Brotherhood

A shield wall (scieldweall or bordweall in Old English, skjaldborg in Old Norse) is a military formation that was common in ancient and medieval warfare. There were many slight variations of this formation, but the common factor was soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder and holding their shields so that they would abut or overlap. Each soldier thus benefited from the protection of the shields of his neighbors and his own.

A shield wall can be likened to the bond of brotherhood. Without brotherhood a man dies. Tribe up.

Related Reading

• Frith and the Bonds of Kindred
• The Hearth of Our Blood
• The Importance of Hospitality
• The Folk Community