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Darrell Markewitz of the Wareham Forge has built a reputation for his museum grade
reproductions and replicas of artifacts from the Viking Age. The Wareham Forge offers a limited number of detailed replicas of specific Viking Age artifacts for the re-enactor (or Living History Museum). All prices are in CANADIAN dollars - as of January 1, 2008. They do not include shipping costs, or 13% HST for all Canadian destinations. Images of original artifact prototypes are shown first, the second are the replicas (click for larger view). The artifact images are taken from the publications indicated, the images have been modified to black and white and reduced in size. Sizes of both originals and replicas are indicated, along with some notes concerning each object. The checked cloth seen as a background for many of the reproductions has 1 cm squares (roughly 3/8"). |
JEWELLERY
AVAILABLE Iron Brooch Ring Pin Pewter Castings OTHER PRODUCTS Cookware Other Items Silver Pennies Viking Game Custom Orders |
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4.5 cm diameter Staraja Lodoga, St Petersburg Russia / 8th Century Viking to Crusader / Rosedahl & Wilson page 300 / number 275 |
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| top - Beinnes, Sognog og Fjordanur, Norway bottom - Hala ir, Eyjafjor , Iceland / both 10th Century Vikings North Atlantic Saga / Fitzhugh & Ward page 172 / figure 11.12 |
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The bronze ring pin found at L'Anse aux Meadows. |
| These mounts and pendants combine a high degree of historical accuracy
with a reasonable price. All these pieces are made of a modern lead
free pewter (92% tin alloy). Each piece is individually cast in a hand
carved soapstone mould, the same technique used by Norse metal smiths. Pewter,
when new, is very close to sterling silver in appearance, and was widely
used by the Norse 'middle class' because of this. The shiny 'fresh out of
the mould' finish duplicates the way these pieces would have looked when
they were originally made. Because of the total lack of lead in this modern
alloy, the metal will not tarnish with age as the old pewter does. Those
pieces mounted as pendants are strung on a leather lace, including six brightly
coloured glass beads. The beads have been carefully chosen to resemble Viking
Age types, and are hand made using similar methods. |
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| For a brief description of the process of Casting Pewter in Soapstone Olds go HERE |
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A number of these coiled serpent pendants have been found throughout Norse England. They are thought to be good luck charms. In Yorkshire, it is common to find fossilized worms, which the Norse thought to be petrified snakes. Artifact samples are carved from jet, amber, and wood - as in the original from Dublin. |
3.9 cm Dublin, Ireland / 11th Century Viking to Crusader / Rosedahl & Wilson page 334 / number 408 |
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We have found a number of small figures of women. Modern perception has been to call any female figure bearing a horn a 'Valkyrie' - in keeping with one of the function of those mythical figures. Considering the social importance of mead, and the key role of women in hosting, that simple view should be considered dated. |
about 3 cm Birka, Sweden / 10th Century Viking to Crusader / Rosedahl & Wilson page 277 / number 186 |
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Cost for VALKYRIE PENDANT - $15 |
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This is the most elaborately decorated of the samples of this type of object found from the Viking Age. Many of these small spoon shaped tools are found looped together with other grooming accessories. |
6.9 cm Birka, Sweden The Vikings / Graham-Capbell & Kidd page 88 / number 180 |
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Cost for EAR SPOON MOUNT - $15 |
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The Hammer of Thor is the most enduring symbol of the Viking Age. Artifacts have been front in a wide range of materials and levels of workmanship - from simple carved wood to elaborate constructed goldsmithing. This version combines a number of design elements from period samples : the classic shape, coiled serpent on the head, line and dot ornament on the shaft, and the dragon head terminal. |
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The strap mount was perhaps the single most common dress accessory of
the Dark Ages. It served a practical purpose - to strengthen the end of
tablet woven straps and bands. Artifact samples range from simple pieces
of wood with scratched designs through to elaborate gold mounts with inset
stone and glass (like the ones found at Sutton Hoo). Cast lead alloy mounts
were common as well. These original designs are based on two of the more
popular images from the Viking Age, The Wolf and the Eagle. Both are often
associated with the god Odin. |
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For a short article on Strap Mounts go HERE |