Viking Sax Scabbard Fitting "Björkö"

Sax scabbard fitting for a Viking sax from Birka.

This Viking Age sax scabbard fitting from Birka was found on a narrow sax in the so-called Warrior Tomb BJ 581 on the isle Björkö.

As is typical for the Viking Age, the sax scabbard is decorated with a fine, zigzag dot pattern and has three cross-shaped openings of different sizes.

Link to the original sax scabbard fitting...

In Birka, Valsgärde as well as on Gotland and in the Baltic, several sax scabbards from the Viking Age were found that were fitted with decorated metal fittings made of bronze or silver.

Sax scabbard fittings from the Viking Age were usually decorated with various hallmarks and cross-shaped or stepped recesses.

The Viking sax scabbard fitting is made of high-quality bronze and measures 11.5 x 2.5 cm.
The width is 5 mm, so a leather of about 2.5 mm thickness would be ideal as a carrier material.

The scope of delivery includes 14 brass pins with a diameter of 1.6 mm for fastening.

The sax scabbard fitting is placed around the upper end of the scabbard and the positions for the holes are marked on the leather. After punching the holes, insert the brass pins through the fittings and leather, with the head of the pin on the front side. Depending on the thickness of the material, shorten each pin to 1.5 - 2 mm. Then tap it all around with a small hammer in circular strokes until a flat head is formed and the sax sheath fitting is firmly riveted to the leather.

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In the Birka grave BJ 581, a buried woman was found who is commonly referred to as the Shieldmaiden of Birka (or Viking Warrior of Birka).
Archaeologists initially assumed that it was the burial place of an important warrior because of the weapons found. However, it turned out that the skeleton was not that of a man, but of a woman whose clothing was made of silk interwoven with silver threads.

In addition to the female skeleton, the burial chamber of BJ 581 also contained two horse skeletons, a large quantity of weapons such as a sword, sax, axe, spear, two shields and arrows as well as tokens, dice and a game board. Parts that could belong to a mirror were also recovered.

The archaeologists undoubtedly assume that a woman who "lived as a professional warrior and was buried as a high-ranking individual in a warlike environment" was buried in the Birka grave of Bj. 581 and could therefore be referred to as one of the shieldmaidens described in the Norse sagas.