My Czech model Viking ship has just arrived; perfect size, pretty model, but the shields on the gun'nels are oval. Any dark ages experts want to reassure me that this was in fact a genuine variant, or do I need to replace the things?

Serves me right for buying a ship from a company situated in a land-locked country. Hmmm, has anyone here seen A Winter's Tale recently, where a ship is wrecked on the coast of Bohemia?

Only ever heard of round or for very late kite shaped. Of course they could be ex-varangs coming home.

IanS

Mmmm, my sources agree with yours, I fear. Well, it won't be too big a job to replace them.