Any Viking enthusiast will be familiar with the Marvel film Thor: Ragnarok and the idea that Ragnarok is the story of the end of the world in Norse mythology. But Marvel takes significant liberties for the sake of entertainment and the continuity of their timeline. What really happens in the story of Ragnarok, and why…
Today, Norway is famous for its distinctive medieval wooden stave churches. These were once constructed throughout the Viking world as they transitioned from the Old Norse religion to Christianity. Elements of the Old Norse religion found their way into these new houses of worship. Stave Church Construction These churches are named stave churches because they…
If you follow Viking Age archaeology, you will have seen recent stories about the discovery of over 3,000 silver coins in Norway, representing the country’s largest silver hoard. It is only one of several important Viking Era archaeological finds from across Norway made in the last 12 months. See our 2024 update here. The Morstad…
The god Tyr is always listed as among the most important Viking deities in the surviving sources. For example, he is one of the 12 gods enthroned in high seats in the Skáldskaparmál. Despite that, Tyr is rarely mentioned in the surviving sources and we know very little about him. His name, Tyr, simply means…
According to the sagas, an enormous army of Vikings, assembled and led by the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok, attacked England in 865 to avenge their father’s death at the hands of King Aella of Northumbria. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle called this the “Great Heathen Army,” which was larger than any previous invading force. The Viking army…
The Viking world was full of symbols, many of which have become popular designs for Viking tattoos (I may have one or two). Understanding what common surviving symbols meant to the Vikings and how they were used is a bit like putting together an historical puzzle. We look at archaeological evidence, surviving art, and often…
Title Image: Tin alloy dragon head found in Brika, Sweden, c. 750-900. Source: Science Nordic Dragons are important figures in many mythologies, including Norse. However, understanding Norse dragons can be difficult because almost everything we know about them comes from Christian sources, which project established Christian ideas about the mythical beasts onto the Norse stories.…
One of the Viking cities that has yielded the most fascinating Viking archaeological evidence is not in Scandinavia. York, or Jorvik in Old Norse, was a Viking outpost in Northumbria, England, for around 200 years following the arrival of the Great Heathen Army. As well as yielding fascinating archaeological finds, it is tied to some…
In 1066, the Vikings had a very good claim to the throne of England. Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, set sail to assert his rights. But an invasion that could have seen the Vikings overrun England ended in disaster when they were defeated at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Moreover, by splitting the English resources…
The Vikings firmly believed in life after death, as indicated by the elaborate burial practices, which ensured that people were able to take what they needed with them from this life into the next. They also believed in multiple different afterlives, most of which were a reflection of this life. Where you ended up depended…