"What do you think of when you hear the word Viking? Do you picture a race of fierce seafaring warriors wearing horrible horned helmets? Well, the reality is a bit more complicated. For starters, their helmets didn’t have any horns! And they also weren’t just one people. The Vikings who raided Europe’s coasts came from all over Scandinavia, and lots of people from those countries never even picked up a sword—they preferred to stay at home and farm their own land, thank you very much! Travel back in time to the Age of the Vikings with this fact-packed magazine. From barbarians who built breath-taking boats to designers who donned dazzling duds, find out more about the real Vikings. Learn how a Viking adventurer discovered America, why they raided European countries for treasure and slaves, the bloody and brutal laws that governed Viking society, and why they buried their dead in ships. Glorious gods, mind-blowing myths, remarkable runes—get ready to discover all the most fascinating facts about these raiders, traders, and history makers."
SCANDI-LOUSLY GOOD!
WHO WERE THE VIKINGS? • Tales of terrifying Vikings echo down our history, with stories of horned helmets, fearsome fighting, and men slurping from skulls. But who were they really?
AGE of the VIKINGS
THE VIKING WORLD • The Vikings were medieval Europe’s most masterful traders, raiders, and explorers. Here’s how far they got between AD793 and 1066 …
VIKINGS: MYTHS BUSTED • The Vikings get a lot of bad press. There are many common misconceptions about who they were and what they did. Let’s set the record straight …
JOIN THE CLAN! • Like a game of snakes and ladders, it was possible to move up and down between the Viking classes by proving your honor—or not. Which part of society would you have belonged to?
HERE’S THE THING … • While Vikings ignored laws in other countries during raids, back home that behavior was frowned upon, big time! Anyone who broke strict Norse laws stood trial at the Thing, a type of local assembly thought to have laid the foundations for modern democracy…
HOME Sweet HOME • Viking homes were a chaotic hub of varied activity. Called longhouses, family life revolved around these open-plan spaces. Here’s all you need to know about how they were made and what went on inside…
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT • How much does our modern diet differ from our Viking ancestors’? Did they really eat bears? Did their kids drink beer? Thanks to archaeologists studying bones, plants, and poop found in ancient settlements, we now know exactly what Vikings ate to keep them fighting fit!
DAZZLING DUDS • Viking clothes were hard-wearing and warm to suit their outdoors lifestyle, but while practical they were far from boring! They loved wearing a rainbow of brightly colored fabrics, from red to yellow and green, and they had serious skills in the weaving department, too
MY PRECIOUS • Rich or poor, man or woman, the Vikings loved their jewelry. Adorning themselves with trinkets and ornaments of all shapes and sizes was partly practical but mostly about self-expression and pride. Warriors going into battle would cover themselves in their most prized pieces. Prepare to be bedazzled!
MAJOR MILESTONES • Apart from inscriptions on gravestones, Vikings didn’t leave behind much writing of any kind. Almost all we know of their daily lives and rituals is taken from clues in archaeological finds and Norse mythology written in the 13th century, hundreds of years after the Viking Age
SHIPPING OUT • The Vikings were known for building some pretty amazing ships, but some of them didn’t even make it to the sea. Instead, they had a spectacular ritual purpose …
WORK HARD play hard • Fun-loving Vikings took full advantage of their leisure time, but games and pastimes often had a dark...
