Viking Age Tools and the Mighty Mästermyr Tool Chest

The magnificent Mästermyr chest from Gotland, Sweden's largest island, is the biggest collection of Viking Age hand tools we currently have from a single findspot. It contains carpentry and blacksmithing tools that would be familiar to many (if not all) craftsmen today, and is an absolute treasure trove when it comes to learning about what practical woodwork and metalworking skills people in the past had.

From planing, gouging and moulding to wire drawing and dowel making to clench bolt and rivet fabrication, surviving Viking Age tools from the archaeological record show that far from being a primitive time of poorly made tat, the Viking Age boasted highly skilled master craftsmen capable of making anything from bowls to boats and from combs to horse carts, all beautifully and by hand!

Join me as we have a quick look at some of the best hand tools that Viking Age has left us, and chat about why there's more depth to them that you may think!

Always wear eye protection and a respirator when near Jimmy or mentioned channels:@ModernRogue and @daegrad

Intro art: @Anttimation
Intro song: Sosban Fach (Trad.)

Reading:
Planes planes planes! https://halldorviking.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/planes.pdf
Dennis's stuff:
https://www.daegradtools.com/re-enactment-woodworking-tools-1-c.asp
Combs? Combs: https://archaeologyandconservationcardiff.com/2020/06/12/viking-combs-revisited/

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Business email: jade@scarletragemedia.com
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Insta: @littlewelshviking

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