|  |  The 
        Valkyrja
 Limited 
        Edition Viking Sword
 (Petersen 
        Type AE, Geibig Type 4 Blade)
  Swords 
        of Type AE are not among the most common of Viking swords. It is a late 
        development, making it one of the youngest of Viking hilt-styles. 
 The Valkyrja is inspired from a fascinating Finnish find from Suontaka, 
        Tyrväntö, Tavastland; a woman's grave that apart from other rich goods 
        included two swords. One was a bare blade with silver decorations (it 
        might once have had organic hilt furniture that is now lost?) and a splendid 
        sword with a hilt of bronze.
 
 Obviously this woman was an important person high in the social hierarchy. 
        One might wonder if she was a female warrior. This is the reason we wanted 
        to name the sword after those mytholigical female warriors of Odin; the 
        Valkyrjas.
 
 Using the Geibig 4 blade (that is a type belonging to the 10th C to 11th 
        C) for this sword is fitting since the original weapon is dated to 11th 
        C. Geibig type 4 blades are defined by a strong profile taper, a likewise 
        tapering fuller and a relatively long point section. These factors combine 
        in yeilding a blade with quick and agile point and a responsive balance.
 
 The low-relief decorations on pommel and cross are two entwined dragons/beasts 
        carved in the Urnes style of the 11th century. This style often utilizes 
        rribbon-bodied animals, entwined with interlacing tendrils. The combination 
        of both broad and thin lines of ornament and scrolling loops is typical 
        of the Scandinavian Urnes Style, named after the wooden carvings at the 
        church of Urnes, Norway. It shows the highly accomplished, final development 
        of Germanic animal art in Viking regions before it merged locally into 
        early Romanesque art.
 
 The hilt fruniture is cast in solid bronze. The grip on the Valkyrja will 
        be wood/leather rather than the hollow bronze grip mounted on the original, 
        though a version with a bronze decorative grip may also be offered.
 
 The hilt is Petersen Type AE, even 
        though he only mentions hilts with a curved upper guard without pommel 
        in his work on the Norwegian Viking swords. There are a some AE swords 
        with D-shaped pommels in collections elsewhere in Europe. Good examples, 
        apart from this Finnish sword, is one with iron hilt in the National Museum 
        of Denmark, Kopenhagen and yet another fine example in Dublin.
 
 The blade is hand-ground from high-carbon steel to a fine satin finish, 
        heat-treated by hand for maximum flexibility and to take a fine edge. 
        These swords are sold sharp, unless otherwise requested by the customer..
 
 A Limited Edition Hand Crafted Collectible Sword
 This Viking sword is offered in a limited edition of only 100 collectible 
        swords worldwide.
 
 Specifications
 Overall length: 36.5" (92.7 cm)
 Blade Length: 30.25" (77 cm)
 Blade width: 2.32" (5.9 cm)
 CoG: 
        4.5" (11.4 cm)
 CoP: 21" (53.4 cm)
 Weight: 2 lbs 15 oz (1.33 kilos)
 
 You can customize your Valkyrja Sword's grip color 
        -- see the standard grip colors here.
 
 The Valkyrja (Type AE)... 
        $1,200 Sold Out
 Order now 
        before this limited edition collectable sword runs out!
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