After completing the Sleipnir Axe,
It’s time to build your next piece of Viking armour.
The Varjagen Shield will protect you on your quest,
To continue your Strong Viking Saga.
The second centrepiece of the Medals for Life series is the Varjagen Shield. This shield consists of six medal parts, where you earn one part for every two medal points. When you earn twenty medal points, you become the proud owner of the entire Varjagen Shield. The medal points for the shield can also be earned by participating in a Strong Viking edition or a Virtual Edition. Conquer all obstacles on your journey and earn the Varjagen Shield!
The Varjagen Shield is obviously not just any shield. The word Varjagen finds its origin in the composition of the words promise (Varja) and companion (Gen). This more or less means 'a sworn person'. There are only a few sources that point back to this period, we must rely on the various excavations carried out by different nationalities. These show that the Varjagen were present for a long period of time. The stories of Nordic history say that in the 8th century, the Varjagen came with their ships to the land we know today as Russia. Rus is originally the name for Vikings who reached Russia! So Russia even owes its name to the Vikings. The Varjagen played an important role in history and were mainly known as a strong tribe. In the early Middle Ages, the Swedish Vikings descended the rivers and built trading settlements along these rivers, the so-called trade route from the Varjagen to the Greeks. In time, the Vikings began to establish settlements between the Slavs and the Finns, where they formed the ruling elite under the name of Roes.
The Varjagen Shield features a golden dragon, which, of course, is not placed on the shield without reason. Moreover, dragons are important and common creatures in Norse mythology. The most famous dragons are Níðhǫggr, Jǫrmungandr and Fáfnir. Each dragon in mythology has its own characteristics and stories. But the common denominator is that each dragon represents strength and courage. For this reason, ships often had dragons' heads as their figureheads, and ships were, of course, essential to the Varjagen and their journeys.
Images of dragons were mainly used as decoration on objects belonging to the richest and most important people. The images served as expressions of strength, power and courage. Furthermore, flags with dragons were often used to intimidate opponents. Dragons are thus an important and powerful symbol of the Viking Age.
The Varjagen Shield is a symbol of the strength and courage you have shown during the challenges that have crossed your path on your journey.
Have you earned the entire Varjagen Shield? Or are you just looking for that last bit of motivation? Grant yourself the unique Varjagen Shield showcase and show that you are a true Viking!