96 



WEAPOXS. 



spaces between the paintings were covered with plates of gold 

 and set with stones. 



" When he was ready he went to the seat of Egil, and hung 

 the costly shield there, telling the servants that he gave it to 

 Egil, and then rode away. 



" It is said that Egil took the shield on a bridal journey to 

 A idimyri, where it was spoiled l>y being thrown into a tub of 

 sour milk ; he had the ornaments taken off, and there were 

 twelve aurar of gold in the plates" (Egil's Saga, ch. 82).' 



" Sigurd rode away, his shield had many layers, and was 

 rovered with red gold, and on it was painted a dragon. It 



Fin'. 879. Shield-boss of bronze, with handle ol' iron covered with bronze. 



2 real size. Ultima. 



was dark brown on the upper part, and light red on the lower, 

 and in the same way were coloured his helmet, saddle, and 

 armour. He had a gold coat-of-mail (gullbrynja), and all his 

 weapons were ornamented with gold and marked with a dragon, 

 so that every one who saw the dragon might know who the 

 man was, if ho had heard that Sigurd slew the large dragon 

 which the Veerings call Fafnir " (Volsunga Saga, ch. 22). 



The shield of Bragi Boddason, presented to him as a gift 

 by the famous Ragnar Lodbrok, seems to have been divided 

 into four sections, each containing a separate subject : 

 Sorli -ind Hamdir killing Jormunrek and avenging Svanhild ; - 



1 Cf. Eyrbyggja Snga, c. 13. 



Volsunga and Snorra Edda. 



