“He had on a coat of plate-mail[107] and a steel cap, the brim of which was as wide as a hand’s breadth, and a shining axe on his shoulder, the edge of which seemed to be two feet long. He had black eyes, and was very viking-like in appearance” (Laxdœla Saga, c. 63). Helmets (_hjálm_) are often mentioned; they were generally gilt, or of gold. On the front of them was a _herkumbl_ (war-mark). From several bronze plates we see that they were sometimes made in the shape of animals. The Saga says of King Adils that he had a helmet called _Hildigölt_ (war-boar). In the finds they are extremely rare; one of silver has been found, and a fragment of another inlaid with gold, and one or two of iron. The viking Framar is thus described: “He wore a helmet on his head, and was girt with a sword; had a gold-enamelled gull-smeltr shield, and a spear in his hand” (Sturlaug Starfsamis Saga, ch. 11). [Illustration: Fig. 889.—Helmet of iron, ¼ real size, found in the decayed remains of a small ship buried in the Ultuna mound not far from Upsala. ] Olaf Haraldsson, when he was about to fight the battle at Ness against Svein jarl: “Had on his ship one hundred men, and they had on ring coats-of-mail and Welsh (foreign) helmets. Most of his men had white shields, and on them was the holy cross in gold, but some were painted with red or blue; he had painted crosses in white on the front of all helmets. He had a white standard which was a serpent” (St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 47).[108] ----- Footnote 92: In the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg there is a short, double-edged sword, dug up in Southern Russia, the scabbard of which is entirely of gold. Footnote 93: Cfr. also Thorstein Vikingsson’s Saga, ch. 15, 20. Footnote 94: Hole in middle of millstone. Footnote 95: Cfr. also An’s Saga Bogsveigis, ch. 1. Footnote 96: Cfr. Sturlunga, 111. Footnote 97: Harmer of brynjas = sword. Footnote 98: Valböst, an unknown part of the sword. Footnote 99: It was only in later times that cross-bows (_lás bogi)_ were used, with a trigger or spring. They are mentioned about the year 1200. Footnote 100: Cf. also Ketil Hœng’s Saga, c. 3. Footnote 101: See Magnus the Good’s Saga, c. 31; also Sturlunga, v. c. 17; Færeyinga Saga, c. 18. Footnote 102: Thorleif is mentioned in Hakon Adalsteinsfóstri’s Saga, ch. 11, as “Thorleif the Wise,” who helped the king to establish the Gulathing-laws. Footnote 103: Cf. Eyrbyggja Saga, c. 13. Footnote 104: Völsunga and Snorra Edda. Footnote 105: Ynglinga Saga. Footnote 106: Cf. also Færeyinga Saga, c. 24 Footnote 107: _Spanga-brynja._ Footnote 108: Cf. Olaf’s Saga, 216; Fornmanna Sögur, viii. CHAPTER VII. WAR CUSTOMS.