+VLFBERHT: name? Brand? Invocation?

[Jim McDougall]

It is remarkable that our forum VIKINGSWORD seldom ever gets topics relating to these weapons, though our administrator was a key figure in the publication of one of the most valuable recent references on these.
"Swords of the Viking Age" (Oakeshott & Pierce & Jones, 2002).

For me, this area is most daunting, with my meager understanding of metallurgy and the complexities of these early medieval histories, and I have been trying for some time to get a basic image of the Viking Age 8th-11th centuries AD. While these swords were produced in Frankish regions (now Germany) it seems they were provided to the Norse and Scandinavian regions to most of the Vikings. Not all of these swords were 'Viking' but they were of the 'Viking Age', as always parameters in these aspects seldom clearly defined.

With my interests in blade markings, one of the most perplexing has been the legendary case of the +Ulfberht marked blades on many of these swords.
There have been varying numbers of examples bearing this marking, as many as 170+ of the several thousand swords of these times. Of these, it seems the number verifiably authentic to determined standard is more to around 40 or more.

What is unique about the Ulfberth blades is not only obviously the mysterious inlaid metal name, but that the strength and character of these blades is phenomenal, with carbon content many times over that of blades made elsewhere in these times. While the ore used to produce the bloomery steel commonly used in other blades was the basis, it seems that the Franks devised a method of secondary smelting in the crucible manner, thus providing the extra time to reach temperatures needed for adequate carbon absorbing. Some suggestions have been that ingots of wootz from the Middle East were the source, as there was strong trade between these regions, but it is more likely they devised an understanding of the crucible methods.

The reason I have attempted to address this is to explain why only an apparent select portion of the otherwise massive numbers of blades produced bear the Ulfberht inlay. I would mention here that there were other, such as INGELRII (later), and the word HILTIPRECHT occurs on the hilts of some swords.

In variation, the Ulfberht seems to have what appears an early version with the cross preceding +ULFBERTH............while later it becomes +VLFBERH+T
why a second cross, and separating the H from the rest?

Often on the reverse of the blade, also pattern welded inlay of geometric figures, and vertical lines occur.

In one noted case, +INGEFLRII+ occurs as well as +VLFBERH+T and the geometrics which include a Jerusalem cross and Greek omegas. It seems this later corresponds with the Christian INNO DOMINE variations.