Viking attractions in Sweden
51K views · Nov 24, 2022 thevikingherald.com
Aside from its natural beauty, a big draw for tourists visiting Sweden each year is to experience its Viking history. From Stockholm to Skåne, from the Baltic Sea to the Kattegat, Sweden has a wealth of Viking attractions that any visitor to the Scandinavian country must see. We've picked out some of the best.
What are the most common Viking misconceptions?
6K views · Nov 16, 2022 thevikingherald.com
What are the most common Viking misconceptions awash on the small and silver screen? we look at burning boats, horned helmets, women warriors, and blonde-haired Vikings.
What is Viking blood mead
28K views · Nov 1, 2022 thevikingherald.com
With its ancient roots, mead was favored by the wealthy and elite, with one resembling the color of blood prized above all else. Here's what you need to know about Viking blood mead.
Vegsvisir: Viking compass
11K views · Oct 12, 2022 thevikingherald.com
The Vegsvisir is said to be a Viking symbol that brings good luck and prevents getting lost.
Viking Warfare
13K views · Oct 3, 2022 thevikingherald.com
With superior naval and weapon technology, sneaky and sophisticated battlefield tactics, and a warrior culture that produced bravery, fearlessness, and fierceness, Viking warriors dominated many medieval European societies, cultures, and polities for more than two centuries.
How did the Vikings navigate?
12K views · Sep 28, 2022 thevikingherald.com
Long before a compass or naval maps were used in Europe, the Vikings set about sailing the high seas from modern-day Canada to Constantinople.
Who were the Viking shield-maidens?
18K views · Sep 18, 2022 thevikingherald.com
Though they are mentioned in myth, legend, and saga, Viking shied-maidens were said to have been the inspiration for the Valkyries and fought everywhere from modern-day Canada to Sweden and Bulgaria.
How and why did the Viking Age begin
30K views · May 12, 2023 thevikingherald.com
The Viking Age, which spanned from 796 to 1066 CE, was a time of great expansion and conquest for the Norsemen of Scandinavia. Here's how and why it began.
Did the Vikings really keep bears as pets?
15K views · May 12, 2023 thevikingherald.com
The Vikings had a deep love and respect for animals, with pets playing an important role in everyday life. While cats, dogs, and even peacocks were common, recent archaeological evidence suggests that many Vikings also kept bears as pets.
Did the Vikings really sacrifice humans?
11K views · May 12, 2023 thevikingherald.com
Many ancient civilizations, including the Vikings, have been known to practice the ritualized killing of humans. However, the question remains as to how widespread and common this practice was in Viking societies.
The biggest discovered poo in history belonged to a sick Vik...
20K views · May 12, 2023 thevikingherald.com
Archaeologists discovered the largest recorded human coprolite, a fossilized piece of feces, in 1972 under what is now a bank in York, England. The coprolite, known as the Lloyd's Bank Coprolite, measured over 20 cm long and 5 cm wide, and an analysis of the stool suggested that it had been excreted over a millennium ago, during the Viking Era, when York was known as Jórvik.
The Viking history of Sweden
31K views · May 12, 2023 thevikingherald.com
Sweden's Viking history spans three centuries, from around 800 CE to 1100 CE, and played a crucial role in the formation of the Swedish state. At the beginning of the Viking Age, multiple independent tribes were present in the area of Northern Europe that is now Sweden.
What was the North Sea Empire?
16K views · Jul 30, 2023 thevikingherald.com
During the Viking Age, Norsemen settled throughout England and became rulers, forming the North Sea Empire, a personal union of Denmark, England, and Norway, for about 30 years, starting in 1013 CE under the reign of Danish King Sweyn Forkbeard. This empire was unique in medieval European history because it was a thalassocracy, a maritime empire, where the vast North Sea was the only way of connecting these three kingdoms.
Why did the Vikings leave Scandinavia?
13K views · Jul 30, 2023 thevikingherald.com
The reason why many people from Viking societies left Scandinavia to raid, trade, and colonize abroad is a source of ongoing debate among historians. Some suggest it was due to population pressure, political weakness and riches of surrounding kingdoms, environmental factors, or climate change.
Rollo, the Viking warrior
42K views · Jul 31, 2023 thevikingherald.com
Rollo, the Viking warrior who is believed to have been born in Scandinavia during the mid-to-late 9th century CE, was the founder of the Normandy region in France.
Who was Björn Ironside?
45K views · Aug 5, 2023 thevikingherald.com
Björn Ironside was a Viking warrior and ruler whose life is shrouded in mystery and legend. According to the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus, Björn was the son of Ragnar Lothbrok, who was the ruler of much of Scandinavia.
What a day in Viking life looked like
27K views · Aug 7, 2023 thevikingherald.com
Contrary to popular portrayals, the daily life of a person in Viking societies was not all about marauding, pillaging, feasting, and killing. In fact, the majority of those who lived in Viking societies were employed in agricultural or farm labor, and there was a strict gender-based division of labor.
What type of Jewelry did the Viking wear
26K views · Aug 18, 2023 thevikingherald.com
The Vikings are often portrayed as nothing more than barbarians interested only in violence and destruction. However, archaeological evidence discovered in Viking settlements reveals their sophisticated skills as craftsmen and women who often wore jewelry, which had cultural, religious, and social symbolism.
Who was Lagertha, legendary Viking shield-maiden and wife of...
22K views · Aug 18, 2023 thevikingherald.com
So often in history, women’s voices and stories are silenced and non-existent. Not so for the fierce Viking warrior and one-time wife of Ragnar Lothbrok, Lagertha.
The most famous Viking hoards - The Viking Herald
40K views · Aug 21, 2023 thevikingherald.com
Vikings, history's renowned hoarders, left behind a trail of buried loot and treasures that have fascinated archaeologists for years. These caches of shiny artifacts provide valuable insights into Viking-era societies, shedding light on their values, beliefs, and reasons for storing their wealth.
The Uunartoq Disc, a Viking navigational marvel - The Viking...
74K views · Aug 21, 2023 thevikingherald.com
The Uunartoq disc demonstrates the Vikings' impressive navigational intelligence. Recent research even suggests that the disc may have been used to determine latitude, a technique not officially invented in Europe until the late 15th century CE.
Top 5 Viking attractions on the Isle of Man
15K views · Aug 25, 2023 thevikingherald.com
The Isle of Man, nestled between Ireland and England, boasts a rich Viking heritage with intriguing historical sites waiting to be explored. From a Viking Parliament to burial boats, this scenic island offers a glimpse into its fascinating past.
Top 10 Viking attractions in Scotland
27K views · Sep 6, 2023 thevikingherald.com
Explore the key Norse features on the Scottish mainland and around the islands. The Vikings occupied Scotland's most northerly outposts longer than anywhere else in the British Isles.
Did Viking sea monster Hafgufa actually exist
6K views · Sep 6, 2023 thevikingherald.com
A post from Thailand on social media, showing a whale treading water with its mouth agape trapping a shoal of anchovies, went viral – and reminded those familiar with the Norse sagas of a mythical sea creature: hafgufa.
St Brice's Day
4K views · Mar 27, 2024 thevikingherald.com
The St. Brice's Day Massacre, initiated by King Æthelred on November 13, 1002, remains a significant yet shadowy episode in English history.
Fascinating Aspects of Old Norse Religion
9K views · Mar 27, 2024 thevikingherald.com
Stemming from beliefs and traditions forged in Germanic societies during the Nordic Iron Age, the Old Norse religion became the dominant religion throughout Scandinavia for much of the early medieval period.
The life of Aud the Deep-Minded, Viking matriarch
23K views · Apr 9, 2024 thevikingherald.com
One woman, known as Aud the Deep-Minded, calls down to us from the ages to remind us that not every epic saga of a woman's life is lost to the mist of time.
Jorvik Rise and fall of a Viking kingdom The Viking Herald
4K views · Apr 9, 2024 thevikingherald.com
For many in Yorkshire, this English county is nearly divine. Notably, one of its most dynamic periods was the early medieval era, when it was the Kingdom of Jórvík, a Viking outpost in northern England.
Kaupang, Norway's First Viking Marketplace
3K views · Apr 10, 2024 thevikingherald.com
Believed to be Norway's first market town, Kaupang served as a hub for trade, commerce, and cultural exchange throughout the Viking Age (c. 750 – 1100), making it one of the most important urban settlements in the Viking homelands of Scandinavia.
Norse mythology - The tale of Ask and Embla
12K views · Apr 13, 2024 thevikingherald.com
Every society and civilization has an origin myth, a story passed down through generations that tries to paint a picture of how the world came to be. People from Viking societies were no different, and the tale of Ask and Embla spoke of their quest to answer the origins of human life.
Thrud - The story of Thor's fierce daughter
9K views · Apr 13, 2024 thevikingherald.com
Though she was born of Thunder and destined for greatness, time has not been kind to Thrúd, the daughter of Thor. Who is this overlooked Norse goddess living in the shadow of her famous father?
The Battle of Stiklestad - The Viking Herald
3K views · Apr 18, 2024 thevikingherald.com
According to legend, a battle near a farm in Stiklestad, Norway, saw the fall of a Norwegian King who fought for Christianity. He was later recognized as a saint.
How Cnut the Great conquered England at the Battle of Assand...
5K views · Apr 18, 2024 thevikingherald.com
After over 250 years of Viking raids, conquests, and battles, Cnut the Great finally seized the English throne after his victory over the Anglo-Saxon King Edmund Ironside.
How a Viking named Rurik founded the Kievan Rus
20K views · Apr 24, 2024 thevikingherald.com
The foundation of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine can all be traced back to one semi-historical figure, a Viking chieftain invited to reign in Eastern Europe during the early medieval ages. This is the story of Rurik.
Halfdan the Black
288 views · Apr 24, 2024 thevikingherald.com
Before Norway was a unified kingdom under one ruler, it was divided into several petty kingdoms for much of the early medieval era. In this time, where historical records are scarce, but sagas and legends flourish, Halfdan the Black, a petty king of Vestfold, is said to have thrived.
Heimdall - From guarding Asgard to heralding Ragnarok
4K views · Apr 24, 2024 thevikingherald.com
The god Heimdall stands as a figure of unwavering vigilance in the rich tapestry of Norse mythology. He embodies the essence of protection, security, and watchfulness.
Vikings and the Silk Roads
2K views · May 16, 2024 thevikingherald.com
Did Vikings trade along the famous Silk Roads that connected East to West, linking Europe and Asia?
The Viking influence on Scottish clan systems
5K views · May 16, 2024 thevikingherald.com
There surely is no more romantic image of Scotland than its ancient clan system. While it is old and ancient, some argue that these elements were actually created during the Victorian era by writers and champions of Scottish culture who romanticized portrayals of clan life.
The saga of Ingólfr Arnarson and the foundation of Iceland
753 views · May 16, 2024 thevikingherald.com
It is not often that a nation can trace its ancestral roots back to one person. In Iceland, however, legend and lore suggest that Ingólfr Arnarson was the island nation's first permanent settler in about 874 CE.
Tróndur í Gøtu, the Faroese Viking chieftain
5K views · May 16, 2024 thevikingherald.com
How did Tróndur í Gøtu, a Viking-era chieftain who lived on the Faroe Islands more than a millennium ago, become a modern byname for a roadblock, an obstacle for someone?
Surtr - The fiery giant of Norse mythology
2K views · May 22, 2024 thevikingherald.com
One of the most memorable events in Ragnarök involves Surtr, who stands out among the myriad of Norse mythical beings, ghouls, and creatures.
The raid on Lindisfarne
470 views · May 24, 2024 thevikingherald.com
The story of Lindisfarne, the site of the first major Norse raid on British shores, marks the dawn of the Viking Age.
Eir Goddess of Healing
6K views · May 25, 2024 thevikingherald.com
People in Viking societies lived in a dangerous era before the advent of widespread medical knowledge, hospitals, and doctors. Divine protection was needed in the form of the Norse goddess Eir to ensure health, healing, and safety.