've been seeing tiktoks saying cats were wedding gifts and stuff.
I'd *LOVE* to see a video on this! I second this notion! I recall seeing somewhere a comment about kittens being given as wedding gifts, & I absolutely *LOVE* that idea! If this is a true thing & historical, it might've been as a prophylactic measure, where you raise the cat as a mouser to keep rodents out of your food stores. At least, that's what I would do, anyways.🐈😻
Also because of their connection with Freya, the goddess of love and fertility (among others); cats draw her chariot.
Wonderful, and yes, please more on weapons. And that was a lovely little cat - it seems appropriate you posted this on International Cat Day!
New Jimmy and I haven't even got out of bed yet. What a great day.
Ngl, I wish I was doing that. I have to deal with idiots at worl
@eazy8579 oh no. I'll get extra cozy just for you
Love your videos man
There is a short film here on youtube called "Draug", it's set during the Viking Age, i think that most of the costumes were done by reenactors, it would be really cool if you made a analysis
Honestly, with all the glorification of swords in media and their association with the aristocracy, it'd be nice to see a fiction series, historical or fantasy, that places the axe or spear as the hero's weapon. Closest I can think of is Stormlight Archive where Kaladin (primarily) uses a spear and actually hates swords.
I immediately thought of the Fire Emblem games.
So they were more... axe-cessible?
And no, I'll never be tired of hearing "we don't know" or "Based on these finds, it seems like.." or "probably, but we can't be sure"!
Never trust a historian who says everything with 100% confidence!
I've never thought much about whether the Vikings used axes or swords more, but it makes sense that most people would have axes laying around, so might as well use them. Thanks Jimmy. Pet the cat for us.
"Some people wish to throw their weapons. That seems foolish to M'aiq. If you hold your weapon, you only need one." - M'aiq The Liar
But does M'aiq have wares if one has skoma or coin...🤔
No, M'aiq has only knowledge for trade. You must go see his cousin, Ra'virr!
"We don't know" actually makes me feel better as someone who loves the Iron Age and comes to those conclusions about it a lot. It's good to know that's the real answer and not just something I think because I'm lacking expertise.
You could do a video about cats in the viking world?
yes!!!
YES PLEASE!🐈😻🐈⬛
Starting with a cat is always good.
Not to steal, though, it might have a nice home it misses.
Wasp is a scary way to end a video.
So, that’s axes & swords… anyone fighting with war hammers?
Hearing a thoughtful person say "we don't know" is very refreshing, definitely not boring.
Access to axes I love those word nuances 😅
Anyhoo the answer is we don't know as always. So I'm narrowing to the same conclusion axes being more affordable but a sword was not such a rare sight on the battlefield as some tend to think.
Did vikings prefer axes to swords? Do university students prefer instant ramen to steak and potatoes?
Yowtch, I felt that. LOL
Hello from Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Bring treats to the cat and it will choose to visit you again. Yes to further videos on weapons of various types please. Thank for this one today Jimmy.
6:30 Just a thought. Swords would have been more valuable than axes, so would have been looked after and past on to family members so would have survived longer. They have been found in rivers, peat bogs and graves so they also have great ritualistic significance which has helped preserve them. Axes on the other hand would have been common, made by blacksmiths everywhere, and probably thrown out or recycled into new items when worn out. Which may explain why there are more swords than axes from that period.
Just look at biros, i must have bought hundreds of the things over the years but if you come round to my place you’ll be hard pressed to find one.
Once you do some spear training in any style from any culture you realize what a superior weapon it is, an ax is a nice cheap yet devastating powerful side arm. Spears were always primary weapons, axes and swords are side arms that most warriors probably hoped they wouldnt have to use.
Most people would rather killy stab stab at a distance, swords and axes is close and frenzied....not fun, but you know, back then you had tobdeal with this shit but they were people like us.
I have seen an idea from martial arts that the first gamechanger we had was knives. That was scary as heck, so then we made swords and spears as knife fighting was too dangerous and too close. So then after that we made bows to not be within knife-reach.
Don’t steal the cat. Arm it and yourself with axes and set forth together to pillage the northern marches.
Id love if you did an episode addressing how in general many things we in modern times think of as battlefield weapons, were really just converted farming and crafting tools
... flails. Typically, flails.
(Which is something you get drilled into you if you're Czech, because hussites and their conspicuous lack of knights and therefore widespread habit of converting farming instruments into weapons. They kind of fail to tell you that phenomenon wasn't limited to the hussites.)
You absolutely must build a pub there, the message is clear! "Ye Olde Black Cat And Axe Inne"!
It’s always ok to say “I don’t know.” I appreciate the intellectual honesty! As much as I appreciate your videos in general. Thanks, Jimmy!
I prefer admitting what you don't know to making a wild claim based on very little evidence. I mean, I absolutely love wild claims as well, as long as they're clearly labelled as "speculation" or a "guess".
We do in fact want you to steal the cat's loyalty. He's very hamsome and coot. Please at least give him head scratches for me.
To the person waving in the background at 7:40 ☺️👋 hi!
If you want to do a video about spears and how awesome they are, that'd be cool. Otherwise, more about tapestries would always be appreciated. As always, thank you for sharing your videos.
Yes, more weapon videos, please sir.
I think your argument makes sense. Though I would expect the tool axes being picked to bring to battle to be the small hatchets, not the tree-felling ones. Felling axes are too heavy to be used as a weapon for very long.
IIRC, large axes used on the battlefield were made for that purpose, and were not tools - they lacked the weight to chop large logs or fell trees.
Seems to me, it would go like this: Average man may own more than one axe. One for felling, one hand axe for slightly more detailed work. He takes the hand axe to battle. He has a work knife, he brings that. He may have a spear for hunting boar, he brings that. When he answers his lord's call to arms, he's given a cheap spear if he doesn't have one, and a cheap wooden shield. If he's wealthy, he buys a sword, or if he fights well, his lord gives him one. That would seem the logical order of things, to me at least.
No, not tired of “We don’t know” it’s both honest, true and refreshing. I understand that that allure of a sword is almost irresistible to a Viking reenactor ( I’d want one!) but the axe, in all it’s many, varied, utilitarian forms was very common. Think of all those boys yearning to go off raiding with their elders. Practice, on the sly, with an axe was easy using what was at hand. Skill in using an axe for much much more than just chopping wood, was the norm. (Think Ray Mears!) I suspect that many swords survived because they were expensive and special, handed down to sons, or kept on the wall as a reminder of status and glories past. An axe, unless a very special one, would almost certainly have been used peacefully, then recycled when it wore out. One must never forget how scarce and precious, good iron was at that time. Also, a sword is very little use for anything other than posing and killing people. Please don’t try using your sword to chop down a tree it will not survive unscathed! The reason that serious warriors were so effective was that they practiced with their weapons until they became part of them. One is much more comfortable, competent and innovative with a tool that is familiar to one’s hand. There is good reason that women, when they kill, tend to choose a large, sharp, knife! 😜
Don't steal the cat, you would make someone sad, that cat is clearly being cared for.
If the cat decides to steal you, well...
I liked the video because you mentioned the fact that axes have simply been tools and people would use what is on hand to protect themselves. What I would like to see is a video on tools like axes, hammers and knives in different shapes for different kinds of work. What can be done with these tools and how would a viking craftsman build furniture? Thanks for the effort you put into the channel!
I prefer the weapon that is at hand when I need one. I, however, am not a warrior. I am just an old lady with odd hobbies.
Well I know they say the pen is mightier than the sword but I would prefer not to use it in battle, it might blunt the nib😊
Just curious.....what are your hobbies? Why do you need weapons? Are you a monster hunter? Or do you just live in a place with lots of spiders?😅
I had to laugh when you told about the comment of a sword used to chop wood isn't a "weapon". My immediate thought was - "Huh. I didn't know that squishy flesh was more difficult to cut/hew through than wood. - especially when you're putting as much power behind your swing as you did for chopping wood"
Maybe it's just my lackluster (or modern) wood chopping technique, but I feel like it would be harder to use a sword for this than an ax. An ax is a wedge on the end of a lever - the mechanics mean it transfers force really well. A sword just isn't built the same. I'm completely accepting that this may be my lack of experience, but I feel like my wrists wouldn't hold up to chopping wood with a sword quite as well.
As a historically interested Swede, the fact that to the Norse and pretty much every other frontier civilization in history, axes and hatchets were the multi-tools of choise is a much more likely explanation for the number of viking era axes found.
A hand axe would be carried everywhere, and used for every kind of campfire work, ship constuction/repairs, house repairs, fence repairs, tool making/repairs.
Even whittling is safer with a well honed sharp hatchet than with a knife that lack finger guards.
And then a seax or smaller knife for food preparation, eating and detail crafting work where the axe/hatchet is unsuitable.
Sure they would both be used as backup weapons if there was nothing else within reach, but they are no more weapons by design than a crowbar or a screwdriver.
The main weapons of the Norse warriors as far as I've percived it was the spear, the javelin, the round shield and the spatha/gallic-derived one handed swords as well as the occational yew hunting bow pressed into combat service much like the hand axe and seax.
An additional point; when large mobile (boss-held) shields are ubiquitous then a front-heavy, choppy weapon with little-to-no hand protection is much more viable. Even the swords themselves are VERY choppy and frontloaded. Given the cost and difficulty of making a good sword that won't bend too easily, I am not surprised that axes are common; they are a great option at a fraction of the cost.
It always amuses me that the very stirring 😅 military music Sosban fach that is played at the end is about a big saucepan and a little saucepan 😂😂
Glad to seem so much better Jimmy x
Salutations from America Sir; as a human servant to a couple of black feline males I am glad to find out that you are a friend to one over there, yet another reason to be subscribed to your channel. I've learned knowledge from you that I cannot find anywhere else, thank you. Keep up the good work...
I actually love when people say there needs to be more investigation, there's nothing more boring that a finite study, I love knowing there's so much more to learn 😊
I would love to learn more about different types of axes: the making of them, where and how they were used, etc.
I had a thought about viking weapons recently. Famously the popular and quite violent god Thor fights with a hammer, but I never hear about actual viking warriors using hammers. Isn't that kinda weird?
Don't steal the cat! It might have a good home where it will be sorely missed. Feel free to start carrying cat treats in your pocket for random cat encounters, though. I love hearing you say "we don't know." I'd prefer actual data to romanticised conjecture in my history lessons, thanks.
I would be interested in archery! But also (and probably more) in more domestic stuff, to continue in the vein of the cesspit video. I know we've talked about longhouses and stuff, but I'd love to hear more about what we know re:cooking techniques and utensils, what evidence we have re: how houses were furnished/made comfortable, stuff like that.
(And textiles but I'm biased)
"Adorable little weirdo" can describe so many of us...
I guess I'm guilty as charged. 😂 Well, not so much weird, as I'm more of a strange one. 😄
Weirdo i am, but if i am adorable is up to the eye of the beholder.
dont steal the cat! And I would assume that weapon of choice is also a personal preference (if you can afford both weapons)? Maybe your choice could be influenced by who you'll be fighting. As an avid gamer I'd say I have a preferred fighting style that limits the weapons that suit it. You won't see me using a sword or axe, because I prefer the bow. But if I only can afford an axe I'll use it. Let's keep using 'we don't know' as well as 'what makes most sense' :)
"They Named their Kids for that matter" Dang man
I would say steal the cat but it looked like it had a collar on so it might belong to someone.
More weapons videos, please. As for throwing axes, why throw a weapon to the enemy who might turn it back on you?
I second the suggestion for Viking music (or instruments?)
Another aspect of the 'axes were cheaper' argument is that they could be made mostly of cheaper and easier to find low-carbon steel, with just a small bit of higher-carbon steel forge-welded into it as the cutting edge of the axe. This also made them more durable as the low carbon steel would flex rather than break.
Thank you Jimmy I woke to a smile this morning. Your talk of axes reminded me. Of Bailie Nicol Jarvie hatchet.
My dad loved history but had a habit of improvising 😊 when he couldn't remember a full story he would weave his words around the bits he knew.
The story he told was that Rob Roy tried to steel some cattle and the good bailie picked up his axe and threw it at the raiders(I know daft thing to do but I was only little at the time so it was believable) it got stuck in a tree and there it remained. Of course like any good story teller he had to weave in a twist.
The twist in the tale is perhaps more believable than the tail itself.he said that the owner of the hotel in whose grounds the tree stood would take visitors to see the famous axe , one day a tourist asked if that was the actual axe since a long time had passed since it was thrown.his reply was och yes the self same axe he threw that night we have only had to replace the haft three times then with a little smile he would add and the head twice.
Terry Pratchett said that "agricultural implements" wielded by people who use them *all the time* can be terrifying.
People probably fought with whatever they could afford that they had on hand and had practiced with. Would you rather fight with a sword you've barely used or an axe you're very familiar with? Swords required more metal & craftsmanship in one sense, so were probably more expensive.
In our house, we have 3 swords & 0 axes. However, we live in a condo so we mostly need very basic indoors tools like screwdrivers. Also, the swords are "fake", for show rather than for actual use. They are still metal & can do some damage with enough applied force, but they're intended as decoration. On one memorable 4th of July, it was shown that the katana is capable of cutting through a watermelon, if wielded with sufficient force.
Axes and billhooks only need a polearm to turn them into weapons with significant reach.
@@jirup Exactly.
I read about a battle in 14th century Brabant, where the butchers guild held out for a long time using their work tools. Some passages in "Night Watch" made me think Pratchett had read about the same battle.
Love your videos. I would say that axes that are more specialized weapons can be quite different than tool axes. Fighting axes are often much lighter and thinner than, "tool" axes. Though it may still be possible to use them as tools, they are not ideal, and could likely be damaged. A "Dane" axe is an extreme example of this but it can be seen on smaller axes too.
i absolutely love watching you teach us things youre so affable. keep up the awesomeness Jimmy! more accurate information being given to the public can only be a good thing
You need a merch T-shirt that says something combining "we don't know" and "nuance"❤
Working on it!
@@TheWelshViking I had an idea for the "Nuance" T-shirt: lettering reminiscent of the Book of Kells illuminated manuscript, spelling out the word. *giggle* I'm an artist, I could do it. I'd have to do some research to get the design correct for period, though, & that would take a bit of time. Would you like me to give it a go? P.S: my PFP is my own design.😊
Couldn't it be that when men died they were more likely to be buried with their sword but axes got passed on?
It seems that a sword was much more personal and noble than an axe and that's why people wanted to take their sword to the grave. But also, if an axe was so much more common or affordable, families with less money had axes. When they died the family maybe didn't have the means to stick a good axe underground so the axe was maybe passed on. ?
Weapon axes were also named. There's a reason that weapons like swords, axes and such would follow the dead, he would need them all in the afterlife. If he lacked one of the weapons, there were the risk that he came back as a draugr in search for it. That's also why swords were bent, the risk of having someone being reanimated as a draugr were one thing, but if the draugr had a functional sword...that would be worse
My understanding is that the characteristics of an axe that is intended to be used as a weapon are different than one that is meant to be a tool. You want a heavy head for wood-chopping, for example, while those Dane axes tended to be lighter and more nimble in the head. This isn't to say that a wood chopping axe is a *bad* weapon, particularly if it's the only weapon you got, but I imagine that the axes that are status symbols are more optimized for combat.
Regardless, great video as usual!
Subject like this I like to keep the philosophy of Albert Camus in mind: "I can understand the length and breth of the universe but I cannot give it meaning." Now Camus was talking about Absurdism but in the case of reenactment and other historical events we have grave goods, iconography, and other things that give us lots of data but no real way to show how it was applied and used. And for use of axes in modern day, a few of my military friends saw people preferring to trade in their k-bars for tomahawks
According to Gulatingsloven § 309, who is considered to be among the oldest sets of laws in Norway, every free man was obliged to own the following weapons : Spear and shield and by choice either an axe or a sword. If a man failed to have those weapons ready for him, he would risk getting fined. From burial findings, it is found one or the other, but more axes than swords. Only in the richest graves have there been found both axes and swords. What has not been found much of in those graves, is helmets.
Your thoughts on this subject put me in mind of one of favorite themes (because navel-gazing), which is the importance of the willingness to accept uncertainty where no certainty exists. Humans want so badly to populate blanks in knowledge with a narrative, but being able to step back and recognize that there is an area of uncertainty about which we can hypothesize but that's it feels like a kind of essential piece of...wisdom, I guess?
My thought is that a sword needs some training to use well and safely. If you were a farmer who is going a-viking occasionally it might make more sense to just take your axe, rather than trying to acquire a sword. It might be that the markets and monasteries who experienced raids saw a lot of vikings with axes. Those who experienced a battle with a norse army might have experienced more swords and spears.
Now, if your Musket tends to fire any which way it wants (which is backwards if you´re really unlucky) using it as a club might be the safer way to go. Also, if i am not mistaken, you could fire once, then had to meticulously load the bugger before you could fire again. Meanwhile a club might come in handy, to ward off nosy or hostile audience. No?
P.S. Please do not steal the cat.
Jimmy made a kitty friend! Kitty has a collar, so no steal but so adorable. I can't believe this channel has been going for 3 years. ❤ always amazing content.
It sort of blows my tiny mind as well!
I enjoy your videos, your approach, your honest "we don't know", your careful presentation of what we know and the possible indications of what it means. I will, after this particular video, have to do a partial rewrite to a short story, but that will be a good thing, a very good thing.
Nuance is keys. Has taken me a while to get away from reenactmenterisms I was told early on. The biggest problem is that theh are said with such certainty that is very easy to to assume they are based on something. "I dont know" is my favourite phrase. I find it strange that many people are not keen on saying it.
Just speculating here but an axe is a relatively big lump of metal. If an axe had outlived its usefulness it wasn't thrown away. No, you throw it into the fire and forge it into something new. No wonder most of the every day axes were 'lost'.
A sword is relatively thin and delicate. Pretty hard to re-forge it into something new. Or at least the options are limited.
It's also the type of metal. For instance amongst the Norse a common source of Iron was Bog Iron. Bog Iron was soft and it reforged very easily, if you had a 2lb axe made of bog iron that broke you could reforge it and get an axe with as much as 90% of the original mass.
Compare this to something way more complex like crucible steel which required a lot of skill to properly forge from a fresh billet let alone reforge.
@@CollinMcLean Apparently, a lot of the common Norse swords were made of this Bog Iron, so they were actually low-quality swords by most European standards. That's why they went ga-ga over blades they found on their travels & happily traded for steel from other locales. They especially loved Middle Eastern Damascus steel & would pay almost anything for it, or steal it in raids. When they could get good iron, & learned how to make better steel, they made excellent blades.
@@DrachenGothik666 You could certainly make swords out of iron, but they knew how to make steel. It's just one of those things that was better imported since Sri Lanka and the Middle East had strong and very routine seasonal winds to power their smelting furnaces that most of Europe didn't have.
It's not turned into something else, it's just re-steeled. That used to be a very common thing, even with the cheapest tools like hoes and digging forks. A friend has a billhook with clear traces of being re-steeled twice. A tool can be passed down for centuries.
There's SO very much to take apart in discussing this subject, and the misperceptions surround it. But I'll hone in on (so to speak) the funniest and most personal commentary I can possibly make:
I used to work at the Bristol Renaissance Faire in Kenosha, Wisconsin, back at the end of the 90s, as a soldierly character. When we did our twice-daily "Weapons of War" demonstration, we'd explain the preference for non-swords among conscripted soldiers by asking anyone who had a hammer at home to raise their hand: most people would do so. We'd ask if they had a hatchet or an axe: fewer, but still some people. Then we'd ask if they carried swords around, and the field got a LOT smaller.
As for absurd misconceptions about how weapons were used (and if you don't mind stepping out of the Viking Age), try to look up the nonsense surrounding a WWII soldier's knife called the "Cattaraugus 225Q," and why it's suffered in valuable as a collector's item, thanks to an implausible story about its origin & use: it's too ridiculous to waste more space her typing it, but it's one hell of a laugh.