Loud and rowdy Vikings in a mead hall chomping on massive pieces of meat and pitching the bones at a hapless minstrel may be a familiar trope in movies and TV shows. But what was the average Viking diet REALLY like? This article investigates common day to day Viking foods, how and when they liked to eat them, and how Viking nutrition contributed to their success. Nutrition Played a Part in the Viking Success Story Diet was one of many significant advantages the Norse had. This is ironic, perhaps, because the Norse were envious of the lush farms and open fields outside of Scandinavia. Unfortunately, there was not all that much arable land in the Vikings' homeland. They had to...

It is no exaggeration to say that life in the Viking Age was held together by oaths. In fact, in the East, Vikings were known as “Varangians,” which meant “Sworn Companions.” A man or woman’s word was binding, and any person of merit would far rather die than violate their word. There was literally a special place in Hel for oath breakers in the Viking belief system ...

Probably the best-known mention of mead in Norse lore is also one of the most famous stories of Odin, the wandering wizard chief god of Norse mythology. In a tale of treachery, murder, battle, shapeshifting, fantastic realms, narrow escapes, and plenty of sex, Odin steals the 'Mead of Poetry' (Norse: Óðrœrir, or “the Source of Inspiration) from fearsome giants (Jotunn). Upon drinking this mead, Odin gains the gift of understanding and mastering the most-treasured Norse art form. This may be another reason why the three interlocking drinking horns of the Triskele (found carved onto numerous runestones) is considered a symbol of Odin. It was said that great poets were blessed by Odin and shared in his mead, while less-talented poets only got the spittle that Odin dropped behind.

This is a chronology of some of the leading people and events of the Viking Age. It is by no means comprehensive but only offers some sense of structure for this dynamic period in human history. Please note that dates are notoriously difficult to pin down during the "Dark Ages," so some of the dates here are approximate and based on mainstream scholarly consensus. Spellings of names and places also vary based on transliteration and sources.

Arab diplomat, Ibn Fadlan, gives us the most overt statement on Viking body art, based on his direct experience with them along the Volga River system around the year 922.

“From the tips of his toes to his neck,” Ibn Fadlan writes, “each man is tattooed in dark green, with designs and so forth.” (Lunde & Stone, 2012, p. 46).

Vikings came from an honor culture where individuals expressed their worth through actions, words, and appearance. Abundant jewelry, clothing, combs, and personal care items recovered by archaeologists show that personal presentation was of great importance in Viking societies. But while the Viking preoccupation with hair and grooming are well established, what their hair styles actually looked like is a surprisingly controversial topic. Since Vikings only left cremated or skeletal remains, and since the written material from the era is almost always sparse in detail, how can we really know what Vikings looked like? This article will examine the surviving evidence from the literary and archaeological record to render a more accurate portrait of the Viking hairstyles of 1000 years ago....

It is a hell of a thing for Medieval English chroniclers to admit that one of the reasons they hated Vikings was because their own wives and daughters couldn't resist their cleanliness.

Mjölnir (most common English pronunciation being: "me-owl-neer") was the mighty hammer of Thor, most beloved champion of the Norse gods. Thor used Mjölnir as his primary weapon in protecting humanity and gods alike from sea serpents, giants, ogres, and the forces of chaos. Thor’s role as protector earned him the kennings (poetic refrains) of “Defender of Asgard and Midgard” and “Friend of Mankind.” Thor and Mjölnir were invoked at pivotal moments – not just battles, but common experiences like weddings, births, funerals, or any time people needed blessings and good fortune. Steadfast, compassionate, and almost invincible, Thor was a deity that Vikings turned to in times of trouble. Many of the legends of Thor focus on Mjölnir itself, such as...

These three Icelandic magic books (that contain the Vegvisir symbol) do indeed mention elements of Christianity and one of the three books specifically mentions Christianity with the Vegvisir symbol. However all three books also mention a variety of Norse gods as well as other Norse mythology related topics. With that understanding, we propose that it is reasonably possible that the one book that mentions Christianity with this symbol was simply guilty of describing this older symbol (of unknown origin) within a 19th century “Christian” context.

During the same time these Icelandic magic books were written, there existed places in Europe that would have literally burned you at the stake if you were caught with one in your possession.

An international team of archaeologists has discovered a Viking neighborhood and trading base near Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) Turkey.  The site itself is in the ancient city of Bathonea near Lake Küçükçekmece, about 12 miles away from the fabled capital of the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire.  This find matches written sources (such as the 12th century Russian Primary Chronicle) which tells of Viking-Byzantine treaties that only allowed Norse traders inside Constantinople in small numbers and only during the daytime.  The site that archaeologists are now uncovering was strategically located a short sail from the mighty Byzantine capital and provided easy access to the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Şengül Aydıngün leads the excavation team of 75 experts.  He commented to Istanbul’s Hurriyet...

The following is our winning 2020 Student Scholarship submission from Grace Traina.   Freya and Aphrodite: comparing the Norse and Greek Goddesses of Love Freya, the Norse goddess of love, beauty, fertility and sexuality, bears a striking physical and mythological resemblance to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of the same domain. I wanted to research Freya to examine the similarities and differences between the Norse and Greek depictions of the most traditionally “beautiful” goddess. The relationship between Freya and Frigg (the wife of head god Odin) in Norse mythology is similar to the relationship between Aphrodite and Hera (the wife of head god Zeus) in Greek mythology. Freya and Frigg, like Aphrodite and Hera, are considered the two most beautiful goddesses in...

Archaeologists announced July 4, 2019, that they have found the remains of two Viking-era ship burials in Uppsala, Sweden.  Along with earlier Norwegian finds in Østfold County (October 2018) and Vestfold County (March 2019), four Viking Age ship burials have been found in Scandinavia within the last year. 

Widespread viewer enthusiasm for Game of Thrones escalates with each episode, making it the most popular and engaging show of today. The opening episode of the show’s final season (which aired 4/14/19) broke all of HBO’s previous records with a viewership of 17.4 million people.  One of the joys of watching, reading, or writing fantasy is that a creator can craft their story drawing from different sources without being restricted by them.  George R.R. Martin (the veteran author of the series A Song of Ice and Fire from which the show Game of Thrones is adapted from) said that he was directly inspired by Sir Walter Scott’s classic, Ivanhoe, and by the real-life history of England’s War of the Roses. ...

Decorated horse bridles from the Viking era (950 ad) were recently discovered in Jutland Denmark.     Sources:http://www.realmofhistory.com/2017/03/21/viking-oriented-discovery-denmark/ http://cphpost.dk/news/archeologists-make-sensational-viking-discovery-in-denmark.html And for those of you who can read Danish, here is a site that provides live updates from the dig site: http://www.vikingfregerslev.dk/Nyheder-2966.aspx?Action=1&NewsId=904&M=NewsV2&PID=7022 View modern day Viking Jewelry here:

Thor's Rike (Thor's Kingdom): Welcome Viking Enthusiasts! You’ve probably been to Disney World or Six Flags or Cedar Point. Those are all well and good, but what if you could hit a park built on the Viking theme? Well, now you can. It’s called Thor's Rike (Thor’s Kingdom in English) and it’s designed to attract Viking enthusiasts from all over the world. It’s located in the western Norwegian county of Hordaland, with the goal of putting a spin on the traditional theme park. Flume rides and roller coasters will feature “infotainment” to educate visitors about Vikings and their history. Go back 1,000 years and discover what made the Vikings so great and all-empowering. You can even experience the thrill of authentic...

Wardruna is a Norwegian group founded around 2009. They are responsible for much of the soundtrack and music heard on the TV series called Vikings.  Though some of their members came out of the Black Metal scene of the early 2000s, Wardruna predominantly relies on traditional instruments to achieve their unworldly, haunting sound.

Floki and his followers were so preoccupied with fishing that they neglected to cut and store hay for the animals that they had brought.

Ivar the Boneless was an extraordinary warrior whose ferocity and cruelty at times reached psychotic levels.  He was responsible for the death of ...

many of the Norse goddesses were also goddesses of war. It is clear from these stories that the Vikings did not see the battlefield in strictly masculine terms.

Note: We sell completed viking shields (including blank shields) for as low as $119. Prefer to make your own? Below are four videos on DIY Viking Shields: This first how-to video used a stainless steel dog bowl for the center piece and used hydrocholoric acid and some hammering to give it that aged, hand-made look.   This Viking shield build focused on a look to match Lagertha's shield from the TV show "Vikings". A request that came from the wife of the builder.   This homemade Viking Shield required little to zero metal working. Using plywood and other easy to find ingredients to make a fully functional shield.   This last video also used plywood and offers tips on how to give...

Check out the Viking Ship Gokstadfæring on Display! Interested to see a detailed replica of a Gokstadfæring? You can when you visit the Danish Canadian Museum in Alberta Canada! The Freydis Joanna Viking Ship and Naust is part of the museum’s permanent collection, just waiting to be discovered by visitors who love Viking history. The exhibit tells a fascinating story. First off, a little bit about longships: Longships were a vital part of the success of Viking expansion into remote territories. They were extremely competent at navigating open waters, with this group comprised largely of skilled craftsmen and sailors. As such, the Vikings easily and swiftly claimed control over both land and sea. As you know, longships were long, narrow...

More than 2,000 swords have been found so far from the viking age (around 800 AD - 1050 AD). However, unlike most of the swords that were made for battle, recent discoveries through the use of neutron scans have proven that some of these swords may have been purely created for decorative purposes. All three of these swords (found in Denmark and pictured above) were made through pattern welding which includes using thin strips of various metals, irons and steel. They are then welded together, folded and/or twisted and then forged in various ways to produce decorative patterns. Whereas swords made for battle were typically made of pure steel. Learn more at: http://www.livescience.com/58654-viking-sword-scans-reveal-norse-culture.html   Viking jewelry for sale: