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The Viking World
"For 300 years, from the ninth to the eleventh centuries, the power of the Vikings dominated western Europe. Their voyaging extended westwards to America and as far south as the Mediterranean and North Africa. As well as being warriors and accomplished seamen, they were jewellers, sculptors and poets of great skill and originality: the forts, town sites, ships, burial mounds, carved stones, place names, sagas, art and artefacts they left behind substantiate their legendary exploits." In this account of the Viking world, based on recent archaeological research, every aspect of Viking life is examined. Important chapters on ships, runes and religion have been contributed by specialist authors, and the text is complemented by a wealth of illustration, including maps and reconstruction drawings. Photographs, many of them especially commissioned, portray the brilliant products of the Vikings; culture and the beauty and harshness of the natural world they faced.
220 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1980
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 1, 2023
This is a great book providing an overview of several different aspects of Viking life ranging from warfare to art to religion. Some of the information is a bit dated as the book was published in 1980 and there have been several new discoveries since then. But this book has something that the other Viking books I read this year did not: detailed illustrations (e.g., of shipbuilding techniques) and photographs of archeological finds (e.g., the artwork and other items found in the famous Oseburg burial mound). Enjoyed this read and recommend to those with either a casual or serious interest in Scandinavian history.
August 21, 2022
This is a nice little overview of the Vikings, though I did find that the opening chapters less involved than the subsequent ones. Definitely worth a read if you're seeing if there are any aspects of the Viking culture that interest you. I found the chapters dealing with symbolism and iconography really interesting.
Also worth noting that the images included are great. They're not really referenced in the text, though, so you have to direct yourself to the relevant ones.
Also worth noting that the images included are great. They're not really referenced in the text, though, so you have to direct yourself to the relevant ones.
November 29, 2016
This sort of book was my jam before the internets. Good one. Well presented. Not just a coffee table book. Some of the science is quite outdated. tracking migrations via blood type is just precious.
November 25, 2018
Another well-researched book with lots of information about the time the Vikings lived. The plentiful illustrations are a bonus to the text in this book and showcase Viking Art and craft as well as jewellery and rune stones
May 14, 2021
Beautifully illustrated, and both scholarly and very readable. There have probably been a lot of discoveries and reassessments since this book was published forty years ago, and I hope there's another book out there as entertaining as this.
April 21, 2023
Informative and detailed. Love the graphical/photo illustrations.
February 3, 2015
I love the Viking age, anything to do with Vikings I'm all over it. I really liked this book, as it shows the workman ship and delicate passion that the Vikings put in to their boats, art and clothes. Stunning photos and really cool facts about each artefact.
March 1, 2016
A good general overview of the Vikings and what they left behind that has since been studied to learn more about their culture. This book is a good starting place for those want to learn more about the Vikings.
May 18, 2017
Liked this so much. Very fascinating.
March 10, 2014
This isn't an in-depth book, but it's gorgeous--especially the illustrations of Viking metalwork. A beautiful overview of Viking culture and history.
January 18, 2015
Engaging and delightful. It is a must read for anyone interested in the Viking history.
February 4, 2015
I love the Viking Age and anything to with Vikings I'm all over it. I really liked this book. The Photos are just magnificent. It shows the workmanship and passion but into weapons, clothes and art.
February 23, 2016
Decent overview..picked up on a whim because the pictures were interesting. Now I need to travel to Sweden. ;p
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews