In the early Middle Ages, swords, axes, spears and bows and arrows were the dominant weapons and a man carrying a sword had enormous status as swords were difficult and expensive to produce. The Vikings were adept with battle-axes and wreaked all manner of havoc with their heavy battle axes. From a defensive perspective, stone missiles and a burning oil mixture of pitch and other materials were used to repel invaders. The most significant development of weaponry in the thirteenth century was the longbow, originally mastered by the Welsh.