Wood carvings of the

Saga of the Volsungs: The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer

from the portal of
Hylestad stave church, Setesdal, Norway, 12th century

(C) 3) Sigurd slays Fafnir the dragon. The third scene shows Sirgurd slaying the dragon with a sword. After forging the sword, Sigurd and Regin travel to Gnita-Heath in order to find Fafnir the dragon and take his treasure. There they dig "a pit in the path used by Fafnir," and then he crawled into it. When Fafnir came to the pit Sigurd emerged and "thrust his sword" into Fafnir, killing him.

Photo by Sparky the Neon Cat.

A larger image of Sigurd slays Fafnir the dragon

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p.344, Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era, 1050-1350, Western Europe and the Crusader States by David Nicolle
947A-C 'Sigurd the Dragon Slayer', carved wooden doorway, Norway, 12th century
(in situ church, Hylestad, Norway)
The similarity between the hero's military equipment on the Hylestad carvings and that seen on the Lewes Chessmen is obvious. Here again conical helmets with nasals have long neckguards (B and C), and even ear-pieces (C). The shield is a tall kite-shaped type and the swords (A and C) have long straight quillons and round pommels. Even the scabbard is hung in the normal Western European manner. In fact only the pendant ear and neck defences set this man's equipment apart from that of his neighbours to the south.