A newly discovered grave in Western Jutland, Denmark, from the 8th century preserves some rare Viking textiles that help us better understand what the Vikings wore. Learn more about the discovery and what we already know about Viking clothing. The Jutland Discovery It is surprising that both skeletal remains and fragile organic textiles survive, as…
In most ancient cultures, we encounter ideas of magic, witchcraft, and shamanism. Norse society is no different. The Viking witch was known as a Völva. They were powerful seeresses, shamans, and practitioners of Seidr magic. They pulled on the strings of fate to speak the future and change destiny. Viking Witches Among the Vikings were…
In 2020, one of the most spectacular golden hoards of the Norse world was discovered at Vindelev in Denmark. Dating to the 5th century, it is from the period of lavish wealth just before the start of the Viking Age, also known as the Vendel Period. While the Viking era was an age of silver,…
When you look online, it is not hard to find examples of Thor’s hammer, or Mjölnir, amulets. They were popular pieces worn in the Viking Age, and they remain popular pieces of jewelry among modern-day Vikings and followers of the Norse religion. When looking at pictures, it can be difficult to determine which are genuine…
A few months ago, when a homeowner in Rebild was clearing his backyard to install a new patio, he encountered some loose clay potsherds while removing some weeds and stones. As he continued to dig, some metal artifacts that had apparently fallen out of the clay vessel emerged. He contacted the local archaeology service, and…
Marriage was an important institution in the Viking world, but also more flexible than seen in many other parts of the Medieval world. During the height of the Viking age, most free men were small landowners and needed a wife to oversee their household of extended family, workers, and slaves. For the elites, like in…
By the Viking Age, Odin was the most important god in the Norse pantheon. He was viewed as the creator god, creating both the human world and mankind. He was also the progenitor of most of the Aesir gods, including Thor and Balder. He was associated with war but also wisdom; he was the source…
The Viking homelands were in the northern climes of Europe, where ice and snow, not to mention freezing temperatures and food scarcity, are a fact of life for several months of the year. Is it any wonder that the Vikings mastered the art of skiing and skating? The Mythology of Ice According to the Viking…
All cultures have stories about how the world came to be. In the Viking world, the story was as violent and bloody as the culture itself. The Norse creation myth sees fire and ice combine in the void to create life, which was then forcibly shaped by the gods as they started their ongoing conflict…
Ullr is one of the Viking gods who didn’t make it into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While he is among the lesser-known gods today, he seems to have been a very important Norse god in both pre-Viking and Viking times. The son of Sif and stepson of Thor, he was a god of winter, skis,…
