Begining in 793AD, when a band of Scandinavians sacked the monastry at Lindisfarne, the Viking Age ended with the death of Harold Hardrada in 1066. The glorious age was embedded in history as an age of great journeys and ferocious battles.

The use of Viking shields went far beyond a mere means to parry blows from an opponent. Ornamented with personal insignias and family coats of arms, the shield evolved into a symbol of warrior's allegiance and loyalty. The large circular shield of the Vikings was part of a conservative tradition of manufacture. Shields were typically 80-90 cm in diameter. The board was flat and made of a single layer of planks butted together. The handle was long, often crossing the full diameter of the shield, and was tapered towards both ends. The Gokstad shields were made of seven or eight white pine planks of varying widths. The planks were usually only 6-10mm thick and were bevelled even thinner at the outer edge. Representations of shields in Viking art are frequently marked with 'pinwheel' patterns of radiating curved lines.