Fenrir Viking Shield – The Legend of the Giant Wolf

The round wooden shield was the most common protection for Scandinavian warriors during the Viking Age (8th-11th centuries). It was made of joined planks, reinforced in the centre with a domed metal piece that protected the hand, and was often painted: the shields found on the Gokstad ship in Norway still bear traces of paint, and poets of the time described shields decorated with scenes from their myths. This particular model is dedicated to Fenrir, also called Fenrisúlfr ("Fenrir's wolf"), the gigantic wolf of Norse mythology, son of the god Loki and the giantess Angrboda. The gods, fearing his growing strength, managed to chain him with Gleipnir, a magical ribbon as fine as silk and impossible to break; the god Tyr lost his hand in the attempt. According to the prophecy of Ragnarök, the battle at the end of the world, Fenrir will be unleashed, devour Odin, and then die at the hands of Vidar, Odin's son, who will thus avenge his father. The wolf appears here stylised, its body coiled in intertwined patterns, and its name written in runes, the alphabet used by the Norse peoples, in a modern decorative composition designed for wall display.