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…
Viking culture centered around community gathering and feasting, which provided social cohesion. Therefore, the modern idea of a Viking festival, where people with a shared interest in Norse history and Viking culture get together, would have seemed like a good idea in the Viking world. Modern Viking festivals are more about fun than marriage alliances…
Here at VKNG, we are Viking fanatics, and we are always trying to learn more about the Viking world. While we might be talking about things that happened 1,000 years ago, there are always new things being discovered and new things to learn, so we are always reading and looking for new and interesting publications.…
This article continues our episode recap of the History Channel’s Vikings as we enter Season Five. This is the first season without Travis Fimmel as Ragnar Lodbrok, leaving his sons to take center stage as the principal stars and warriors of the season. We see the History Channel take a few more liberties with the…
We have finally reached Season Four in our recap of the History Channel’s Vikings. This was one of the most anticipated seasons because Ragnar’s sons finally reached adulthood and started to play a major role in history. It was also a special double season with 20 episodes, so let’s jump in. Episode 1 “A Good…
Our Norse ancestors lived according to the changing seasons, planting, harvesting, hibernating, and raiding based on when the weather was best suited to these activities. They also counted time according to the visible movements of the heavenly bodies, with dates like the summer and winter equinoxes and the full moon having the greatest importance. Many…
Viking culture centered around community gathering and feasting, which provided social cohesion. Therefore, the modern idea of a Viking festival, where people with a shared interest in Norse history and Viking culture get together, would have seemed like a good idea in the Viking world. Modern Viking festivals are more about fun than marriage alliances…
While we might think of the Vikings as ancient history, our knowledge of what the Viking world was like is constantly evolving thanks to new archaeological discoveries. New finds can push back the dates for important events, reveal greater spheres of influence, and elucidate rituals, fashions, and more. With that in mind, here are some…
The Einherjar are the brave fallen warriors who live in Valhalla and are destined to join the gods in the final battle of Ragnarök. This concept has been embraced in modern Viking culture, with all warriors wishing to live and die in a way worthy of Valhalla. But what did it really mean to join…
Drawing of what the Jelling site might have looked like based on early archaeological investigations. Since Viking history feels old, it can often be surprising when we talk about new knowledge and new discoveries. But what we know about the Viking world is constantly evolving. To uncover Viking history, we rely on fragments of surviving…