Viking Shield was light, with the right size to cover the torso and with a holding system that made it easy to handle. Viking warrior used a high number of wood circles as shields, which were held by its back side thanks to iron devices. It implies that viking shield was usually round.
In its back side, generally, had three iron stripes and a handle fixed by three iron nails.
Several viking shields show paintings (mineral pigments powdered in an oil base) over the wood surface, as a decorative element.
Its size could be adjusted to warrior’ s body and way of fighting. A shield had to be big enough to give a good protection, but not too much.
A small shield shows several weak spots which could be used by the enemy to hurt really bad, while a big shield slowed down and exhausted its holder.
