medieval finnish swords / saami weapons

Jim McDougall · 5th July 2008, 11:18 PM

Probably the best resource on this topic would be "Swords of the Viking Age" by Ian Pierce, 2002, and in which Dr. Lee Jones was instrumental in producing, along with Ewart Oakeshott.

In the late 1940's thru the early 1950's, the late Dr.Jorma Leppaaho discovered numerous swords of the late Viking period in Finland in graves, publishing in 1964:
"Spateisenzeitliche Waffen aus Finnland", Helsinki, and which describes these swords of 9th to 12th centuries.

Historically, Finland was under Swedish rule from the 13th century, and we would presume swords of these times, afforded primarily only be wealthier warriors, were likely acquired from the same sources as most Viking weapons, from Frankish forges.These blades would have been hilted locally in many cases. Many of the blades carry the well known +ULFBERHT+ name, which is presumed from the Middle Rhine regions which became Solingen.

While it seems established that tribes in Finland developed uniquely characterized weapons during Merovingian and Viking periods, it is believed that these were most likely short swords and knives, while full size swords seem to have come from the Continent.

Although this would seem largely the case, it may be that some swords could have been forged there, as noted by James Cowles Pritchard in his 1841 work, "Researches into the Physical History of Mankind" (p.286),
"...that the Finns knew of old the art of smelting iron, found probably in thier bogs, and which in the native state is called 'holma'", noting further that, "...Finnish swords are renowned in the Icelandish sagas".

Naturally it is unclear whether these Finnish swords were forged there, or as described, the products of Frankish smiths, but the presumption seemed worthy of note.

The Saami are the Lapplanders of the north in Finland, and I did not locate any references to swords made or used by them. However the small knives used by them are the Leuku, which parallel the famed puukko knives of the Finnish people.

5th July 2008, 11:18 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Probably the best resource on this topic would be "Swords of the Viking Age" by Ian Pierce, 2002, and in which Dr. Lee Jones was instrumental in producing, along with Ewart Oakeshott. In the late 1940's thru the early 1950's, the late Dr.Jorma Leppaaho discovered numerous swords of the late Viking period in Finland in graves, publishing in 1964: "Spateisenzeitliche Waffen aus Finnland", Helsinki, and which describes these swords of 9th to 12th centuries. Historically, Finland was under Swedish rule from the 13th century, and we would presume swords of these times, afforded primarily only be wealthier warriors, were likely acquired from the same sources as most Viking weapons, from Frankish forges.These blades would have been hilted locally in many cases. Many of the blades carry the well known +ULFBERHT+ name, which is presumed from the Middle Rhine regions which became Solingen. While it seems established that tribes in Finland developed uniquely characterized weapons during Merovingian and Viking periods, it is believed that these were most likely short swords and knives, while full size swords seem to have come from the Continent. Although this would seem largely the case, it may be that some swords could have been forged there, as noted by James Cowles Pritchard in his 1841 work, "Researches into the Physical History of Mankind" (p.286), "...that the Finns knew of old the art of smelting iron, found probably in thier bogs, and which in the native state is called 'holma'", noting further that, "...Finnish swords are renowned in the Icelandish sagas". Naturally it is unclear whether these Finnish swords were forged there, or as described, the products of Frankish smiths, but the presumption seemed worthy of note. The Saami are the Lapplanders of the north in Finland, and I did not locate any references to swords made or used by them. However the small knives used by them are the Leuku, which parallel the famed puukko knives of the Finnish people.