Watch: Viking Age anchor recreated with hammer and bellows in Denmark

Students and lecturers hammer bloomery iron into a Viking Age anchor at Aggersborg in northern Denmark. The video shows the team heating the metal, operating bellows and shaping the anchor. A reconstructed boat is also seen sailing on the Limfjord.

The project uses materials and methods based on research into early medieval anchors. Rowan Taylor of the UK's National School of Blacksmithing says X-rays helped identify weld lines and layers of different types of iron, allowing the team to reproduce the original construction.

The work shows how Viking smiths adapted when steel was scarce. The anchor is intended for a reconstructed workboat based on the Gislinge boat. Boat builder Peter Madsbøl also demonstrates a simpler anchor made from wood and stone.

The experiment aims to show the skill involved in making the tools and ships that supported Viking voyages.