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Henrik Bjoern Boegh
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 Posted: Thu 13 Dec, 2007 7:45 am Post subject: |
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That's an incredible looking sword! 
Cheers,
Henrik
Constant and true.
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Risto Rautiainen
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| Posted: Fri 14 Dec, 2007 1:38 am Post subject: |
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Okay, I found this little bit of text from another board and it's supposed to be from a book "Tyrvännön historia" -The history of Tyrväntö. Tyrväntö is the place where Suontaka is. The board about the history of Iron age ethnic groups (and in this case the history of Tyrväntö) is here. And here's the text:
| Quote: | Eräs Tyrvännön merkillisimpiä muinaislöytöjä on vuoden 1968 vesijohtotöiden yhteydessä löytynyt Suontaan Vesitorninmäen ruumishauta. Ojaa avanneen kaivurin kauhaan osui kokonaisena säilynyt miekka, ja työt ehdittiin keskeyttää ajoissa tutkimuksia varten. Tutkitulta pieneltä alueelta löytyi naisen luuranko sekä toinenkin miekka ja muita esineitä. Toinen miekoista on yksi komeimpia Suomesta löytyneitä rautakautisia esineitä, ja vakituisesta sijaintipaikastaan Kansallismuseon kokoelmista se on päässyt kiertämään maailmaa moniin kansainvälisiin näyttelyihin. Miekka oli esillä 1990-luvulla muun muassa Pariisissa suuressa viikinkiajan näyttelyssä.
Suontaan loistomiekan arvellaan olevan vuoden 1030 tienoilta. Se saattaa olla kotimaista tekoa, mutta voi olla myös tuontitavaraa. Miekka oli sen ajan ylellisyysesine ja elintason osoitus niin kuin loistoauto nykyään. Kalliiden miekkojen hankintaan upotettiin suuria summia, ja miekka oli kantajalleen hyvin läheinen kapine.Se oli ikään kuin oma persoonansa, ja sillä oli oma nimi, kuten muinaisajan taruista tiedetään. Suomessa miekka oli myös vapaan miehen tunnusmerkki, ja miekka saattoi varakkuuden lisäksi osoittaa myös yhteiskunnallista valtaa. Suontaan loistomiekkaa onkin pidetty johtavassa asemassa olevan henkilön, jonkinlaisen päällikön merkkinä.
Löytö sai heti huomiota osakseen ja laittoi liikkeelle arvailuja siitä, onko Hämeessä todella ollut Kalevalan Louhen kaltaisia naispäälliköitä. Asia ei kuitenkaan taida olla näin. Toinen miekka oli ollut aivan haudatun naisen vierellä, mutta loistomiekka makasi maassa hieman sivummalla. Luultavasti loistomiekka ei kuulunutkaan naisvainajalle, vaan läheisyyteen haudatulle toiselle henkilölle, jonka jäännökset kuitenkin jäivät tutkitun alueen ulkopuolelle.
Ajatusta naispäälliköistä ei silti voi kokonaan unohtaa. Kalvolasta on samantyyppinen miekkalöytö, joka todella näyttää kuuluneen naispuoliselle vainajalle. Päällikön varusteeksi arveltu loistomiekka on löydetty myös Sääksmäen Ritvalasta, joka sekin oli Hämeen suurimpia rautakautisia kyliä.
Loistomiekan ja myös myöhemmän historian seikkojen perusteella on yleisesti arveltu, että Suontakana asui jokin hämäläinen mahtisuku, ehkä jonkinlainen päällikkösuku.
Miekan todennäköinen hautaamisaika on ollut Hämeessä sotaista. Vihollisia tuli niin idästä kuin lännestä. Novgorodilaiset tekivät 1042 ensimmäisen aikakirjoihin jääneen hyökkäyksensä Hämeeseen. Myös viikingit tai pohjoismaalaiset ovat luultavasti tehneet tänne hyökkäyksiään. Eräässä ruotsalaisessa vuodelta 1030 olevassa riimukivessä kerrotaan Hämeessä sotaretkellä kaatuneesta merkkimiehestä. Eikä ole mahdotonta sekään, että Suontaan miekka on jostain ulkomailta tuotua ryöstösaalista.
1000-luku ja erityisesti sen puolivälin tienoo lienee ollut Hämeessä sotaista aikaa myös sillä perusteella, että juuri tuolloin on maahan kätketty useita hopea-aarteita. Tyrvännöstä aarteita ei tunneta, mutta varsin läheltä, Vanajaveden Selkäsaaresta on löydetty rautakautinen hopea-aarre.
Tarinoita aarteista sitä vastoin on Tyrvännössä paljon. Juuri SUontakana on kerrottu aarnivalkeista, jotka palavat muinaisten aarteiden kätköpaikoilla. Aarnivalkean liekki on sininen ja palaa niin itsepintaisesti, ettei sammu sateellakaan. Mutta tarinaan kuuluu, että aarnihauta ei anna aarrettaan. Vain oikeilla sanoilla sen saisi esille, mutta tosi tilanteessa niitä sanoja ei koskaan löydy. Tarinan mukaan Suontakana saatiin kerran jo ote perunamaasta löytyneen arkun kahvasta, mutta kun löytäjä kirosi, kahva kirposi hänen kädestään ja meni maan sisään. |
I'll try translate quickly:
"One of the oddest archeological finds of Tyrväntö is the gravefind found during the 1968 waterpipe works in the Water tower hill of Suontaka. The exavator hit a whole sword and the works could be stopped in time for research. From the exavation site was found a woman's skeleton and another sword and some other objects. One of the swords is one of the most spectacular Iron Age objects found from Finland and it has travelled to many international exhibitions around the world from it's regular place at the National museum. The sword was on display in the 1990's great viking exhibition in Paris.
The sword is thought to originate from around 1030. It could be of domestic production, but it could be imported too. A sword was a luxury item in those days and an expression of wealth like a luxury car is today. A lot of wealth was spent on expensive swords and the sword was very dear to the person carrying it. A sword was like a person of it's own and had a name of it's own, like we know from the sagas. In Finland the sword was also a sign of a free man and an alongside wealth it could express the social power the wearer had. The sword of Suontaka has been considered to be a sign of a leader, an emblem of some kind of a chieftain.
The find got a lot of attention and made rumours if there really had been woman leaders in Häme, like Louhi in Kalevala. It seems this is not the truth. There was another sword just beside the buried woman, but the more splendid sword was lying a little to the side. Probably the grand sword was not belonging to the woman but to some other person that was buried adjacent to the womans grave and whose remains were left out of the excavated area.
The thought of a buried woman chiftain can not be totally forgotten. There has been made a same kind of sword find from Kalvola, wich seems to have belonged to a woman. Another sword thought to have belonged to a chiftain have been found from Sääksmäki, Ritvala which was also one of the biggest villages of iron age Häme.
Based on the sword and facts from later history it has been thought that there was some sort of powerful house or family living in Suontaka, a some sort of chieftain family.
It has probably been unrestful in Häme during the burial of the sword. Enemies were coming from both east and west. The Novgorods made their first recorded accack to Häme in 1042. Vikings or scandinavians have probably made their raids here too. A swedish runic stone from 1030 tells about a significant man who died on a raid to Häme. One posiibility is that the sword of Suontaka is loot brought from abroad.
The 11th century was a time of unrest in Häme also based on the numerous silver treasures put to ground in those times. There are no known treasures in Tyrväntö but from relatively close from Selkäsaari in Vanajavesi there has been found an iron age silver treasure.
Nevertheless there are numerous stories in Tyrväntö about treasures. Precisely in Suontaka there are stories about aarnivalkea fires shining above the ancient treasure hoards. The light of aarnivalkea is blue and so persistent that it won't go out even in the rain. Part of the story is that the barrow won't give it's trasure. Only if you knew the right words you could get the treasure, but when you actually are there getting the treasure you never find the words. A story tells that someone got the grip of a treasure chest handle in Suontaka, but when the finder cursed the handle slipped and the chest sunk in to the gound."
Not a lot info there, but some tidbits.
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Peter Johnsson
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 14 Dec, 2007 7:02 am Post subject: |
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Thank you Risto!
Interesting.
Some details of the nimbus of treasures sounds familiar from other places.
Interesting also that the Suontaka sword might *not* after all be from the womans´grave.
I will go through the material I have and see how this compares to what is written there.
Thanks for your effort!
I need to study this some more.
Best
Peter
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Nick B.
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| Posted: Fri 14 Dec, 2007 3:05 pm Post subject: Valkyrja |
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Do you know what the only problem is with this sword? You have to wonder how many of them will end up back in grave sites. I know I could see myself holding on to it for eternity.
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Steve Grisetti
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| Posted: Fri 14 Dec, 2007 4:14 pm Post subject: Re: Introducing... The Valkyrja |
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| Howard Waddell wrote: | This is probably one of the most dramatic swords we have produced thus far ... And, we are almost half-way through having this edition sold out...
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Yes, it certainly is dramatic - I love that pommel and cross. I'm not surprised that Albion is already 1/2 sold out of this one. Well done, folks!
"...dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skilful, and deadly."
- Sir Toby Belch
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Bob Burns
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| Posted: Mon 17 Dec, 2007 3:47 am Post subject: |
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I have secured my Valkyrja through Kult of Athena and gave Ryan a down payment on it just this past Saturday. I'd never stop cursing and kicking myself if I let this one slip by me  It's going to take me some time to pay it off, but I know the sword will be in good hands in Ryan's possession. He won't have to hold it very long though.
Bob
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Bob Burns
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| Posted: Sat 16 Feb, 2008 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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Today, I handled the Valkyrja at Kult of Athena, WOW By far in my opinion, this is the most beautiful and best feeling Viking sword yet produced by Albion, the handling characteristics are superb! For asthetics, feel, balance, handling, blade presence, I would have to give this sword 4 stars across the board, with 4 stars being the highest grade possible. If you think this sword looks beautiful in the photographs, you should see it in real life
Bob
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Terry Crain
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| Posted: Sat 16 Feb, 2008 3:22 pm Post subject: |
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I envy you Bob! Congratulations.
I am trying to figure our how to swing purchasing this sword myself. I was wondering how the grip was on this compared to other viking swords. It looks like with the angle of the pommel and guard curving away from the grip that a somewhat comfortable hammer grip may be possibe, so I was interested in your impressions on whether this is strickly a handshake grip viking sword like most all Albions due to their historically correct short grip length.
Any info on how the grip feels would be much appreciated.
BTW what color grip did you get? Black to match your other pieces, or another color? I was thinking of a brown or oxblood grip, but then thought the black may match the coloring in the carving recesses. What do you think?
Respectfully,
Terry
Terry Crain
A/K/A
Donal Grant
Honor, not Honors!
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Bob Burns
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| Posted: Sat 16 Feb, 2008 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Terry, I just handled the Valkyrja today, although it is on my "save for" list. The grip is black and I think it matches the background color of the pommel and guard really well. It does pretty good with the hammer grip, as well as the handshake grip, either way it's comfortable, this is a thick pommel and guard, about as thick as my Del Tin that I ground the blade to make it more lively. Plenty of life in the Valkyrja, lot's of blade on this sword but easily wielded.
The hilt is absolutely striking in it's beauty! Ryan has an oxblood hilt Valkyrja on order but he is keeping that one for himself, however I "think" he has a 3rd Valkyrja on order. He's got the Father's Sword, Discerner, Vassal, Berserkr, Knight, Stamford, Reeve, Thegn and a couple of other Albions in stock.
I sure do wish I could have bought the Valkyrja today, if at all possible I would have bought it in a heartbeat
As a matter of fact, I went there to show Ryan how the other Viking sword was coming along that I was grinding and to buy Gayle a pair of gauntlets to wield her brand new German Rapier from Arms & Armor with, and wound up buying 3 pewter and bronze miniature knights. But I could not hang around too long because that Valkyrja hanging on the wall was tormenting me too much in that I could not buy it! It is "That" Beautiful
Bob
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Jon H.
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| Posted: Sat 16 Feb, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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Gods, do I envy you. I've had my eye on the Valkyrja for some time now. All I need to do is hope that Albion doesn't sell out before I get my tax return! 
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Tryggve Gestrin
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| Posted: Mon 10 Mar, 2008 3:45 am Post subject: the Suontaka sword - references |
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Hello,
Someone asked for references to the Suontaka sword. You may have these already, but here goes:
- Kivikoski, Ella: Die Eisenzeit Finnlands: Bildwerk und Text, 1973 (second edition). nr 1171 is the sword in question. Kivikoski gives references to
- Keskitalo, Oiva: Finskt Museum 1969, 88 ff. an account of the find and the excavation.
- Nylén, Erik: SMYA 75 (Honos Ella Kivikoski), 161 ff. Nylén mostly discusses the decoration and finds points of reference in the material from Gotland.
Kivikoski further points to:
- Fra Nationalmuseets Arbejdsmark 1970, 96, abb. 12 for a comparable piece.
Regards,
Tryggve
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Tryggve Gestrin
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| Posted: Mon 10 Mar, 2008 6:45 am Post subject: Swords from Finland |
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About swordfinds from Finland in general cf.
- Leppäaho, Jorma: Späteisenzeitliche Waffen aus Finnland - Schwertinschriften un Waffenverzierungen des 9. - 12. Jahrhunderts. SMYA 61. Helsinki 1964. Doesn't include the Suontaka-sword, obviously, but all finds up until the time of publication.
Regards,
Tryggve
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Ville Vinje
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| Posted: Mon 19 May, 2008 6:32 am Post subject: |
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Me and my wife was in Finland over the weekend to look at the migration and viking era items in the national museum. On the must see list of items was of course the Suontaka sword.
Needless to say this is a very beautiful sword. Leaning forward to have a better look at the pommel I noticed a black hole in the left center. I squeezed myself behind the glass display case to see the back of the sword and...yes the pommel was hollow...This might not come as new for you guys but I really had no idea.
apparently the whole pommel is hollow consisting of a 1,5 - 2mm thin walls. This must must make the balance of the already big sword really problematic. I can't see why they made the sword this way. Bronze was not at very precious metal, why not make it solid and keep some relative balance?
Help me out!
/Ville
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Martin Wallgren
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| Posted: Mon 19 May, 2008 7:18 am Post subject: |
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Could something have decayed or been destroyed by corrosion that where there before?
Swordsman, Archer and Dad
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Brandon Minton
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| Posted: Mon 19 May, 2008 8:14 am Post subject: |
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Ville, that is a good question. My best guess/opinion is that the Suontaka sword has a reproduced pommel. Perhaps it was casted merely for visual purposes and like fossils of extinct creatures, the real one is locked away in a place of study or storage. It would be cool if you could ask the museum curator about the matter.
Meanwhile, for all you Albion Valkyrja fans, the word on the street is that there are about 25 of those swords left at Albion. I'm not buying it but I am impressed and should be considering the demand will soon trump the supply.
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Ville Vinje
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| Posted: Mon 19 May, 2008 8:26 am Post subject: |
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I am 99,9% sure that the pommel and sword alike was the actual original.
I'm sorry to say I am no longer in Finland.
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Kirk Lee Spencer
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| Posted: Mon 19 May, 2008 9:28 am Post subject: |
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| Ville Vinje wrote: | This must must make the balance of the already big sword really problematic. I can't see why they made the sword this way. Bronze was not at very precious metal, why not make it solid and keep some relative balance?
Help me out!
/Ville |
Hi Ville...
There are two types of balance. Static balance is usually what people refer to... How a sword feel holding it in your hand. There is also dynamic balance. How it feels when its in motion... being used. I think it is possible that though hollow pommel swords may feel out of balance to us who usually just hold swords... It just may be that the extra weight down blade may have made them feel better when hacking your way through the enemy line.
Just a thought...
Here is a picture that shows the hollowness. It is detail from "VIKINGS: North Atlantic Saga" ed. William Fitzhugh and Elisabeth Ward
 Attachment: 97.17 KB
Attachment: 99.54 KB
Two swords
Lit in Eden’s flame
One of iron and one of ink
To place within a bloody hand
One of God or one of man
Our souls to one of
Two eternities
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Allen W
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| Posted: Mon 19 May, 2008 11:10 am Post subject: |
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I may be wrong but I suspect that with such a massive bronze guard and an apparently bronze grip that a solid bronze pommel may be unnecesary and in fact overbalance the blade. That is of course assuming that these elements are not hollow themselves.
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Ken Speed
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| Posted: Mon 19 May, 2008 2:09 pm Post subject: |
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All,
There has been quite a bit of back and forth about Vendel period helmets and whether or not they were parade armour or battle armour perhaps the sword discovered in Finland is a showpiece sword and not meant to be used as a weapon.
Ken
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Ville Vinje
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| Posted: Mon 19 May, 2008 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Ken Speed wrote: | All,
There has been quite a bit of back and forth about Vendel period helmets and whether or not they were parade armour or battle armour perhaps the sword discovered in Finland is a showpiece sword and not meant to be used as a weapon.
Ken |
I did not dare to say it... 
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