A Viking-Age Valentine’s Day Card: A Medieval Runic Love Message from Sweden
How do you tell someone you love them in Viking-Age Sweden? You carve a message in runes on a knife: “Think of me, and I’ll think of you.”
Women Beyond the Cross: Power, Myth, and Agency in the Viking World
Explore how women in the Viking world exercised power and agency through myth, law, and daily life—challenging the idea that medieval society universally confined women to subordinate roles.
Fimbulvetr: When the Medieval World Saw the Sun Go Dark
How a mysterious climate disaster in AD 536 may lie behind the Norse myth of Fimbulvetr, when medieval people believed the sun itself had gone dark.
Viking Age Woman’s Grave with Mysterious Scallop Ritual Unearthed in Norway
Archaeologists in Norway have uncovered a rare and well-preserved Viking Age grave containing the remains of a woman buried with jewellery, clothing accessories and an unexplained ritual involving two scallop shells.
Viking Age Artefacts Discovered in Sweden
Archaeologists in Sweden have uncovered Viking Age graves containing swords, ornate horse gear, and cremation sites in the central region of Västmanland.
Viking Hairstyles Uncovered in a Medieval Gaming Piece
A Viking Age figurine from Denmark reveals rare details of elite hairstyles and grooming, offering a unique three-dimensional portrait of Viking fashion from over 1,000 years ago.
Viking Farm and Silver Treasure Discovered in Sweden
Archaeologists uncover a Viking farm in Sweden with 34 buildings, graves, and a unique silver treasure linking Scandinavia to the wider world.
Vikings Behaving Reasonably with Robert Lively
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Robert Lively about how a person became a Viking lawyer, what the process was for solving disputes, and how fixing bad behaviour worked in this shame-based culture.
From Butter Penis to Fairhair: 517 Real Viking Nicknames
Discover 517 real Viking nicknames from the sagas, including bold, funny, and bizarre names like “Butter Penis” and “Fairhair.” Explore what these names reveal about Norse culture and identity.
Royal Connections? Viking Burial Site Discovered in Denmark
Archaeologists have uncovered a Viking Age burial site in Lisbjerg, Denmark, containing rare grave goods and signs of royal connections. The discovery sheds light on aristocratic life near Viking-era Aarhus.
A Viking Age Masterpiece Revealed: Oseberg Ship’s Original Serpent Head Makes Its Debut
After more than a century in storage, a remarkable Viking artefact is finally revealed
New Medieval Books: The Sagas of Icelanders
This book offers an introduction to the Icelandic sagas, detailing various aspects of the genre. It then provides mini-descriptions of 40 sagas, explaining their content, dating, and transmission.
New Research Reveals Vikings Sailed Farther from Shore Than Previously Thought
New research shows that Vikings sailed farther from land than previously thought, using a network of offshore harbours and navigating by myths and mental maps.
New Medieval Books: Forgotten Vikings
This book sets out to provide a sweeping overview of the Viking Age, covering Norse history from the sixth to the fifteenth centuries. Unlike many similar works, it reaches well beyond Scandinavia and England, incorporating a wide geographical scope and drawing extensively on archaeological evidence.
Pregnancy and Power in the Viking Age: New Study Reveals Surprising Roles for Expectant Women
A new study uncovers how pregnant women in Viking society were imagined not only as mothers, but sometimes as warriors.
Tupac Could Have Been a Viking
Discover the striking parallels between Viking warriors and 1990s gangsta rappers in this thought-provoking article exploring shared values of honour, violence, reputation, and poetic legacy across two seemingly distant cultures.
Vikings and Violence: What Bones Reveal About Norway and Denmark
New research reveals stark differences in Viking violence between Norway and Denmark, uncovering patterns of brutal deaths, executions, and weapon use through the study of ancient bones and grave goods.
New Medieval Books: The Vikings in Poland
Drawing on a wide range of archaeological evidence, this book offers a detailed reconstruction of the Norse presence in the region of present-day Poland. It sheds new light on their material culture, religion, and interactions with both local populations and the emerging Polish state.
50 Viking Sayings That Still Hit Hard Today
Discover 50 striking sayings from Viking-Age Icelandic sagas—expressions of Norse wit, wisdom, and worldview that still resonate today.
New Medieval Books: The Galdrabók
The Galdrabók: Forbidden Icelandic Folk Magic Translated by Kári Pálsson Hyldyr ISBN: 978-1-966041-03-0 Editions and translations of two pre-modern Icelandic manuscripts related to…
The Viking Economy Explained: Barter, Hacksilver, and Coinage
Discover how the Viking economy evolved from barter and prestige goods to hacksilver and coinage, using hoards to trace changing trade practices in medieval Scandinavia.
Vikings before the Vikings Exhibition Begins Next Month in Sweden
A new exhibition at Stockholm’s Vrak – Museum of Wrecks challenges the conventional timeline of Viking history by showcasing evidence of armed Scandinavian expeditions before the traditionally accepted start of the Viking Age in 793.
To Miklagarðr and back again: Varangians return from Constantinople, with Sverrir Jakobsson
A conversation with Sverrir Jakobsson about the experiences of Northmen — especially Varangians — who traveled to Constantinople and the south and returned home with stories, swords, riches, and prestige.
Viking-Age Skulls Reveal Widespread Disease and Infections
New research using CT scans of Viking-Age skulls has revealed evidence of severe infections, osteoarthritis, and dental diseases that plagued Sweden’s medieval population. The study offers a glimpse into the hardships of Viking life, where untreated illnesses could linger for years.
