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The tale of Jomsborg tells of a thriving settlement with a formidable fortress on the Baltic.      Source: Mariusz Świtulski/Adobe Stock

Existence of Mythical Viking Stronghold of Jomsborg Acquires Teeth in Polish Discovery

Investigations into the semi-mythical and legendary medieval Viking stronghold of ‘Jomsborg’ have acquired new steam, and in an entirely unexpected way. With the local government making the decision...

Decoding Viking Origins: Genetic Clues Paint a New Picture (Video)

The word " Viking " evokes vivid images of mighty, fair-haired seafarers pillaging coastal settlements. Yet is this portrayal an accurate reflection of their genetic makeup? Groundbreaking...
Kulning is an ancient singing technique that calls cattle back from the pastures. Source: Iurii Seleznev / Adobe Stock.

Ancient Nordic Chant to Call Cattle is Hauntingly Beautiful (Video)

Kulning, the ancient Nordic chant to call cattle, is a singing technique that has been passed down through generations. Historically, it was used by Norse women in Sweden to call their cattle back...
The Bjørnstad Ship carving, Norway. Source: Sarpsborg Turist as/Visit Norway

The Bjørnstad Ship: A Rare Window into the Nordic Bronze Age

Situated near Sarpsborg, Norway, the enigmatic Bjørnstad ship is a fantastic glimpse into the prehistoric, pre-Viking age of Scandinavia. Such ancient carvings are few, and often hard to discover -...
The Nordic Helm of Awe is a Viking or Norse magical spell or rune that could be used for good or evil, but it wasn’t an actual battle helmet. Source: Fotokvadrat / Adobe Stock

What is the Helm of Awe? Runes, Symbols, and Viking Magic!

Every culture contains a plethora of images, animals, foods, etc. that are symbolic of their values. Symbols are an important, meaningful aspect of culture that can teach historians, archaeologists,...
The Valknut symbol has transcended time, remaining popular today.	Source: danlersk / Adobe Stock

The Enigmatic Valknut: Odin’s Symbol Shrouded in Mystery

Norse mythology is a rich and vibrant source of tales, myths and legends. It has provided us with some iconic gods, monsters, and even symbols. One of the most controversial and mysterious of these...
Kvasir and the Mead of Poetry in Norse Mythology

Kvasir and the Mead of Poetry in Norse Mythology

For the ancient Vikings, poetry was a way to tell the stories of their gods, their religion, their heroes and villains. Works that have survived centuries are told with such eloquence; it would only...
Viking Longboat 'Hugin', Ramsgate. Source: Peter Lelliott / (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Viking Ships: More than Fearsome Weapons of the Open Seas

Few things struck fear into the hearts of medieval people more than the sight of a fleet of Viking ships sailing up the coast of their homelands. The Viking ship is iconic for its unique style,...
Study reunites Viking family members separated by the North Sea for 1000 years.

Viking Family Members ‘Reunited’ After 1000 Years!

A genetic relationship, either as half-brothers or as an uncle and a nephew, has been established between skeletal remains of two men who died on opposite ends of the North Sea. Estimated to have...
The Lendbreen ice patch. (Espen Finstad, secretsoftheice.com) Insert: The box found at the ice-patchcontaining a well-preserved beeswax candle. (Secrets of the Ice)

400-Year-Old Beeswax Candle Box Found in Melting Norwegian Ice

The standard bookish definition for global warming encompasses the melting of polar ice caps and a general rise in temperatures across the globe. At this very moment, sheets of ice are melting in...
Vikings are most often remembered as warriors. Source: Nejron Photo /Adobe Stock

History of the Vikings: All You Need to Know

Vikings are more popular than ever. With dramas such as Vikings and The Last Kingdom the ancient Norsemen have reached new generations. Of course, there is dramatic license taken to particular...
These horse-related finds from Lendbreen indicate the route of a Nordic mountain trail: top left) mandible; top right) horseshoe; bottom left) horse skull; bottom right) horse dung. Source: J.H. Barrett & Glacier Archaeology

Tracking Artifacts Reveals Lost Nordic Mountain Trade Route

In pre-history, many of the world's mountain ranges blocked long distance travel and trade, but mountain passes provided routes through ranges and over ridges, facilitating human and animal migration...
Modern representation of a Viking with a tattoo.

Were Norsemen Tattooed? Evidence of Ink on the Rugged Rusiyyah

Did the Norsemen of Scandinavia have tattoos? Did runic script adorn their arms as they sailed their longships down fjords? While material remains offer few clues, one piece of historical evidence...
Elfdalian, the Ancient Viking Forest

Elfdalian, the Ancient Viking Forest Language of Sweden, Set to be Revived

The ancient Viking language of Elfdalian has been almost entirely wiped out, with an estimate of only 3,000 people in a tiny forest community in Sweden currently keeping it alive. Now, people fight...
Viking in a boat

More than Blood and Bling: Our Many Visions of the Vikings

Steven Ashby / The Conversation Does the popularity of the Vikings simply emerge from the romance of mythology and adventure, or is something more interesting at play? The Vikings have an enduring...
‘Nótt riding Hrímfaxi’ by Peter Nicolai Arbo. Nótt is the daughter of a jötunn from Jötunheimr by the name of "Norfi or Narfi."

A Jotunn Did Not Have to be Giant to be a Big Problem for Norse Gods

The jötnar (plural for jötunn) are a race of beings found in Norse mythology. The word jötnar is often translated into English to mean ‘giants’, though this is somewhat misleading, as not all of the...
Painting by John Bauer of two trolls with a human child they have raised

The Weird, Wonderful and Wicked Beings in Scandinavian Folklore

In Scandinavian folklore, there are numerous races of beings, the best-known of which (apart from human beings) are the gods and the jötnar, their nemesis. In rather simplistic terms, these may be...
Example of Roman coins from a hoard at Llanvaches, Monmouthshire, Wales in 2006. Roman coins have been found in a few locations across Scandinavia as well.

Making Money Divine: Roman Imperial Coins had a Unique Value in Scandinavian Cultures

"My fleet sailed from the mouth of the Rhine eastward as far as the lands of the Cimbri to which, up to that time, no Roman had ever penetrated either by land or by sea, and the Cimbri and Charydes...
Unearthing the 1,000-Year-Old Story of a Rare Viking Toolbox

Unearthing the 1,000-Year-Old Story of a Rare Viking Toolbox

The discovery of a rare 1,000-year-old Viking toolbox containing 14 unique iron tools caused excitement during recent excavations at an old Viking fortress. The toolbox was unearthed in a small lump...
Help Save Elfdalian, the Ancient Viking Forest Language of Sweden

Help Save Elfdalian, the Ancient Viking Forest Language of Sweden

The ancient Viking language of Elfdalian has been almost entirely wiped out, with only 3,000 people in a tiny forest community in Sweden currently keeping it alive. People having been fighting to...
Kungagraven – A Grave Fit for a Nordic Bronze Age King, But Who Was Buried Inside?

Kungagraven – A Grave Fit for a Nordic Bronze Age King, But Who Was Buried Inside?

The number of mysterious stone constructions and burials left by ancient Nordic people is impressive. However, the King's Grave near Kivik has a special place in history. It's one of the most...
The Norse spearhead from Charles Point on an image of a Viking Ship.

A 1000-Year-Old Nordic Spearhead Raises the Question - Were The Vikings in New York?

A 20th century find suggests that the Vikings may have explored North America as far south as New York. Although the reasons for its presence in Charles Point are contested, no one can deny the fact...
Manuscript of the Prose Edda - Norse Mythology

The Saga of Norna-Gest: Does Man Control His Destiny?

The tale of Norna-Gest goes down in literary record as a tale of destiny and a character’s attempt to fight it. Not one of the titular Icelandic sagas, Norna-Gest’s story was recorded around the year...
3,500-year-old Scandinavian alcohol

Brewery recreates 3,500-year-old Scandinavian alcohol

New research has found that ancient Scandinavians drank alcohol made from a combination of barley, honey, cranberries, herbs and grape wine. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery have now recreated the Nordic...

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