Viking-Era padlock, reconstruction
Sketch of a Viking-Era padlock with ward springs and push key
The lock consists of two parts, a trapezoidal lock body of welded iron or bronze plate and a separate shackle with ward springs on one leg. The other leg is inserted in a narrow pipe attached on the outside of the lock. The top of the lock body has a hole for the shackle and the front has a keyhole. The key has a flat bit with notches for the guide pins and ward springs. To open the lock, the key is inserted in the keyhole and then slid up, compressing the springs so that the shackle can be pulled out of the pipe.
Most of this kind of padlocks from this period have been found in archeological digs in Birka and Helgö in Lake Mälaren. You can see this type of locks on exhibit at the Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm.
Sketch of a Viking-Era padlock with ward springs and turning key
The lock consists of two parts, a trapezoidal lock body of welded iron or bronze sheet and a separate shackle with ward springs on one leg. The other leg is inserted in a narrow pipe attached on the outside of the lock. The top of the lock body has a hole for the shackle and the side has a keyhole. The key has a flat bit with notches designed to compress the springs. To open the lock, the key is inserted in the keyhole and turned upward, compressing the springs so that the shackle can be pulled out of the pipe.
Locks like this were unearthed in archeological digs in Birka and Helgö in Lake Mälaren. They have also been found on Gotland, in Denmark and Norway. Padlocks of this type are on exhibit at the Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm.
Sketch of a Viking-Era padlock with ward springs and push key
Padlock with a barrel-shaped lock body and a separate shackle with ward springs on one leg. The lock opens by inserting the key into the T-shaped slit in the top of the lock and sliding it to the side to compress the springs. Note the two ward pins with corresponding notches in the key bit. Wards like this were used in many types of locks throughout the Middle Ages.
These locks were discovered in archeological digs in Coppergate, England.
Sketch of a Viking-Era padlock with springs and turning key
The lock consists of two parts: a square lock body of welded iron or bronze plate with an internal separator wall that has an opening at the top. The springs on the separate shackle are inserted into the smaller section through an opening at the top of the lock body, while the other leg is inserted through openings at the top and bottom of the other section of the lock body. The lock is operated with a turning key of iron or bronze with an angled bit. To open the lock, turn the key a half turn and compress the springs (through the opening in the separator wall) to allow the shackle to be withdrawn.
Many locks of this type were uncovered in digs in the 1950s on Helgö in Lake Mälaren.
Sketch of a Viking-Era padlock with ward springs and turning key
This padlock is a Viking-Era variety with two sections in the lock body. The key is inserted in the short end of the lock body and compresses the springs to release the shackle.
This type of lock was reconstructed after finds at archeological digs in Coppergate, England.
Sketch of a Viking-Era padlock with ward springs and turning key
In Denmark, archeologists have found a different variety, where the shape of the shackle is more like that on Roman padlocks.
Sketch of a Viking-Era padlock with ward springs and turning key
A much-simplified version has been found in Norway. In locked mode, the legs of the shackle are inserted in the barrel-shaped lock body through holes in the mantle.
Sketch of a Viking-Era padlock with ward springs and turning key
Another padlock has been found in Denmark that uses the same locking principle as the Vendel-Era padlock from Uppland, Sweden.