Forged iron pouch knife as offered on this site. This example with the handle removed and the tang curled, rendering it “neutralized” and a votive object. Vikings were buried with their belongings and as with many cultures, the objects were sometimes ritually deformed or destroyed, probably dedicating them to the deceased and making them useless to anyone else including grave robbers. Among Vikings, destroying metal was sacred as demonstrated by the breaking of metal rings (ringjarn) depicted on the Larbro stone in Gotland Sweden. On Plexiglas display easel with certificate of authenticity
