THE "VIKINGS"

WHERE DID THE VIKINGS TRAVEL?

Viking age the raids of Vikings spread in several directions through out Europe. The most advantageous direction for Norwegian Vikings had been Ireland, Scotland and England. These countries were abundant (rich), but weakened by infighting. The dominant direction of the Dane Viking raids was Frank countries. To buy off the raids of Vikings all of these countries had started to pay a duty. Viking raids had made their way to Spain and Mediterranean countries as well.

NEW-FOUND LANDS

A direct consequence of the Viking's raids was the discovery of new lands that was followed by their domestication. At the end of the 9th century, Vikings domesticated Iceland and later on - at the end of 10th century, Viking leader Erik the Red discovers Greenland.

At about 1000-th year Leif Eriksson, son of Erik the Red, sailed off to the west and after a very hard and long journey discovered unknown and very rich land. Along the hills of this land grow natural grapes that motivate this land to be called “Vineland”. About 1015 the Vikings abandon the Vineland settlement on the coast of North America. Today this settlement is named Newfoundland. The raids of the Vikings to Vineland become more rare and this land was forgotten.

THE CULTURE OF THE VIKINGS

From the Viking-age remains some myths - these are very interesting stories about the godheads and heroes, about the wisdom of life, world creation and ruination. Very thrilling are stories about the Gods of Scandinavia; Odin, Tor, Frey, Loki and others. The scenes from the life of the gods and heroes are depicted as the Scandinavians runic characters on the stones.

The men of the Viking-age did not like to accept religious beliefs, as their ideals represented the heroic Gods. The Vikings had believed that all of them who fell in fighting would be received in the castle of Odin in Valhalla and the rest of their life they would pass in everlasting feast.

VIKING EXPANSION

The Vikings were venturesome seafarers. From Sweden, Denmark and Norway, they spread through Europe and the North Atlantic in the period of vigorous Scandinavian expansion (AD 800-1050) known as the Viking Age.

Although they are often thought of primarily as raiders, the Vikings were also traders, explorers and settlers. Behind them they left a legacy not only of archaeological remains, but also of family names, place names and fieldnames. Their "remains" can be found in local dialects and customs, in folk tales and oral traditions, and of course in the genetic make up of the local people themselves.

THE VIKING SHIP

The development of the Viking ship, made this expansion possible. With its flexible hull and its keel and sail, the Viking ship was far superior to ships and boats used by other peoples at the time.

One thousand years ago, centuries before the age of exploration hit its peak, a group of Vikings left Greenland and made their way across the North Atlantic. They had no understanding of latitude, and thus were forced to follow lines of longitude until they encountered land. In this manner, the Vikings reached Baffin Island, followed the coast of Labrador south and eventually landed at the present-day community of L'Anse aux Meadows, in a sheltered cove at the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland.

There, the Vikings established the first European settlement in North America. Many historians believe the Vikings used L'Anse aux Meadows as a base to explore Vinland, the fabled land of the Norse Sagas.

Vikings became the first European settlers in the New World and the first to make contact with the people of the Americas.

VIKING HISTORY