Unveiling the Viking Legacy: Exploring The Culture, Practices, and Mythology.

Vikings were a community of people who originated from the Scandinavian region which includes Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. They were the people from the late 8th to early 11th century and were well known for their exploration, raiding lands, and trading. Their raiding activities were across Europe, the Middle East, and even Central Asia.

Vikings

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Vikings were extremely skilled warriors and shipbuilders. Longside-sleek and shallow-draft vessels were their prominent ship types to navigate rivers and open seas. Although the Vikings raided coastal lands and monasteries and even churches they were also skilled traders and colonizers. Iceland, Faroe Island, Greenland, and parts of France and England were occupied by Vikings and they established their settlements.

Present-day Iceland

Some aspects of the Viking culture are-

1. Social structure- They were organized in a hierarchical structure starting with kings and nobles at the top followed by traders and farmers and then the slaves.

2. Seafaring and exploration-Being skilled sailors and navigators they used their ships to explore and trade with long-distanced lands. They established many different trade routes and used the technique of sending birds such as crows to find out the presence of land area. They also used sunstones to determine the position of the sun even on cloudy days.

Long sleek ship

3. Warfare and raiders- Weapons such as swords, axes, and shields were used during wars and for raiding. This was a method of accumulating wealth as well as prestige for them. These weapons were made by blacksmiths who were advanced in metalworking techniques. They designed the weapons with the highest ability and even decorated the armor with patterns. Ulfberht swords were the most well-known weapon of the warriors.

4. Agricultural practices- Most of them were farmers who cultivated crops such as oats, rye, and barley. They raised livestock which included pigs, sheeps, and cattle.

5. Funerary customs- Vikings were buried based on their social status. Rich individuals were burned with ships and they accompanied goods and offerings to signify their status in the afterlife.

Burning of Viking along with ship as a funeral practice

6. Legal system and literacy- The 'Thing system' was their complex legal system which was used to resolve disputes, and administer justice and laws. The Vikings were poets and storytellers and preserved their history and culture through poetic compositions. The astronomical knowledge about the celestial bodies and their movements was also known to them.

The Norse mythology-

The Viking's Norse mythology encompassed a collection of myths, beliefs, and legends. They explained the origins of the world, universe, Gods, and people.

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Vikings believed the world began from a void known as 'Ginnugagap' from which further emerged two realms the realm of fire (Muspelheim) and the realm of ice (Nifheim). The collision of both realms gave rise to giants. The cosmos is composed of nine interconnected realms and these include 'Asgard' the home of Gods, 'Midgard' the realm of humans, and 'Jotunheim' the place where the giants live. The other realms belonged to dwarves, elves, and the dead. The most prominent Gods of Norse mythology were 'Odin', the all-father, 'Thor' the God of thunder and protector of humans, 'Loki' who possesses shape-shifting abilities, and 'Freya' the Goddess of fertility and love.

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The warriors who died honorably in battle were chosen by the Valkyries and brought to Valhalla, the 'Hall of Asgard'. Valhalla was the place of eternal glory where the warriors had to fight the battle of Ragnarok (the catastrophic battle). Individuals would also go to Helheim.

The well-known warriors of the Vikings community are-

Well-known Vikings include Ragnar Lothbrok, a legend who was known for his raids and leadership. Lagertha was a shieldmaiden and a skilled warrior and a female leader. Bjorn Ironside was a fearless warrior and son of Ragnar Lothbrok. He played a significant role in expansion across Europe. Rollo was a Viking Chieftain who played a significant role in expansion into present-day France. Erik was the one who explored Iceland and started Viking settlements in Greenland and even North Atlantic. Other famous legends were Freydis, Ivar the Boneless, and Leif Erikson.

The Viking ship in Oslo museum

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The Vikings were an innovative and dynamic group of people, leaving a long-lasting impact on history, ranging from warfare and societal practices to exploration and engineering. Their contributions and achievements are a source of admiration and amazement today.