Carved Jelling Beast Viking Shield, 24"Viking shield with carved Jelling style ornament ade of real birch wood this pieces main decorative motif is the Jelling style serpent ornament with Jormungandr one of the highlight icons on this complex piece. In Norse mythology, Jrmungandr is the Midgard Serpent viewed as the ultimate symbol of fate's inevitability. Viking warriors would demonstrate with this icon their will to go to battle and accept whatever fate the gods had in store for them.