The Vikings

Ah, the Vikings. They conjure images of scruffy red-bearded men, the Norse god Thor, medieval life and Hagar the Horrible. They were warriors of Scandinavia and explorers of the sea. They probably plundered kingdoms and pillaged villages, but they were also heroic warriors who fought to defend their land, rode majestic longships and slayed fire-breathing dragons. Okay, maybe the last part isn’t true, but our culture has been obsessed with these feisty voyagers for centuries because their stories are the stuff of legends, books and movies.

Who were the Vikings?

The Vikings were seafarers who lived in Scandinavia (Denmark, Sweden and Norway) from the 8th to the 11th century – an era known as the Viking Age. They thrived off of trading, which was enabled by their seafaring skills, as evidenced by the ships they created and designed for exploring, commerce and warfare.

It’s believed that Vikings were very good at their trading jobs that their explorations and mercantile activities extended to as far as North Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East.

Pop culture portrays the Vikings as wild-haired barbaric men, but there is a basis for this popular belief because the Vikings lived during a time when demographic expansion was an important part of survival. That explains why kingdoms and villages waged war against each other.

Inhabitants of medieval Scandinavia are also known as Norse or Nordic.

A Viking’s Life

Our perception of the Vikings are mostly based on archaeological finds, recorded history, visual representations and the Norse sagas that are big with fantasy fans and enthusiasts. Their traditions and customs allowed free Norsemen to publicly carry weapons. Vikings with the highest social status sported a complete ensemble: a helmet, shield, mail and a large sword.

The Norsement’s affinity for brawn and bravery were inspired by their religious sagas, such as the heroic struggles of thunder god Thor and the noble virtues of Odin. One Norse mythological story even tells of brave men who die in battle moving on to a place called Valhalla in the afterlife – a story that could have very well been a religious belief for them.

Expert Explorers and Looters

The Vikings were experts of the sea. They lived in Northern Europe – one of the coldest parts of the world, so for sustenance, seafaring was more than a means for exploration; it was a means for survival. Their ships, called “longships”, were peculiarly long and had dragon heads on both ends, for they believed these carvings were able to ward off evil. In 1948, a sun compass was discovered in Greenland and led to the conclusion that these ancient Norsement could even navigate the seas after sunset.

It wasn’t until the 8th century when Vikings started traveling to other countries to expand their physical commodity trading. The scarcity of trade opportunities in their homeland and their discovery of the wealth of goods abroad led to many Vikings pursuing plunder.

Agriculture was the main economic engine of their time, so they were farmers at home but pirates and raiders at sea.

Sources:

http://kinooze.com/2014/11/21/who-were-the-vikings/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikings

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/628781/Viking

Photo Credits:

Photo By Gord Webster via StockPholio.com

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