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by Jacquelin Cangro
Meet Leif and his wife Emma as they give a visitor a tour
of their Viking farm in Iceland.
4
THE INVASION OF LINDISFARNE
Mac Carey
June 8, 793 A.D. – A monk steps out of the stone monastery
and looks out onto the blue sea from atop the hill where he
stands. It is a warm, calm summer day. But then suddenly, from
the horizon, the bobbing face of a monster appears. Soon other
monstrous apparitions follow. As they come closer, it becomes
clear that the monsters are the fronts of ships, carved to
look like the torsos of dragons – the Vikings have arrived
at Lindisfarne.
6
ACROSS THE OCEAN: THE DRAKKAR AND THE KNARR
Simon Woodhouse
Traveling across the ocean was a very important
part of being a Viking. From their homes
in Scandinavia, they sailed across the
North Sea and all the way around the
rest of Europe. They also went on much
longer journeys, going to far away places
such as Iceland and Greenland, or all
the way down into the Mediterranean Sea.
They even got as far as America. For
voyages such as these, the Vikings needed
sturdy, well-built ships that could stand
up to fierce winds and huge waves – find
out what ships the Vikings relied on.
9
NAVIGATING THE VIKING WAY
Steve Hallex
Sail the seas with a Viking captain and explore how the
Norseman were able to travel far and wide across the sea
without losing their way.
12
BATTLE MAGIC: VIKINGS GO BERSERK
Christy Lenzi
The Vikings’ fierce dedication to their battle gods made them famous. At a time when neighboring tribes were constantly fighting over land, it is not surprising that these warriors turned to supernatural forces to strengthen their chances of victory in battle. To secure a favorable outcome, Vikings adhered to a system of magical rites. These rituals centered on the warrior’s relationship with the battle gods, learn more about the battle gods and other aspects of Viking warfare.
14
VIKING HELMETS: FACT AND FICTION
Erin Blakemore
Does the word “Viking” brings to mind angry warriors
in crazy, horned helmets? If so, you’re not alone. Movies,
books, and even comics portray the Vikings as mean warriors,
and horned headgear helps make a terrifying impression. So
what do historians know about Viking helmets? What would you
say if you heard that Vikings didn’t wear horned helmets
at all? Read on as we discuss an unusual fashion icon that
is more fiction than fact.
18
DEAD MEN DO TELL TALES: VIKING BURIAL SHIPS
Rosalyn H. Fleischer
It is the year 1880. In Norway, several fishermen walk along
the muddy road toward several small boats, tied up near the
Oslo Fjord. They walk this way every morning, unless there
is a snowstorm, because fishing is how they make their living.
Usually they ignore the low, grass-covered hill that lies near
the water’s edge, but today is different. The hill is
crowded with workers, and the workers are digging. Curious,
the fishermen plod up the hill for a closer look. Listening
to snatches of conversation, they find out the workers are
archaeologists – find out what they dug up.
21
NORSE WOMEN OF MYSTERY
Samuel Trees
Have you ever wanted to help solve a mystery? Do you like searching
for clues to help answer a difficult question? Which do you
think is easier, solving a mystery with fresh clues or solving
one that has gone unsolved for a long time? Let’s take
a look at a Viking mystery that has gone unsolved for a very
long time.
23
THE TOP MYTHS ABOUT THE VIKINGS
Rachel Hartman
What picture comes to your mind when you hear the word “Viking”?
Perhaps you imagine a tall, blonde person. Maybe you think
of a fierce, brutal warrior. You might even picture someone
wearing a helmet with long horns sticking out of it. Over the
years, the Vikings have been described in all of these ways.
Today, they often appear in movies as fighting barbarians.
They even show up in comic strips wearing horned helmets and
raiding other lands. While these images are popular, they are
not always accurate. In fact, many common beliefs about the
Vikings are not completely true – find out which ones
they are.
25
VIKING WOMEN: KEEPERS OF THE HEARTH AND HOME
Sara Dupree
Have you wondered what life was like for women and girls during
Viking times? Although, there are some stories of young women
who disguised themselves as men to go on raiding and trading
voyages, most were much too busy with the hard work of providing
for their families to leave. Find out what daily life was like
for these keepers of the hearth and home.
27
IBN FAHDLAN’S VIKING ENCOUNTER
Mac Carey
After a long day Ibn Fahdlan sat down at his desk and began
writing quickly in the diary that he had begun keeping when
he had first set out on his journey. The light from the candle
was poor, but this new country was so close to the North Pole
that night didn’t bring darkness so much as an eerie
half-light that allowed one to see a person or object from
a great distance. Uncover where Ibn Fahdlan was at and who
he was writing about.
31
VIKING TRIVIA AND LITTLE KNOWN FACTS
Stefan Abrutat
Explore little known facts and other trivia about Viking life,
such as building and construction methods, home and hearth,
language, religion and even taxes!
33
HISTORY OF VIKING IRELAND
Pamela Toler
In the late eighth century, when the Vikings were beginning
to cross the North Atlantic, Ireland was a center of art, literature,
and learning. Irish monasteries had become wealthy. They not
only held obvious treasures, like reliquaries and illustrated
manuscripts, but the everyday wealth of cattle and luxury foods.
Local people often deposited their own riches in the monasteries,
as if they were banks. The wealth of the Irish monasteries
made them a tempting target – find out how Viking raiders
influenced the history of Ireland.
35
RUNES OF MYSTERY AND KNOWLEDGE
Patrizia M.J. Hayashi
For almost four centuries the Vikings made their mark on the
world. Today, much of what we have learned about these great
people comes from the rune stones they left behind. The word
rune actually means mystery or secret. Each rune is a character
or letter with its own phonetic sound or sounds and interpretation.
Explore the history and meaning of the Viking runes.
38
A TREASURE TO BEHOLD: THE CUERDALE HOARD
Erica P. Dallas
Learn about the Viking treasure that was found by workmen on
an ordinary day, so remarkable, it would gain the attention
of the bailiff over the land, Queen Victoria, and eventually
end up as a historical artifact in the British Museum.
41
ALTHING: THE WORLD’S FIRST PARLIAMENT
Laura Hopper
Today, Vikings are best known for boating, voyaging, and raiding.
Not only were they experienced at seafaring, they also formed
one of the world’s first parliaments back around 930
A.D. at Thingvellir in Iceland. Read about this gathering that
took place for two weeks every summer.
46
THE LITTLE ICE AGE AND THE NORSE IN GREENLAND
Jon Sterngass
It is not possible to declare a specific beginning date for the Little Ice Age. It seemed to happen gradually. In the 1200s, glaciers began advancing in Europe, engulfing farms and destroying villages. The next century was an era of unpredictable weather and famine in
Northern Europe. Farmers could no longer count on warm summers. Find out how change in climate helped end the growth and prosperity of the Medieval Warm Period for the Vikings.
49
THE STORIES OF THE VIKINGS
Mark J. Syp
The Vikings had a rich oral tradition. Oral tradition is the
practice of using storytelling to pass one’s traditions
along from generation to generation. Eventually, the Viking’s
stories were written down by monks after the land became Christian
and the time of the Vikings had all but passed. By looking
at the themes of these stories, known as the Norse Sagas, we
can learn what was important to the Viking people. While you
may not know it, you may already be familiar with Viking stories
if you have read one of the most popular books of the twentieth
century - J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings saga – learn
how they are related.
52
SAGA OF THE LAST VIKING: KING HARALD
Deborah Bryson
Legends claim he kidnapped a mythical princess and laid siege
to the ancient city of Jerusalem. Castles and armies fell to
his sword as he traveled through modern-day Turkey, Africa,
Italy, Sicily, and Greece. His invasion of England in 1066
may have changed the course of history. Travel back in time
to sort out truth from fiction and discover how Harald III
Sigurdsson of Norway became known as the last Viking warrior.
54
ARTS & CRAFTS
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FARE FIT FOR A VIKING by Christine Gable
30
HNEFATAFL: A VIKING BOARD GAME by
Graeme Davis
44
LITERATURE STUDY GUIDES
Page
SORCERY AND GOLD (Ages 9-12) by Catherine Morin
58
SKALD-SONGS (Ages 12+) by Jim Cort
60
EARLY LEARNING
Page
EARLY LEARNING UNIT by Renee Millis
Activities to explore the Vikings: homes, ships and clothing.
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