The decorated spearheads demonstrate the Viking's creative mix of art and war, whereby weapons often carried intricate patterns, created using the "Niello" process. This involved using an alloy of several metals (notably silver) mixed with sulfur which was rubbed into an incised pattern and then fired. Where the alloy is rubbed into the engraving, it remains black while the rest of the surface is polished to a bright finish. This decorating process on this piece uses a little less alchemy, but still provides a lustrous, permanent Niello-like effect.