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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Jonathan Jones

Made for slaughtering: Viking sword guard

Viking sword guard, National Museum of Wales, Cardiff
Were the Vikings the savage, murderous raiders of legend, or were they in reality a creative and even civilizing force? They certainly had artistic imagination, as the rich design on this Scandinavian sword guard – a fitting to protect the hand from the cuts of an opponent's sword – from Wales shows. Cast in brass in the early 12th century, it shows the culture the Vikings brought when they raided and settled parts of Britain. Vikings loved beauty, adored poetry and revered the art of killing. This guard is from a sword that was made for slaughtering
Illustration: National Museum of Wales
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