'The Viking Age is shot through with the spirit of adventure. Bibliography Note: Includes bibliographical references (pages 314-334) and indexes.Thoroughly updated and with a new foreword Subject(s):Ġ141984767 (paperback) Note: Previous edition: London : Allen Lane, 1991. The result is a rich and compelling picture of an extraordinary civilisation.'-Publishers description.

This encyclopedic study brings together the latest research on Viking art, burial customs, class divisions, jewellery, kingship, poetry and family life. Summary: 'Far from being just 'wild, barbaric, axe-wielding pirates', the Vikings created complex social institutions, oversaw the coming of Christianity to Scandinavia and made a major impact on European history through trade, travel and far-flung consolidation.

Contents: Machine generated contents note: THE VIKING AGE AND ITS SOURCES - The Study of the Viking Age - Written sources - Place-names - Archaeological finds - SCANDINAVIA - Geography, Nature and Culture - Norway - Sweden - Denmark - The People - Dress - Jewellery - Houses and feasting - Language, Writing and Personal Names - Society - Slaves - The free - Women, sexual roles and children - Rules of conduct - Kings and Kingdoms - Accession to the throne and personal power - Royal power - Political developments - Travel, Transport and Ships - Travel on land - Winter transport - Ships and sailing - Livelihood and Settlement - Denmark - Sweden and Norway - Ohthere from Halogaland - Exchange, Silver and Merchandise - Exchange of goods - Silver and coins - Goods - Trade and Towns - Hedeby - Birka - Kaupang - Other trading stations and towns - Fortifications, Weapons and Warfare - Ramparts, fortresses and sea-barriers - The Dane-virke - Royal fortresses - Weapons and warfare - The Old and the New Religion - The old faith - Conversion - The introduction of Christianity - Art and Poetry - Decorative and pictorial art - Poetry - THE EXPANSION - Background and Beginnings - The Mainland of Western Europe - Historical events - Archaeological evidence and the significance of the expeditions - Normandy - Scotland and the Isle of Man - Ireland - The Vikings in Ireland - The excavations in Dublin - England - Exploitation, conquest and settlement - The Scandinavians in England - New expeditions and conquests - Cnut the Great and afterwards - Iceland, the Faroes, Greenland and America - The settlement of Iceland - The Faroes - Settlers in Greenland and travels to America - Baltic Region, Eastern Europe, Byzantium, the Caliphate - Across the Baltic - Towards the glories of the East - The great riverways and the memorials - CONCLUSION - The World of the Vikings - Notes on the Plates. Language Note: Translated from the Danish.

The vikings by else roesdahl