Marriage was an institution that was at the heart of Viking life, so weddings were important events that marked the change in social allegiances and status precipitated by the marriage. The Vikings also had a feasting culture, and feasts were important for solidifying the community. And a wedding was a good excuse for a feast!…
Anyone who is a fan of Viking history and culture will be disappointed that the History Channel’s series Vikings has now come to an end. While the show was never the same after (spoiler alert) the death of Ragnar, it filled a very important Viking-shaped hole in our entertainment. While we have been promised a…
The Vikings had a feasting culture. They would often get together for grand festivals, which were also used as a mechanism for social cohesion. Modern Viking festivals are more about fun. Get dressed up, shop Nordic wares, and maybe participate in a battle re-enactment. They are also fantastic opportunities to get together with other Viking…
Looking for the perfect new Viking tattoo for you? The Vikings relied heavily on symbols to communicate their faith and beliefs. They wore them as amulets, carved them into buildings and on stones as marks of protection, and added them to images to create additional layers of meaning. They even believed some of their symbols…
Looking for Viking names for your loved ones? Here is our list of 40 of the best Norse names that have come down to us through the sagas and inscriptions. What’s in a name? The Vikings believed that their runes were more than just an alphabet. Words had power, and a word written down had…
When you dip your toe into the Viking world, it isn’t long before you want to jump in headfirst and learn everything there is to know about the Vikings. If you are a Viking fan who has watched the Viking TV series and seen the Viking films and you are ready to go beyond the…
Did Viking women (and men) really wear the elaborate braided hairstyles that we see in modern re-imaginings on TV? The short answer is yes, though they might not have looked exactly as they do on today’s actors. Today we are going to have a very quick look at the evidence for the Viking braid. We…
Some of us have been a fan of Viking style for many years. But knowing how to incorporate Viking style into our modern look has always been a bit of a challenge. We can be grateful to the makers of This History Channel’s Vikings for showing us how to adapt traditional Nordic warrior style for…
How to be a viking ? There is little question that the Vikings have captured the imagination. We see them as romantic warrior figures that displayed intense bravery, rugged style and followed an intriguing and profound belief system. But while Vikings are fascinating figures from the past, Vikings do not belong exclusively to history. With…
As modern Viking culture surges, and TV shows such as Vikings bring the Viking look into popular culture, Viking inspired men’s hairstyles have been making a comeback. But how historically accurate are the Viking haircuts that we are seeing today ? Did Nordic hairstyles really include long hair, undercuts, braids and man buns? The short…