Saxon

The Saxon is my interpretive sculpture of a warrior from northern Europe in approximately 850 AD. When I create a sculpture I begin with a period of research. In this case, some of my first research was into shield use and construction. I found myself watching quite a few videos of Historical European Martial Arts(HEMA), fights with shields, axes, spears and shields. It became immediately apparent to me that I knew very little and much of what is being practiced today has been rediscovered. There are a few things that we do know. The center-held shield was used. It was light and maneuverable and was used offensively and defensively. Light, fast one-handed axes would have been commonly used whether as a secondary or primary weapon. The Saxon is using a hand axe as a primary weapon with a large saux as his secondary weapon. The average warrior of this period might not have had all of the armor that the Saxon does. He has a helmet, lamellar mail cuirass and a chain mail shirt underneath so he would have been supremely well-armored for his day. The Saxon’s helmets was also based on a similar looking artifact unearthed in a pre-Viking grave in northern Europe.

His pants, leg wraps and shoes are modeled on historical records for warriors of this time period and in the case of his shoes, from leather shoes that survived decomposition in a Viking burial mound.