Norwegian jarl

NORWEGIAN JARL (early 10th century AD). In Viking Age Scandinavia, “jarl” was a title of nobility comparable to a chieftain, either as a sovereign ruler of a petty kingdom, or appointed by a king to rule a territory.

His appearance is based on carved wooden human heads from the Oseberg ship burial (9th century Norway). Although beards were a common fashion in Viking Age Scandinavia, many men wore just a moustache. The tips of moustaches were often curled upwards, but the figure I used as reference here has a moustache falling downwards. Also contrary to the stereotype of the long-haired Viking, many Norsemen wore their hair in a bowl cut, although other male hairstyles did exist in Viking Age Scandinavia (a famous Swedish runestone shows bearded men with their long hair in a braid, for example).

The massive waist belt, made of gilded and silvered bronze, and the buckle and strap end of the sword suspension are based on finds from the Gokstad ship burial (late 9th – early 10th century Norway). Although it’s possible that these belt components are part of a horse bridle (as most of the belt buckles and strap ends from Gokstad belonged to horse bridles), this one could have been a personal belt. From the belt hangs a wallet, made of leather and wool, also based on a find from the Gokstad ship burial. He also carries a banded jasper whetstone in his belt, and a short knife based on an early 10th century find from Borre (Norway). Jewellery, including Thor hammer amulets, was mostly worn by women, but some men wore it as well, and I guess someone of that status would wear some bling. I’ve limited the number of glass beads on his necklace to four, as more than 1-4 beads would look excessive on a man based on archaeological evidence. The sword is a Petersen type H, very common in Scandinavia in the 9th and 10th centuries. The rhomboid pattern on the scabbard is also based on a preserved scabbard from Hedeby. The cloak is secured by a heavy silver brooch. Brooches of this type were a Celtic fashion of Ireland and Scotland during the Early Middle Ages, but they also spread to Scandinavia (particularly Norway), Denmark, and even as far as the Rus.

Replicas used:
- Celtic thistle brooch based on a replica by Storrvara.
- Replica of the Gokstad wallet by Draupnir (I changed the colours).
- Gokstad belt set: waist belt buckle, strap end and belt slide by Northan, sword suspension buckle by Danegeld and sword suspension strap end by Storrvara.
- Knife from Borre by Historical Knives.
- Silver bracelets by Blueaxe Reproductions.
- Type H sword by In'Carius Craft.