Elusive Secret Revealed: The Unknown Techniques behind Crafting the Legendary Ulfberht Vikings' Swords
In the medieval epoch, the Viking Ulfberht swords were probably considered a high-end badge of honor. Yet, modern science has struggled to decipher the secrets behind this premium weaponry's unparalleled quality.
So far, we've confirmed about 170 such weapons, and the intriguing aspect of their discoveries is that they were scattered across various European locations. Their metal is so potent and pure that it has left contemporary scientists baffled as to how the medieval masters could achieve such a level of quality.
All Ulfberht swords share a defining characteristic—the Ulfberht stamp and two crosses. Quite a few counterfeits and forgeries have been unearthed, with some letters missing from the stamp.
New research sheds light on the origins of the raw materials used in the forging of these famous swords. One theory proposes that an Ulfberht sword might have been created using materials and technologies borrowed from the Middle East or Asia.
However, recent findings suggest that the raw material deposit could be located near the regions where the swords were found, specifically in Central Europe. Yet, during the same timeframe as the creation of the Ulfberht swords (c. 800 - 1000), Middle Eastern blacksmiths were also producing high-quality damask steel weapons.
The raw material for their production was known as Wootz steel, sourced mainly in Asia. Conversely, Damascus steel and what we call Ulfberht crucible steel were rich in carbon.
What makes Ulfberht swords stand out?
Carbon plays a vital role in determining a sword's strength. With the wrong carbon ratio, a sword becomes too soft or brittle. However, at the perfect ratio, carbon imbues the blade with strength.
Ulfberht swords contain triple the usual carbon levels from that era. As a result, they are incredibly strong with a flexible, lightweight blade, and virtually no impurities. Astonishingly, it was once believed that the technology for removing impurities to such an extent emerged only during the Industrial Revolution. Removing impurities requires heating iron to 1600 °C, a feat that demonstrates the creators of the Ulfberht swords were 800 years ahead of their time in terms of blacksmithing techniques.
The acclaimed contemporary blacksmith Richard Ferrer attempted to replicate an Ulfberht sword using equipment and techniques available in the Middle Ages. He remarked that it was the most arduous task he had ever undertaken in his life. Ferrer resorted to methods that were not known in the Middle Ages or so scientists once thought.
The riddle of Damask steel
Modern lab research helped unravel the mystery of Damascus steel. Damascus steel emerged around 300 BC, and its secret was lost in the mid-seventeenth century.
Archeology expert K. Chris Hirst explained to the About Education website that "nanotechnology was used in Damascus steel—during the production of steel, various materials were added to it, causing chemical reactions at the quantum level." He cited a 2006 study by Peter Paufler of the University of Dresden, who postulated that similar reactions took place as a result of combining raw materials from Asia (Wootz steel) with components added to the forging process.
It is believed that the ingredients for Damascus steel production included Cassia auriculata bark, milkweed, vanadium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and certain rare elements sourced from Indian mines. As deposits of these materials dwindled in the 17th century, it led to a change in the chemical composition of the raw material, causing the loss of the Damascus steel-making technique.
Recent research, however, suggests that the raw material for the Ulfberht swords did not originate from mines in India or Asia, nor were they associated with Middle Eastern blacksmiths.
The raw material's origin
Chemist Robert Lehmann from the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Hanover revealed that the material used to create the Ulfberht sword discovered in 2012 in Lower Saxony, northwestern Germany, contained an abundance of manganese. Lehmann maintains that this indicates that the raw material was not sourced from the East.
The wrist guard is made of iron containing a high concentration of arsenic, a characteristic of European iron. The handle is sheathed in a layer of a tin and lead alloy. Previous research conducted by Lehmann mapped the lead isotopes in Germany, and he determined that the lead was extracted from the Taunus region, north of Frankfurt. It is highly unlikely that the raw material was extracted from another location, as this deposit has been known since Roman times.
This indicates that the sword was melted near the raw materials’ extraction site, taking researchers one step closer to unraveling the Ulfberht sword riddle.
The origin of the Ulfberht swords' name
Recent academic curiosity surrounds the origin of the Ulfberht swords' name. Is Ulfberht the name of the creator or a person associated with the sword? Historically, monasteries in the Taunus region were involved in weapon production. However, the name Ulfberht does not appear in their records.
It is also impossible for a single person to be the creator of every Ulfberht sword due to their production timeline spanning 200 years (800 - 1000 AD). Could it be that the swords represented a Medieval brand?
The owners of the Ulfberht swords include Vikings, Franks, and members of other cultures, making it likely that this was a brand only the elite could afford. The craftsmanship behind these swords is remarkable for this period, and it is highly probable that they were made exclusively for the rich.
Scientists are now questioning if the Ulfberht swords' raw materials might have originated from technology borrowed not only from the Middle East or Asia, but also from advancements in European science and technology. The Ulfberht swords' extraordinary strength has since been linked to the high concentration of carbon they contain, a characteristic usually associated with advancements in the Industrial Revolution.
