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tilsvarende aarehul og reiste sig fra først af et stykke
op over rælingen. Forresten var hvert skjold stillet saa-
ledes, at dets enkelte stave gik i vertikal retning og tver-
stokken paa bagsiden følgelig var horisontal. I tver-
stokken var fæstet en tynd bastesnor, der udentvil havde
været bundet i de ovenfor (s. 58) nævnte firkantede aab-
ninger paa rælingens underkant. Selve pladen i hvert
andet skjold var malet gul og hveranden sort, med samme
farvetone som i de udskaarne hoveder paa teltets vind-
Den hele skjoldrække fik derved
udseende af vexlende gule og sorte halvmaaner, saaledes
skier og rorpinden.
som fremstillet paa titelvignettet. Noget lignende sees
og, som foran
(s. 34) bemerket, paa broderiet i Bayeux!),
dog med den forskjel, at skjoldene, som forresten her
vise den senere tids trekantede form, ere stillede inden-
for rælingen. Forøvrigt maatte skjoldene paa grund af
sin tyndhed kun frembyde et svagt værn, skjønt man
naturligvis søgte at optage hugget med bulen, og vi se
derfor ogsaa paa flere steder i sagaerne, hvorledes skjol-
dene under kampen ofte kløves og ombyttes med nye.
Gokstadskibet er saaledes det mest fuld-
komne og bedst bevarede fartøj, som overhovedet nu er
største,
til fra saa gammel tid. Da det, som vi have seet, baade
var et ro- og sejlfartøj, og derhos havde huller i siden
for aarerne samt tiljer paa tverbaandene (biterne), kunde
det, efter hvad ovenfor (s. 36) er sagt, hverken være en
baad eller et handelsskib og neppe heller en karve, men
kun et langskib eller krigsskib, med 16 aarer paa hver
side, altsaa en sextånsessa. Dog kan fartøjet ikke have
hørt til ledingsskibenes klasse, dels fordi det mindste af
disse (jfr. s. 31) havde 20 aarer paa hver side eller var
en fvitugsessa, og dels fordi det ikke er vel tænkeligt, at
et ledingsskib brugies til begravelse.
Det maa følgelig have været en enkelt mands ejen-
dom. Efter tallet af aarerne og skjoldene maa besætnin-
gen have udgjort mindst 64 mand, foruden høvdingen selv,
styremanden og maaske nogle faa flere, eller i det hele
omkring 70. Skulle vi dernæst i henhold til, hvad oven-
for (s. 32) er sagt, afgjøre, hvor de sedvanlige afdelinger
i krigsskibet her vare, saa har løftingen strakt sig til
Iste tverbaand (bite) fra agterenden, og forrummet
1) FowkE I. cit. pl. VI, XVIII, XLII—XLV.
port, and, from the first passing somewhat above the
gunwale. The obverse of the shield was set vertically,
consequently the crosspiece on the reverse maintained
its horizontality, and by it the whole was fixed, a thin
bastcord being used that, doubtless, was passed through
one of the small quadrangular apertures in the skirting
of the gunwale (cfr. pag. 58). The shields were painted
alternately yellow and black, of the same tint as that
used on the carved heads of the tilt’s vergeboards and
the tiller.
of yellow and black half moons, as shown on the frontis-
The whole range thus assumed the appearance
pieces. It has, previously (p. 34), been remarked that,
something like this is seen in the Bayeux tapestry *), except
that there the shields, as well as having the triangular
form of a later period, are ranged within the gunwale.
- After all these shields must, because of their thinness,
have been but indifferent weapons of defence, although
the warrior, naturally, sought to parry blows aimed at
himself, by means of the boss; and we read likewise in
many passages of the Sagas how, during a battle, the
shield was frequently cleft, and had to be exchanged for
a new
Take it all for all, the Gokstad ship is thus the
largest, the most complete, and the best preserved ves-
one.
sel, of so ancient date, in existence at the present time.
Since, as we have seen, it was fitted alike for a rowing
and further,
sides and flooring on the beams, it could, in accordance
and a sailing craft, had oar-ports in its
with foregoing statements (cfr. pag. 36) have been
neither a boat, nor a trading ship and scarcely a
«Karve», but a long- or warship only, with 16 pair of
oars, therefore a sextånsessa. The vessel could not,
either, have belonged to the class of leding-ships which
the districts were bound to supply; for one reason —
(conf. pag. 31) because the least of that class had 20
pair of oars — (évitugsessa); and for another reason,
that it is a thing not to be thought of, that a «leding-
ship» should be used for a burial.
This Gokstad vessel must, consequently, have been
individual property. In accordance with its number of oars
and shields, the crew must have numbered at least 64,
besides the chieftain himself, the steersman, and, it may
Should
we, with reference to what has previously been adduced
be, a few more, or in the whole about 70 men.
(cfr. pag. 32) determine where the customary compart-
ments of a ship of war were in the Gokstad vessel, we
shall find that the raised «løfting» extended to the
first tie-beam from the aft end and the «forrum»,
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