The Swedish Vikings and the Varangian Guard
Background During the Viking Age (which lasted for about four hundred years, namely between the 8th century and the late 11th century), Scandinavia was fragmented into various petty kingdoms which were...
View Article8 Astonishing Castles You Should Visit In Denmark
Here’s a list comprising eight absolutely astonishing castles and strongholds that you should visit in Hamlet’s land — Denmark. Keep in mind that this is not a top, but a list. Therefore, all of the...
View ArticleCats voyaged with the Vikings on their longships, genetic study reveals
According to the most important study on the genetics of the cats that was presented at the International Symposium on Biomolecular Archaeology in Oxford, United Kingdom, in late September, 2016, it...
View Article10 Important Facts You Should Know About The Anglo-Saxons
10. The origins of the Anglo-Saxons and the Anglo-Saxon period The Anglo-Saxons were a confederation of Germanic peoples who initially lived in contemporary northern Germany, southern Denmark, and the...
View ArticleThe History of the Vikings in Greenland
Some of Greenland’s islands were discovered sometime during the 9th century by an Icelandic Viking by the name Gunnbjörn Ulfsson and his crew, who were blown off course from Norway to Iceland. His...
View ArticleThe History of the Turf Houses in the Faroe Islands and Iceland
The tradition of building houses with turf roofs in the Faroe Islands and Iceland dates back to the Viking Age. These architectural structures are the result of the climate on these islands, the...
View ArticleA brief overview on the Scandinavian folklore and the Norse mythology
The Scandinavian folklore represents the entirety of myths, customs, traditions, legends, fables, and superstitions which stem from the Norse mythology and are shared by the Nordic countries of...
View ArticleThe Complex Norse Mythology: The Gods of the Norsemen
Before Christianity was officially introduced to Scandinavia in the 12th century, its inhabitants had their own ancient polytheistic religion which orbited around a series of complex mythical figures...
View ArticleHierarchy in the Viking Age: The Social Classes of the Norsemen
Society in the Viking Age was far more complex than most people assume, given the vast majority of the myths and misconceptions surrounding the Norsemen that have been perpetuated throughout the...
View ArticleArchitecture in the Viking Age: urban planning, emporia, and strongholds
Background Much of Viking Age architecture that was initially rooted in central and southern Scandinavia and then subsequently applied in the Norsemen’s North Atlantic colonies can be traced back to...
View ArticleThe origins of the Norse-Gaels in Ireland and Scotland
The Norse-Gaels (also known under the terms ‘Hiberno-Norse’ or ‘foreign Gaels’) were a people who originated in the Norse settlements established during the Viking Age in Ireland, Scotland, Isle of...
View ArticleDid the Vikings celebrate something similar to Halloween?
Did the Vikings actually celebrate Halloween? Well, certainly not. At least, not as we know the holiday today. Halloween, or the ‘Day of the Dead’, is a holiday observed on October 31 in such countries...
View ArticleWho were the brave and furious Viking Berserker warriors?
The Berserkers (also known as ‘berserks’) were elite Norse warriors who fought during the Viking Age on the battlefield with both rage and exquisite bravery. The very word ‘berserk’ entered the English...
View ArticleNew possible Viking Age site discovered in Newfoundland, Canada
A recent discovery of a Viking Age settlement at Point Rosee headland in southwestern Newfoundland, Canada may rewrite the history of the Vikings in North America, especially in the context of the...
View ArticleA brief history of the Stave Churches from Norway
The Norwegian stave churches (or singularly known in Norwegian as ‘stavkirke’) are doubtlessly some of the most illustrative examples of Norway’s history and culture that date back to the Middle Ages....
View ArticleThe early medieval Chess of the Norsemen – Hnefatafl
The Hnefatafl was a strategy board game similar to contemporary Chess that was invented and played by the Norsemen in the time of the Viking Age. From native Scandinavia, the Norsemen brought the...
View ArticleYule – The Viking Predecessor of the Contemporary Christmas Holidays
Christmas is one of the most important Christian holidays that is observed most commonly on the 25th of December on all of the continents of the world. Nowadays, this celebration brings people together...
View ArticleIt’s Jóltime in Iceland – Meet the 13 Icelandic Yule Lads (Santas)
In Iceland, the tradition of celebrating Christmas is quite special. This holiday is celebrated in a unique way by the Icelanders and consists of exceptional characters rooted in the Icelandic...
View ArticleJarlshof – A Viking Age Gateway to the Shetland Islands
The archaeological site of Jarlshof on the isle of Mainland (formerly known in Old Norse as ‘Megenland’), Shetlands, is doubtlessly one of the most remarkable historical vestiges of the British Isles....
View ArticleDid the Norsemen reach the shores of Svalbard in the Viking Age?
Whether or not the Norsemen discovered the barren Arctic archipelago of Svalbard in the Viking Age remains a rather debated matter nowadays. Theoretically, given their in-depth knowledge on ship...
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