Belts, a very useful accessory, have been around since ancient times. They have been worn since the Bronze Age (c. 2000 BC), and those worn by the Greeks and Romans would look familiar today. The Vikings also wore belts that would not be too out of place in a modern wardrobe. The belt itself was…
Many people are familiar with the Oseberg ship burial, as it is one of the most famous and well-preserved ship burials surviving from the Viking age. It is known for its elaborately decorated ship, unusual Buddha bucket, and the two enigmatic women buried inside. Fewer people know that it is one of our few sources…
While Loki is often cast as the major villain in retellings of Norse mythology, it is actually Loki’s children who are some of the most terrifying creatures in Norse tales. The children of Loki with the giantess Angrboda were Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hel. These children were feared and persecuted by the Aesir gods, acts that…
Are you looking for a strong Norse name for your baby girl? Are you having a little Shieldmaiden? Below is a list of Norse names from the Viking sagas and Norse mythology, with their meanings and connections to surviving people and stories. Don’t forget that Viking men had the habit of taking the name of…
Are you looking for a strong Norse name for your baby boy? Are you having a little Viking? Below is a list of Norse names from the Viking sagas and Norse mythology with their meanings and connections to surviving people and stories. Don’t forget that Viking men had the habit of taking the name of…
Gjallarhorn, meaning “hollering horn,” is in some way one of the best-known mystical objects from Norse mythology. We are told in the story of Ragnarok that Heimdall, the guardian of the Rainbow Bifrost Bridge and the gates of Asgard, will sound Gjallarhorn when he sees the giant hoard approaching Asgard, and it will be heard…
Galdrastafir are magical runic staves found in Icelandic grimoires from the post-Viking age. They include symbols of protection, wayfinding, and revenge. Discover the meaning of some of these important symbols, where they come from, and how they were used. The Vikings believed that the runes were not a created alphabet, but rather a fundamental part…
Ravens and other birds of prey were common symbols in Vendel Era jewelry. This was the pre-Viking era, between roughly 550 and 800 CE, when the Norsemen were already thriving in Scandinavia and were just beginning to raid areas such as the Balkans. Several different styles of bird pendants, buckles, and ornaments have been found,…
The people of Europe called the Norsemen “Heathens,” meaning non-Christian, or “Vikings,” meaning pirates. For three centuries, the Vikings terrorized their neighbors in countries such as England and France, attacking communities, looting churches, and kidnapping people to sell on the slave market. While their victims may have considered the Vikings “godless,” they worshiped a complex…
If you browse the VKNG shop over the coming months, you will see that we are increasingly offering our designs in bronze, alongside our long-established gold and silver offerings. These are designed to be more affordable options, while still representing quality and authenticity. Authenticity? Bronze was used extensively in the Viking world for the same…