Step into the world of ancient craftsmanship as you learn how to make a Viking battle axe. From shaping the blade to crafting the handle, every detail of this iconic weapon is forged with precision.

Following is a transcript of the video. - [Rollo yells] Tyr Neilsen: Rollo's using a Viking battle-ax. You can turn, you can pull, and if it's used against an opponent's legs, it can be pulled up.

This story appears in the March 2017 issue of National Geographic magazine. A cold drizzle falls as we shiver in the streets, waiting for the Viking lord and his band of raiders to appear.

Image caption, A re-enactment of Viking battle in York. King Alfred was prepared though, having fortified the towns and organised a large army drawn from his own warriors and the male population ...

Axes and spears made of wood and metal ... Berserkr' is an Old Norse word meaning 'bear skin' and berserkers were Viking warriors who went into battle wearing wolf or bear skins.