History

Viking Compasses

One of the incredible things about the Vikings is how much of the world they discovered, more than 500 years before Christopher Columbus landed in America while looking for India – someone took a major wrong turn on the way! Meanwhile, the Vikings not only raided across mainland Europe by land and sea, but they…

History

How Big Were the Vikings?

In modern stories of the Vikings, Norse warriors tend to be presented as enormous and towering over their European neighbors. But were the Vikings really taller and stronger than other people living in Europe at that time? The short answer is actually yes! When the Vikings first landed in England at the end of the…

History

How Did the Vikings Navigate?

The Vikings are known for having been excellent sailors. The superiority of their ships allowed them to dominate their corner for Europe for centuries. They discovered new lands, such as Iceland and Greenland, which were otherwise known to Europeans. They also made it to the Americas half a millennium before any other European. But without…

History

Gunnar Hamumdarson

Gunnar Hamundarson is one of the most famous Icelandic Viking heroes. His life story is recorded in the Njals Saga. But, while Gunnar was most likely a real person, his character is used in the saga to tell a moral story. While Gunnar is described as a warrior without equal, unlike the bloodthirsty warriors of…