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    Popular Stories

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    History
    Why did the Vikings, perhaps the most successful seaborne raiders of premodern history, stop raiding?

    Why did the Vikings stop raiding?
    History
    Gunnbjörn Ulffsson disappears off the historical record after sighting the coast of Greenland.

    Who was Gunnbjörn Ulfsson, the first Norse explorer to allegedly spot Greenland?
    News
    The vessels will be more closely examined by remote-controlled underwater craft later this year.

    Viking relics expected among Norway's largest ship cemetery
    News
    On a good Saturday, there are, on average, between 30 and 35 volunteers at the ship construction site.

    Authentic Viking ship Hardraade due for launch in Norway in 2024

    Popular Stories

    History
    Why did the Vikings, perhaps the most successful seaborne raiders of premodern history, stop raiding?

    Why did the Vikings stop raiding?
    History
    Gunnbjörn Ulffsson disappears off the historical record after sighting the coast of Greenland.

    Who was Gunnbjörn Ulfsson, the first Norse explorer to allegedly spot Greenland?
    News
    The vessels will be more closely examined by remote-controlled underwater craft later this year.

    Viking relics expected among Norway's largest ship cemetery
    News
    On a good Saturday, there are, on average, between 30 and 35 volunteers at the ship construction site.

    Authentic Viking ship Hardraade due for launch in Norway in 2024

    News
    Motivated by international trade in silver, silk, and, crucially for this study, slaves, Vikings interacted with four continents, the first people to do so.

    New genetic research shows influx of Baltic women into Viking-era Sweden

    Slavery is considered the main reason for the male-to-female imbalance in a major genetic survey of Scandinavia just published.
    Motivated by international trade in silver, silk, and, crucially for this study, slaves, Vikings interacted with four continents, the first people to do so.

    New genetic research shows influx of Baltic women into Viking-era Sweden

    Slavery is considered the main reason for the male-to-female imbalance in a major genetic survey of...
    The Secrets of the Ice program has generated enormous global interest in their work. Pictured is the pre-Viking ski pair from Digervarden.
    Interview: Glacial archaeologists "Secrets of the Ice" seek rare finds in a melting world
    Eleven new finds were made in Oslo in the period from September 2021 to August 2022. Pictured is an ownership marker which states "Asbjørn owns me."
    Archaeologist reveals details of rare runic finds discovered in downtown Oslo
    The brooches on display at the Fabulous Animals exhibition at the Historical Museum in Oslo warrant particular attention.
    Discover the animal magic of Viking jewelry at Oslo's Historical Museum

    News

     Motivated by international trade in silver, silk, and, crucially for this study, slaves, Vikings interacted with four continents, the first people to do so.

    New genetic research shows influx of Baltic women into Viking-era Sweden

    Slavery is considered the main reason for the male-to-female imbalance in a major genetic survey of Scandinavia just published.
    SEE ALL STORIES

    Featured Stories

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    From May Day onwards, here’s a selection of festivals that have been confirmed so far, with more to follow as more dates are announced.

    Scandinavian Viking festivals to look forward to in 2023

    Read Story
    We have no archaeological or written record uncovered of the Aegishjalmur symbol in any society where people from Viking societies roamed.

    All you need to know about the Aegishjalmur symbol

    Read Story
    There is nothing to see of the city of Nekor today, the site lining the shores of the reservoir of the Abdelkrim Khattabi dam, under which any further remains lie buried.

    What happened when the Vikings raided Morocco?

    Read Story
    There is an ongoing debate in academic circles about whether Vikings had tattoos.

    Did the Vikings have tattoos?

    Read Story

    Featured Stories

    From May Day onwards, here’s a selection of festivals that have been confirmed so far, with more to follow as more dates are announced.

    Scandinavian Viking festivals to look forward to in 2023

    Read Story
    We have no archaeological or written record uncovered of the Aegishjalmur symbol in any society where people from Viking societies roamed.

    All you need to know about the Aegishjalmur symbol

    Read Story
    There is nothing to see of the city of Nekor today, the site lining the shores of the reservoir of the Abdelkrim Khattabi dam, under which any further remains lie buried.

    What happened when the Vikings raided Morocco?

    Read Story
    There is an ongoing debate in academic circles about whether Vikings had tattoos.

    Did the Vikings have tattoos?

    Read Story

    Reviews
    Dr. Jarman is a fine author and tells a great tale. Her attention to detail, drawing the reader in with a combination of storytelling and interesting historical facts, is second to none.

    Book review: River Kings - A New History of Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads

    The book "River Kings" by acclaimed Norwegian bioarcheologist, historian, author, and co-host of the wildly popular "Gone Medieval" podcast, Dr. Cat Jarman, is a page-turner.
    Dr. Jarman is a fine author and tells a great tale. Her attention to detail, drawing the reader in with a combination of storytelling and interesting historical facts, is second to none.

    Book review: River Kings - A New History of Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads

    The book "River Kings" by acclaimed Norwegian bioarcheologist, historian, author, and co-host of the...
    Tore Skeie balances carefully researched facts with a knack for clear, concise, and often witty writing.
    Book review: The Wolf Age - The Vikings, The Anglo-Saxons and the Battle for the North Sea Empire
    The detail and research in "The Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings" make it perfect for those who have a groundwork of knowledge of the period and people.
    Book review: The Children of Ash and Elm - A History of the Vikings
    Each page drips with verve, dramatic tension, and well-rounded characterization, an utter freshness for this staid and studied period of English history.
    Book review: The Norman Conquest - The Battle of Hastings and the Fall of Anglo-Saxon England

    Reviews

     Each page drips with verve, dramatic tension, and well-rounded characterization, an utter freshness for this staid and studied period of English history.

    Book review: The Norman Conquest - The Battle of Hastings and the Fall of Anglo-Saxon England

    Given that the Norman invasion of England is one of the most studied periods of English history, it might seem that breathing a new life into this tired topic may be a tall order. However, Marc Morris is the man for this Herculean job.
    SEE ALL STORIES

    Trade
    Silver and other precious metals were used as means of trade, and in rarer cases, jewelry. 

    Viking money and economy: How did they work?

    In the beginning, Vikings were mostly farmers who lived off the crops and other fruits of their labor. 
    Silver and other precious metals were used as means of trade, and in rarer cases, jewelry. 

    Viking money and economy: How did they work?

    In the beginning, Vikings were mostly farmers who lived off the crops and other fruits of their labo...
    A depiction of a Viking longship.
    The Viking economy: Farming, raiding, and trading in Viking society
    Vikings bought a rich plethora of items and materials on their voyages, including wine, pottery, silk, silver, and spices.
    What did Vikings trade?
    The trading towns' population consisted mostly of merchants and craftsmen.
    The importance of Viking trading towns: What we know

    Trade

     Silver and other precious metals were used as means of trade, and in rarer cases, jewelry. 

    Viking money and economy: How did they work?

    In the beginning, Vikings were mostly farmers who lived off the crops and other fruits of their labor. 
    SEE ALL STORIES

    Warfare
    Scandinavian Viking swords were the first medieval swords to have been used widely in Scotland.

    Early Medieval Scotsmen used Viking swords. Here’s why

    Scottish swords come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, each of them having its own history.
    Scandinavian Viking swords were the first medieval swords to have been used widely in Scotland.

    Early Medieval Scotsmen used Viking swords. Here’s why

    Scottish swords come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, each of them having its own history.
    Shields were used by Vikings both in single combat and as part of a larger shield wall.
    Everything you need to know about Viking shields
    Larger hammers were developed later in the medieval period, centuries after the last Viking raid.
    Did Vikings use war hammers?
    Carolingian Emperor Charles the Bald declared an export ban on the sale of swords to Viking societies under the penalty of death.
    These swords were so deadly that a Frankish emperor banned their export to Viking societies

    Warfare

     Scandinavian Viking swords were the first medieval swords to have been used widely in Scotland.

    Early Medieval Scotsmen used Viking swords. Here’s why

    Scottish swords come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, each of them having its own history.
    SEE ALL STORIES

    Culture&religion
    The Huld Manuscript, which is sometimes referred to as the "Dark Manuscript," was said to be compiled in the tiny Icelandic town of Akureyri.

    What do we know about the Icelandic Huld Manuscript, also known as the Dark Manuscript?

    The Huld Manuscript (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Manuscript") is one of the most famous examples of false advertising in history.
    The Huld Manuscript, which is sometimes referred to as the "Dark Manuscript," was said to be compiled in the tiny Icelandic town of Akureyri.

    What do we know about the Icelandic Huld Manuscript, also known as the Dark Manuscript?

    The Huld Manuscript (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Manuscript") is one of the most famous examp...
    The Vikings believed that, at the very dawn of time, there was nothing in the entire cosmos other than a dark and vast emptiness, called Ginnungagap.
    What you need to know about Ginnungagap, the void in Norse mythology
    Christianity had, by the turn of the second millennium CE, taken a formidable stranglehold in Scandinavia.
    Vikings and Christianity: Twilight of the Old Gods, 1000 - 1060s CE
    We have no archaeological or written record uncovered of the Aegishjalmur symbol in any society where people from Viking societies roamed.
    All you need to know about the Aegishjalmur symbol

    Culture&religion

     The Huld Manuscript, which is sometimes referred to as the "Dark Manuscript," was said to be compiled in the tiny Icelandic town of Akureyri.

    What do we know about the Icelandic Huld Manuscript, also known as the Dark Manuscript?

    The Huld Manuscript (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Manuscript") is one of the most famous examples of false advertising in history.
    SEE ALL STORIES

    History
    Since Rome's withdrawal from the British Isles, many different tribes and peoples had carved out areas of what is now modern-day Scotland.

    The Viking history of Scotland: Part 2 - conquests, kingdoms, and Macbeth

    By the beginning of the 10th century CE, Viking raids had created horror and confusion throughout many regions of what would soon become the Kingdom of Scotland.
    Since Rome's withdrawal from the British Isles, many different tribes and peoples had carved out areas of what is now modern-day Scotland.

    The Viking history of Scotland: Part 2 - conquests, kingdoms, and Macbeth

    By the beginning of the 10th century CE, Viking raids had created horror and confusion throughout ma...
    Traditionally, Iceland was supposed to have been settled by peoples from Viking societies.
    The Viking history of Iceland: A primer
    There is nothing to see of the city of Nekor today, the site lining the shores of the reservoir of the Abdelkrim Khattabi dam, under which any further remains lie buried.
    What happened when the Vikings raided Morocco?
    The man who kicked off more than a millennium of the European colonization of Greenland was also one of medieval Europe's first real estate moguls and salesman.
    Why did Erik the Red call an icy land "Greenland"?

    History

     Since Rome's withdrawal from the British Isles, many different tribes and peoples had carved out areas of what is now modern-day Scotland.

    The Viking history of Scotland: Part 2 - conquests, kingdoms, and Macbeth

    By the beginning of the 10th century CE, Viking raids had created horror and confusion throughout many regions of what would soon become the Kingdom of Scotland.
    SEE ALL STORIES

    Legacy
    Ásatrú is a modern form of paganism that can be traced back to the 1970s.

    Ásatrú: The Old Norse religion and its modern incarnation

    Since 1874, Iceland has had freedom of religion enshrined in its constitution. Despite being a mainly secular nation, there is a religion with ancient roots that is one of the nation's fastest-growing: Asatru.
    Ásatrú is a modern form of paganism that can be traced back to the 1970s.

    Ásatrú: The Old Norse religion and its modern incarnation

    Since 1874, Iceland has had freedom of religion enshrined in its constitution. Despite being a mainl...
    One of the most important elements of Toltec mythology was the myth of Quetzalcoatl.
    Did the myth of Quetzalcoatl originate with a Norse trip to Mesoamerica during medieval times?
    The Njardarheimr Viking village is special - all the people living in the village work, breathe, and live there the same way their ancestors did.
    What is the Viking village of Njardarheimr?
    A major redesign of the Hjemkomst Ship Gallery at the Hjemkomst Center in Minnesota, United States, took place in commemoration of The Hjemkomst voyage's 40th anniversary in 2022.
    The Hjemkomst ship: The story of one of the most famous Viking ship replicas

    Legacy

     Ásatrú is a modern form of paganism that can be traced back to the 1970s.

    Ásatrú: The Old Norse religion and its modern incarnation

    Since 1874, Iceland has had freedom of religion enshrined in its constitution. Despite being a mainly secular nation, there is a religion with ancient roots that is one of the nation's fastest-growing: Asatru.
    SEE ALL STORIES

    Scandinavia
    From southern Europe, by 1348, the plague reached the British Isles, most notably Bristol and Dublin, both major ports dependent on sea trade. Norway was burying its first victims in 1349.

    How did the Black Death - the bubonic plague - affect Scandinavia?

    For three short but devastating years in the mid-1300s, the bubonic plague wiped out around half the population of Scandinavia. The consequences would be devastating for subsequent generations.
    From southern Europe, by 1348, the plague reached the British Isles, most notably Bristol and Dublin, both major ports dependent on sea trade. Norway was burying its first victims in 1349.

    How did the Black Death - the bubonic plague - affect Scandinavia?

    For three short but devastating years in the mid-1300s, the bubonic plague wiped out around half the...
    Granted a constitution and Home Rule in 1874, Icelanders built their own Parliament in 1880-81.
    What you need to know about Iceland's Althingi, the mother of all parliaments
    The Norwegian flag has a fascinating history.
    What you need to know about Norway's flag
    Ribe prospered and grew as the 8th century gave way to the 9th century CE.
    What you need to know about Ribe, the oldest town in Scandinavia

    Scandinavia

     From southern Europe, by 1348, the plague reached the British Isles, most notably Bristol and Dublin, both major ports dependent on sea trade. Norway was burying its first victims in 1349.

    How did the Black Death - the bubonic plague - affect Scandinavia?

    For three short but devastating years in the mid-1300s, the bubonic plague wiped out around half the population of Scandinavia. The consequences would be devastating for subsequent generations.
    SEE ALL STORIES

    PHOTO GALLERIES

    Oseberg ship burial mound
    Excavation of the Oseberg ship in 1904
    Gjellestad ship keel
    The excavation of the Gjellestad Viking ship
    Fjord in Norway 2
    Wow: 11 amazing photos of Norwegian fjords