There's so many stories from the Viking Age, but how many are true? Browse these Viking facts to learn something new about some of Scandinavian history's most famous people. Modern TV shows have shot the popularity of the Viking Age off the charts. From famous characters to historic battles, there's a lot of stories that persist in popular culture. But how much do you really know about the timeline of the Viking Age? There's so many myths and legends surrounding the time that it's hard to know what's true, and what's not. We've done our best to leaf through the history books and speak to arch ..read more

The Viking Age is full of stories of adventure, bravery, and conflict. Yet the ordinary nature of how the people lived day-to-day in the Viking Age surprises many. Here's an introduction to the Viking lifestyle. Whenever someone mentions Vikings, the general picture painted in the mind’s eye is of burly blonde dudes with horn-winged helmets hopping out of a boat, sword, and axe in hand, ready to burn, plunder, and do all sorts of nasty things to whoever crosses their path. The truth of the matter, however, is that these acts of raiding really only took up a fraction of the time people spent d ..read more

If you ever looked up Norwegian history, chances are you came across the name of Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway. His story is like a mix of legend and real-life Viking drama. In a time when Norway was a collection of smaller territories, each with its own ruler, Harald had an ambition to unite them all. Some say he actually did it for love. An interpretation of Viking King Harald Fairhair in Norway. Ilustration: David Nikel. But first a disclaimer: As usual with Viking history, it’s pretty hard to parse out fact from fantasy and “facts” have to be interpreted with a generous pinch o ..read more

Dive into the tumultuous world of Eric Bloodaxe, a real-life Viking whose dramatic saga is as riveting as his fearsome name suggests. Explore the rivalries and power plays that etched his legacy in history. Some nicknames are endearing, some are a bit quirky, and some are downright frightening. The man we are telling you about today had a nickname that falls in the third category: Eric Bloodaxe. He may sound like a fictional character straight out of a paperback novel, but Eric Bloodaxe is an all too real person from Viking history. So how did he earn such an intense moniker? Let’s find out t ..read more

The World Heritage site L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland suggests that European Vikings reached North America centuries before Christopher Columbus. While many people grew up with the narrative that Christopher Columbus was the first European to discover America, archaeological evidence unearthed in the 1960s paints a different picture. L’anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland. Archaeological evidence found at the northern tip of Newfoundland proved that Europeans made it to North America in the 11th-century. That's hundreds of years earlier than previously thought. Norse discovery in the 1960s He ..read more

New findings from Denmark suggest Viking homes–at least for the leaders–may have been more advanced than we previously thought. For many years, the image of Vikings has been stereotypically portrayed as barbaric warriors. According to these stories, they often resided in dimly lit spaces, illuminated only by flickering torches. Window Glass found in Haithabu in Schleswig. Photo: National Museum of Denmark. However, recent revelations from the University of Denmark, in collaboration with the National Museum, are rewriting this narrative. New insights into Viking architecture The collective idea ..read more

The Minnesota Vikings' fight song, with its spirited chant of “Skol Vikings,” serves as a unifying anthem for fans. It also provides a fascinating glimpse into history and Minnesota's connections with Scandinavia. Every time the word ‘skol' is shouted at an American football game in the U.S. Bank Stadium, it reverberates with centuries of Norse traditions, myths, and the determined spirit of the Vikings. ‘Skol Vikings' sign at the Minnesota Vikings NFL stadium. Photo: CK Foto / Shutterstock.com. But have you wondered about the origins of the chant, and of the word? The word ‘skol' is an Americ ..read more

Is your pet part of the family? That’s nothing new. Archeological evidence exists to suggest that the vikings held their own animals in high – even intimate – regard, taking them with them on voyages. Earlier this year, scientific evidence found for the first time that – as early as the ninth century – vikings brought horses, dogs and other animals with them across the North Sea. Illustration of the graves by Mirosław Kuźma. Leszek Gardeła. This article was written by Keith Ruiter, Senior Lecturer in History at University of Suffolk, and Harriet Evans Tang, Post Doctoral Re ..read more

Recent linguistic and genetic evidence has challenged what we thought we knew about the Viking history of the Scottish island, Islay. A landscape characterised by peat bogs, lochs, sandy beaches, and rolling hills, Islay captivates all who visit with its wild, scenic charm. More than its natural allure, Islay is renowned for its thriving Gaelic culture and its legacy of world-famous whisky distilleries, which have become an integral part of the island's identity. Port Ellen, a small town on the island of Islay. Speaking of identity, Islay is a place where a sense of belonging stretches back th ..read more

Iron bars likely used as a means of payment have been discovered in Norway, in what archaeologists say is a very rare and exciting find. Here’s what we know so far. Grete Margot Sørum found nearly 1000-year-old iron bars while cleaning her parents' house. It's been a century since a similar discovery in the country. These iron bars were likely used as a means of payment both in the Iron Age and the Middle Ages. They are made of iron from Valdres, and all are cast in the same shape. Photo: Mildri Een Eide / Innlandet Fylkeskommune. The iron bars were found near the historic King's Road in Aurda ..read more