Viking Iron Knife With Reconstructed Handle

c. 8th-12th century AD. Viking. Thick iron blade set in a reconstructed wooden handle with a star design and ending with a monstrous head. Blades like this one probably had a military function and were taken on raids as back-up weapons; several have been found in battlefield excavations, though they may also have had more practical domestic functions. The handles for these knives were typically made of wood or bone.

Size: L:255mm / W:26mm ; 85g

Provenance: From an old British collection formed in the 1990s; previously acquired in Germany.