PREHISTORIC NAVAL ARCHITECTURE. 



695 



The side helm aijpears to have been the prevailing form of rudder 

 until the fourteenth century' (Figs. 112-117), and even at the present 

 time in the ISTordland boats, while the rudder itself is hung- astern, 

 the steering is done from the side by means of a peculiarly constructed 

 tilh'r. 



"But round their ship's side hun<j their shields. = 



From these words of (luttorm Sindre, in singing of Hakon's pursuit of 

 Eric's sons, we learn that the shields, all of one size, were hung around 



Fip. 110. 

 Cakved Implement. 



(Copied Irriii, N. Nirolaya 



Fig. 111. 

 Cahved Heads on Tent Tosts. 



■ Lang-kibr-t fm Gokst:ul.") 



the sides of the war ship when not in use.' They were placed from a 

 little ahead of the first oar to a little behind the last, and overlapping 

 each other they served the double purpose of rendering the ship's sides 

 higher and being out of the way when not needed. They formed a dis- 

 tinctive mark of war ships and were not found upon merchantmen.* 



In battle a circle or burgh of shields was formed around the leader 

 and the standard-bearer, and in land battles the shield burgh appears 

 to have been at the apex of the triangular form of attack.^ 



The sfandards and weather vanes are mentioned frequently. The 



' Norske bygn. fra fortiden, 3 raekkje, PI. v; Urkundenbuch der Stadt Luebeck 

 I, 759. VioUet Le Due: Diction, d. luobil. franf, ix, 34; Bergens Bylov, ix, 18 

 SchiiHz, A. : Das hiifische Leben zur Zcit der Minnesinger, ii, 290; D. Norv., ii, No. 

 169, 172. 



" Hakon the Good Saga, c. xx. 



■'ForniuanaSogiir, i,p. 100; Landnania, xi, 3; Grettis Saga, c. xix; Njala, c.lxxxiv; 

 Ynglinga Saga, c. xxv. 



^St. Olaf Saga, c. clxviii. 



•''Ynglinga Saga, c. xxv. Flateyarbok, i, p. 140; 

 Skugg-sja, p. 85; St. Olafs Saga, cc. ccxii, ccxxxii. 

 Sogubrot, c. ix. < )laf Trygvason Saga, c. cxv, cxx. 



Ill, pp. 196, 197. Konungs 

 Harald Hardradi Sajia, c. ix; 



