Viking History | Indepth guide

An indepth guide about the history Vikings, who they were and how they were, how they lived and more!
This guide will be updated later this week as while making this i got really into Viking history.
More will come and if you have feedback and/or suggestions, please hit me up.

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The guide will get more traffic and recognition for the players of Valheim as this is more of a 'history' guide about Vikings.

Who were they

'Calling of Vikings,' by Viktor Vasnetsov, early 1900s

The Vikings were a seafaring people from the late eighth to early 11th century who established a name for themselves as traders, explorers and warriors. They discovered the Americas long before Columbus and could be found as far east as the distant reaches of Russia.

While these people are often attributed as savages raiding the more civilized nations for treasure and women, the motives and culture of the Viking people are much more diverse. These raiders also facilitated many changes throughout the lands from economics to warfare.

The Viking Age

Many historians commonly associate the term "Viking" to the Scandinavian term vikingr, a word for "pirate." However, the term is meant to reference oversea expeditions, and was used as a verb by the Scandinavian people for when the men traditionally took time out of their summers to go "a Viking." While many would believe these expeditions entailed the raiding of monasteries and cities along the coast, many expeditions were actually with the goal of trade and enlisting as foreign mercenaries.
The Viking Age generally refers to the period from A.D. 800, a few years after the earliest recorded raid, until the 1050s, a few years before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, according to Angelo Forte, Richard D. Oram and Frederik Pedersen, authors of "Viking Empires" (Cambridge University Press, 2005). During this time, the reach of the Scandinavian people extended to all corners of northern Europe, and many other nations found Vikings raiding their coasts. The farthest reported records of Vikings were in Baghdad for the trading of goods like fur, tusks and seal fat.

A Viking raid on the monks of Lindisfarne, a small island located off the northeast coast of England, marked the start of the Viking migration from Scandinavia in 793. This location was a well-known abbey of learning, famous throughout the continent for the knowledgeable monks and its extensive library. During this raid, monks were killed, thrown into the sea or taken as slaves along with many treasures of the church, and the library itself razed. This single event set the stage for how Vikings would be perceived throughout the Viking Age: savage warriors with no respect for religion or appreciation for learning.

In the years that followed the initial raid, coastal villages, monasteries and even cities found themselves besieged by these sea-based foreign intruders. Due to the frequency of sea attacks, many developments were made in developing fortifications in the forms of walled-in harbors and sea-facing stone walls, defenses that proved to be quite effective at deterring raids.

The reason behind these attacks is a topic of debate among academics, though the reasons often stem from such things as the Christian persecution and forced baptism of pagans to reduced agricultural outputs in the Scandinavian region. Many more documented reasons might have prompted these people to leave their cold and harsh homes to seek out the means to survive elsewhere. Yet, despite how unforgiving their homeland may have been, most Vikings still returned to their homeland at the end of each season with treasure, slaves and goods to survive yet another winter.

The Viking ship

The ‘Vikings’ were seafaring raiders and traders from Scandinavia. The period known as the Viking Age lasted from AD 700 until 1100.

‘Viking’ was the name given to the seafarers from Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden. During the Viking age many Vikings travelled to other countries, such as Britain and Ireland. They either settled in these new lands as farmers and craftsmen, or went to fight and look for treasure.

Honed for more than 10 centuries, the ship-building skills of the Norse led to a variety of vessels — from small fishing boats and big-bellied cargo vessels to the famous lightning-fast longships used for raiding. But no matter the size, most of the ships were designed to be narrow in shape with short drafts (vertical distance between waterline and bottom of ship), features that gave them high adaptability for use in the ocean and rivers.


The Vikings' ship-building craft reached a high point in the 7th century when they invented the keel, a structural beam that runs from the bow to the stern and sits lower than the main body of the ship. This feature increased speed and stability and prevented unwanted lateral movement, according to Yachting & Boating World. The keel, along with the addition of a large mast and sail, would ultimately allow the Norsemen to make long journeys across the North Atlantic. These vessels are now looked back upon as revolutionary in design and a technological miracle.

To begin the ship-building process, the Vikings would drive wedges into freshly-cut trees until the wood split along the grain. Up to 20 great oaks might be cut down for a ship. The wood was shaped and arranged so that the planks fit together perfectly in a clinker construction, overlapping like a fan. In clinker shipbuilding, the outside is started first, and then the frame is put inside it, according to the living history site Regia Anglorum. The ship was coated with a watertight mixture of tar-soaked animal hair, wool or moss and stabilized with iron rivets. The end result was an incredibly fast and flexible longship that nothing could catch.

The men rowed with a series of oars, supplemented with a large sail most likely made of wool. Rather than a rudder, the longships had a steerboard fastened to the right-hand side of the ship at the stern, according to Royal Museums Greenwich.

By the middle of the 9th century, the raids really picked up as word spread across the Norse region of Europe's removable wealth. Norse villages and communities came together to build ships with the intention of improving their lives through the business of raiding. In 842, Vikings ruthlessly attacked Nantes on the French coast, and because of their ability to maneuver up rivers, they went on to raid towns as far inland as Paris, Limoges, Orleans, Tours and Nimes, according to History.com.

The Vikings paid as much attention to art as to craft. The longships were usually adorned with carved dragon heads at the bow, which were believed to keep evil spirits away. The dragon head coupled with a large square, red-striped sail would come to be known as the signature of the Vikings. The sight would strike fear into the hearts of Europeans for three centuries.

How do we know about Vikings?

Archaeologists have studied the remains of Viking farms, villages and towns and have put together a picture of how they might have lived. Graves have given us lots of information about the Viking way of life, because some important Vikings were buried with their possessions. Several buried or sunken ships have been found, and these have helped us to understand their seafaring technology.

How did the Vikings ships move?

The ships were powered by oars or by the wind, and had one large, square sail, most probably made from wool. Leather strips criss-crossed the wool to keep its shape when it was wet. Viking ships also had oars. A steering oar or 'steerboard' was used to steer the ships. It was fastened to the right-hand side of the ship at the stern (back).

What was life like at sea for Vikings?

There was no shelter on these vessels. At night, Vikings might pull them up on land. They’d take the sail down and lay it across the ship to make a tent to sleep under. Or, they’d pitch woollen tents onshore. If the crew was far out to sea they’d sleep on deck under blankets made from animal skin.

Food would have been dried or salted meat or fish. It could only be cooked if the crew were able to land. They’d drink water, beer or sour milk.

The hardship of life on board, especially in rough seas, meant that Vikings did not make voyages in the winter but waited until spring.

How did the Vikings navigate?

Vikings did not use maps. They had lots of different ways of working out where they were and which direction to travel in. They looked at the position of the sun and the stars. They looked at the colour of the sea, the way the waves were moving and the way the wind was blowing. They looked out for birds and could smell if they were near land. It’s very unlikely that they had a compass, although some Vikings may have used an instrument called a sun-shadow board to help them navigate.
History of navigation: click here.[www.rmg.co.uk]

Where did the Vikings travel?

Viking traders travelled around the coast of Europe to trade. By sailing south along the lakes and rivers of Russia and Germany they were able to meet up with traders from Arab and Eastern countries. The Vikings made much longer journeys when seeking lands to settle, travelling to Iceland, Greenland, Canada and North America.

What goods did they trade?

Products that the Vikings exported from Scandinavia included walrus ivory, whalebone, and the furs and skins of animals such as fox, bear, beaver and otter. They also carried amber, a fossilized resin that was cut and polished to make beads, pendants and brooches. All these natural products were traded for goods in different countries.

In Britain, the Vikings wanted to obtain wheat, wool, honey and tin. They bought salt and wine from France, and glass from Italy. This glass was often recycled and formed into beads for necklaces. By travelling along Russian rivers, merchants from the east were able to provide the Vikings with luxuries such as silk, silver and spices.

Eastern Trade

Vikings had always traded around the Baltic Sea, but in the 8th century, they began to venture into Russia, looking to establish profitable trade routes. The Norsemen, mostly Swedes with some Danes and Norwegians, found they could go south by river routes. The two main trade routes were via the Dnieper River down to the Black Sea and the Volga River route to the Caspian Sea. Vikings established trade centers and towns along the way, notably Novgorod and Kiev. Another trade town was Bulgar, where the Volga Bulgars ran the trade along with the Rus, as these Vikings came to be called.

Vikings took slaves in their raids and after battles. These slaves were always welcomed in the slave markets of Constantinople and Baghdad. During the Viking Age, slave trading was extremely profitable; slaves might be Irish, British, Franks, Slavs or any of the other tribes that came in contact with Vikings.

Vikings fostered close ties with Constantinople, becoming the Varangian guard to the Byzantine emperor. From Constantinople, Baghdad and perhaps even Persia, the Vikings could obtain goods from the Far East. Timber, iron, furs, amber, soapstone, whetstones and slaves were carried south by Viking traders. On return trips to the north, the cargo contained Arabic silver, coins, fabrics, spices, silk, fruit, wine and other goods of the south. By the end of the Viking Age, Norsemen had created a trading empire, covering most of the known world.

Viking myths

Many modern perceptions of Vikings found their origins through Catholic propaganda. Upon the sacking of multiple Christian facilities and the loss of countless relics and treasures, the Catholic ministry sought to dehumanize them. Until Queen Victoria's rule of Britain, the Vikings were still portrayed as a violent and barbaric people. During the 19th and 20th centuries, perceptions changed to the point where Vikings were glamorized as noble savages with horned helmets, a proud culture and a feared prowess in battle.

With regards to the more popular Viking myths created through these misperceptions, the following are proven to be clearly false according to historical record:

• Vikings wore horned helmets Vikings traditionally went bareheaded or wore simple leather and metal-frame helmets with the occasional face guard. The idea behind horned helmets came about from the Viking revival during Victoria's reign.
  
  
• They were filthy and unkempt Archaeologists find evidence on a regular basis of combs, spoons and other grooming utensils that indicate the Viking people were very keen on maintaining personal hygiene.

While the living conditions in Scandinavian regions were certainly harsh and made a hard people, many Vikings suffered from the scarcity of resources and the people set up their homes over great distances with no real unified leadership. During the Viking Age, the Scandinavian people were able to make a stronger push to the outside worlds and create a reputation for themselves beyond simple barbarism. While some Vikings were driven with the lust for riches, many sought more peaceful economic relationships with the surrounding nations.

Indeed, as Forte et al wrote, there was no dramatic end to the Viking Age. The authors contend that the Scandinavian kingdoms were slowly acculturated and integrated into the "wider body politic of European Christendom."

What were Viking homes like?

Viking homes have been found in nearly all parts of Denmark. Only a small proportion of the Vikings lived in towns. Most of them were farmers, who lived in small villages consisting of 6-7 farms. For them the farm, domestic animals and agriculture were all pivotal to the daily routine. The day started when the ♥♥♥♥ crowed at dawn.

The farm

Most Vikings lived on a farm, which was often bounded by a fence. The farm was centred around a dwelling house – the longhouse – which was the main building. Apart from the dwelling house, the farm often consisted of various areas of activity and other buildings, including outbuildings, barns, stables and workshops.

In villages the farms were normally grouped around an open area or common street.

The food

The Viking Age was not a time in which to worry about the fat content of food. The Vikings needed all the energy that they could get in the form of fat – especially in winter. Meat, fish, vegetables, cereals and milk products were all an important part of their diet. Sweet food was consumed in the form of berries, fruit and honey. In England the Vikings were often described as gluttonous. They ate and drank too much according to the English.

Today our food culture is influenced by globalisation and products from all over the world can be bought all year round. In the Viking period, however, the housekeeping needed to be planned and adapted to the different seasons. The typical Viking was self-sufficient, a farmer with domestic animals and crops in the field. There were also people who did not produce all their food and needed to buy as well. The blacksmith or fisherman could satisfy his food requirements by buying or exchanging products at the local market.

Historical texts tell us about food.
The historical texts, that give us knowledge about the food that the Vikings ate, typically date to after the Viking period. We must therefore regard such information with caution. A much better source of information about the Viking kitchen are the plant remains and bones recovered from archaeological excavations of decomposed deposits, post holes, fireplaces and waste layers.

A typical Viking meal.
In the poem about Hárbard and Thor, a typical Viking meal is described. Thor tries to persuade the ferryman Hárbard – Odin in disguise – to take him over a sound: "Ferry me over the sound, then I will feed you tomorrow! I have a basket on my back, never was the food better. I ate in peace before I left home, herrings and oatmeal, so I am still full."

Fruit.
Meat and fish.
Beer and mead.
Bread and porridge.
Herbs, spices and vegetables.

Longhouse on a farm

Viking houses were built of wood. The longhouses had bowed walls in plan, forming a ship-like outline. The walls were lined with clay or consisted of wooden planks placed vertically into the ground, which supported the roof, along with two rows of internal posts. Outside the house was often supported by sloping posts. Roofs were slanted and could be thatched or wooden.

In the middle of the house was an oblong fireplace – the long fireplace. Here the food was made. Along the walls there were plank beds, on which the Vikings could sit or sleep. At one end of the house the animals were housed in stalls, if there were no stables at the farm.

The Vikings constantly repaired their houses. Damp was the great enemy as it led to rotting. However, they also knew how to protect the wood by scorching the posts of their houses.

Smoky houses

Viking houses did not have chimneys or windows. Instead, there was a hole in the roof, where the smoke from the fire escaped. The lack of ventilation meant that there was a great deal of smoke in a Viking house. This is comparable to houses with open fireplaces, which are still found today in parts of Africa and India. Women and young children, in particular, who live in such houses are affected by lung diseases and the smoke level is well above the World Health Organization’s recommendations.

Banquets

Hospitality and banquets played an important role in the Viking period. Hospitality was available for travelling strangers, who could go into the nearest farm and seek food and lodging. In addition, banquets were held, to which friends and neighbours were invited for celebrations connected with the festivals of the year, weddings and funerals.

Banqueting plays an important role in the Viking societies described in the saga literature and eddic poems. These include advice and rules about how one should behave as a guest, and not least how a host should behave towards a guest.

A well-known reception scene is depicted on a Gotlandic picture stone. A door is shown. In front of the door stands a woman with a drinking horn in her hand, ready to receive guests. The scene is often interpreted as the arrival of dead warriors at Valhalla, and the woman as a valkyrie, who is receiving them. However, the scene may also show how the reception to an ordinary banquet was performed.

Viking weapons

As well as their ships, weapons are also popularly associated with the Vikings. Indispensable on plundering raids and for self-defence, they were an important part of the daily lives of Scandinavians. We are familiar with a number of types of weapons, which demonstrate how war was waged 1000 years ago. Archaeologists find them in graves, lakes, near fords and at battlefields from the Viking period. Each find is a small piece in the large jigsaw puzzle of Viking warfare.

In the Viking Age a number of different types of weapons were used: swords, axes, bows and arrows, lances and spears. The Vikings also used various aids to protect themselves in combat: shields, helmets and chain mail. The weapons that Vikings possessed depended on their economic capacity. Whereas swords were the costly weapons of the elite, axes and lances were affordable to the warriors of the broader population. There are, however, variations in the preservation of the various types of weapons and equipment. For instance, relatively large numbers of swords and axes have survived until today, whilst finds of helmets and chain mail are extremely rare.

Discover the weapons and battle equipment of the Viking Age. These items were indispensable on plundering raids, for self- defence and provided protection in battle.

Swords: Click here[en.natmus.dk]
Helmets: Click here[en.natmus.dk]
Axes: Click here[en.natmus.dk]
Shields: Click here[en.natmus.dk]

Buried close to the settlement

The Vikings buried their dead a short distance from the settlement, typically 300 - 600 m away. Many farms and burial places were separated by a watercourse. This has been identified at significant Danish sites, such as Gammel Lejre and Tissø on Zealand and Mammen, near Viborg, in Jutland.

https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/the-grave-from-mammen/

The explanation for this may be found in Norse mythology, in which the watercourse Gjöll divided the land of the living from that of the dead. Comparisons can be drawn with Greek mythology’s river Styx, upon which the ferryman Charon received payment to ensure transport to the land of the dead known as Hades.

https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/religion-magic-death-and-rituals/the-old-religion/

Perhaps such locations for burial sites can be seen as evidence of the Viking religion? However, such an interpretation is not appropriate for all Viking burial places. A significant number of burial sites are located more than 1 km from a watercourse. Here other explanations are likely to be involved.

Videos

Source

1, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikings
2, https://www.livescience.com/32087-viking-history-facts-myths.html
3, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Viking-people
4, https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=viking+history
5, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Age_arms_and_armour


Other information and pictures i got from the internet.
All credits will ofcourse go to the original creators.

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[𝑾𝑯𝑶𝑳𝑭 ⚡]

Thanks man! If i can find more i will update it for sure!

[blushastin]

I have been fascinated with the Viking History since I can remember. Thanks for giving us all a bit of the History that goes along with such a great game.

[𝑾𝑯𝑶𝑳𝑭 ⚡]

💪💪💪💪

[Ne0n]

cool, thanks

[Kosmische.Torte]

Buen dato amigo pero no recuerdo haberte preguntado (no hate)

[𝑾𝑯𝑶𝑳𝑭 ⚡]

More will follow when the time is right as there is loads to tell! :)

[Limmin]

You rock...I've been inspired to learn runes!

[𝑾𝑯𝑶𝑳𝑭 ⚡]

Updated the guide with mispelled words and sentences and i also added the 'Source'.

[Limmin]

This is fabulous...is there / will there be a guide on Norse / Viking mythology? Giving us the source of the legends that make up the story told by Valheim?

[PopeHax]

that's awesome