Editing Viking ship (section)

=== Animal motifs ===
[[File:Oslo Norway, Viking Ship Museum- Animal Head Post, detail of head 9C.jpg|thumb|Animal head post found in burial mound near Tønsberg (Oseberg ship burial), 9th century, Oseberg style, wood and paint (no longer existing) <ref>{{Cite web |title=Smarthistory – Art of the Viking Age |url=https://smarthistory.org/viking-art/ |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=smarthistory.org}}</ref>]]
Many Viking ships had intricately carved dragon heads or other mythical creatures on the bow and stern. These carvings served as a means to intimidate enemies and protect the sailors during their journeys. The quality and intricate design of the ship indicated the resources invested by its owner. Viking lords and nobles used large, elaborately carved ships to showcase their social status. Thus, ships were not only tools for war and exploration but also symbols of family identity. Possessing a well-carved ship symbolized a family's wealth and influence, highlighting their place in Viking society.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hale |first=John R. |date=February 1998 |title=The Viking Longship |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26057665 |journal=Scientific American |volume=278 |issue=2 |pages=56–63 |doi=10.1038/scientificamerican0298-56 |jstor=26057665 |bibcode=1998SciAm.278b..56H }}</ref> 
[[File:Oseberg bow detail.JPG|thumb|Part of the interlocking animal motif on the bow of the Oseberg Ship.]]
In some archaeological discoveries, experts found that the hulls of ships were adorned with rich patterns, such as intertwining vines, geometric shapes, or animal totems. These patterns are filled with symbolic meanings, many of which can be traced back to Viking mythology and belief systems. The famous Oseberg Ship, for example, has an interlocking animal motif on its bow: a ribbon-animal, gripping-beasts rendered with humanoid heads, and more ambiguous forms that echo the bodies of creatures seen at the prow. This is called the Oseberg Style, which is the first phase of the development of the Viking aesthetic, lasting from the year 775 to the year 850. It is known for its intertwining zoomorphic patterns of gripping beasts and ribbon-animals.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Art of the Viking Age |url=https://smarthistory.org/viking-art/ |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=smarthistory.org}}</ref> Gripping beasts are strong, lively animals depicted with gripping feet and a frontal view of their heads.<ref name="RoesdahlSørensen2003">{{cite book |last1=Roesdahl |first1=Else |last2=Sørensen |first2=Preben Mehlengracht |editor1-last=Helle |editor1-first=Knut |title=The Cambridge History of Scandinavia |year=2003 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-47299-9 |page=141 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PFBtfXG6fXAC&pg=PA141 |chapter=Viking Culture}}</ref>

The French historian, the monk at the St. Omér monastery in Flanders, in about 1040 wrote a detailed description of Viking ships, focusing on their elaborate decoration and the fleet's formation. His account mentions that the Viking chieftains' ships were distinguished by the design of the bow, including gold figures of lions, wind-vanes of birds at the top of the mast, drakes spewing fire, bulls and dolphins in bronze, and human beings in silver and gold. The ships' sides were painted in vibrant colors and adorned with wood carvings, particularly the king's vessel, which was the most intricately decorated. This passage serves as valuable evidence of the Vikings' investment in ship artistry as a reflection of power, wealth, and rank. The choice of metal animal motifs and the intricate designs on prominent vessels reveal how these ships were not only functional but also designed to display status and intimidate.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Per |first=Bruun |date=1997 |title=The Viking Ship |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/4298737 |journal=Journal of Coastal Research |volume=13 |issue=4 |pages=1282–1289 |jstor=4298737 }}</ref>