Scissors

Viking Age scissors were made of iron. The most common being the same type as sheep shearing scissors. Scissors with crossed blades like scissors of today were also used but were not as commonplace. Size varied from a few centimetres to textile scissors of almost 40 cm.

Cutlery

Viking Age eating utensils consisted of a personal sheath knife, carried by both men and women, and a spoon. Knives have been found in abundance. A few spoons of wood or horn have been found but metal spoons are a rarity. Forks for eating appear first much later.

Lighting

Daylight entered a Viking Age house through the doorway, windows were a rarity. Lighting was provided by the glow of the open fire or from ceramic or soapstone tallow lamps. A pair of iron lamps on single legs and a few wax candles have been found but these were presumably luxury items.

Kindling

A steel, flint and tinder were used for kindling. The steel was struck against the flint causing a spark which ignited the tinder. Several lens- shaped pendants of polished rock-crystal mounted in silver have been found. These were presumably magnifying glasses which could also be used as burning glasses.

Drinking horns

Very few remain from the Viking Age. They are however depicted on picture stones, runestones and jewellery. The few horns that still exist have silver mountings at the mouth.