696 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



standard-bearer stood in the prow of the ship and •' the pennant, spun 

 by women, played at the masthead of the reindeer of the waters." ' 



In battle the standard-bearer stood by the leader, both surrounded 

 by a shield burgh. ^ 



The standards were often very elaborately worked^ and the weather 

 vanes were often adorned with cold.^ 



Fig. 112. 

 Side Helm on Baptismal Font in Chukch op Loderup. Scania, Sweden. 



(From Du Chaillu, " The Viking Aee," toI, ii, p. 157, Kig. 936.) 



Fiji. li:!. 

 Side Helm on Ship in Stone Wall at Church op Skkobelef, Denmark. 



(From Du Chaillu, ■•The Viking Age." vol. il, p. UI, Fig. 9U. ) 



For offensive purposes some of the vessels appear to have been pro- 

 vided with iron spikes or regular si>urs. The former is mentioned in 

 the description of the battle between Hakon the Jarl and the Jomsvi 

 kings in which it is stated that Eirikr Jarl had a vessel the upper 

 part of which was provided with a sTxsg (beard) apparently consisting 

 of iron spikes.^ 



'Knut's Drapa; Oryer Odd's Saga, c. viii. Egil's Saga, c. xxxvii; Helgi Hiindiugs- 

 baui, ii. 



= .St. Olaf Saga, cc. 48, 212, 233 ; Flateyarbok, vol. i. Ilakou the Good's Saga, c. xxiii ; 

 Harald Fairhair Saga, c. ix. Olaf Trygvasou Saga, c. cxv. 



^ Helgi Hnndingsbaiii, c. ii. 



^Orver Odd's Saga, c. 8; Flateyarbok, iii, pp. 196, 197. 



s Svaifdiela, c. 1. 



