Women may have accompanied male Vikings in those early invasions of England, in much greater numbers than scholars earlier supposed, McLeod concludes. Rather than the ravaging rovers of legend, the Vikings arrived as marriage-minded colonists.
Dating from the early 11th century, the stone is an unsigned work of Åsmund Kåresson (U 875). It’s unusual in that it has a couple of Bronze Age cupmarks too. The inscription reads, “Tyrvi and Ingegärd and Tjälve had this stone erected after Kalv, Tyrvi’s husband. May God and God’s mother help his spirit.”
(via Aardvarchaeology)
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By François Miville-Deschênes. [Illustrateurs]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnobpqFCMd1qh3tpwo1_1280.jpg)
Dorset burial pit Viking had filed teeth
Archaeologists have discovered one of the victims of a suspected mass Viking burial pit found in Dorset had grooves filed into his two front teeth.
Experts believe a collection of bones and decapitated heads, unearthed during the creation of the Weymouth Relief Road, belong to young Viking warriors.
During analysis, a pair of front teeth was found to have distinct incisions.
Archaeologists think it may have been designed to frighten opponents or show status as a great fighter.
Oxford Archaeology project manager David Score said: “It’s difficult to say how painful the process of filing teeth may have been, but it wouldn’t have been a pleasant experience.
“The incisions have been very carefully made and it is most likely that they were filed by a skilled craftsman.
“The purpose behind filed teeth remains unclear but, as we know these men were warriors, it may have been to frighten opponents in battle or to show their status as a great fighter.” Read more.
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Vikings did not dress the way we thought
Viking men’s fashions were modeled on styles in Russia to the east. Archeological finds from the 900s uncovered in Lake Mälaren Valley accord with contemporary depictions of clothing the Vikings wore on their travels along eastern trade routes to the Silk Road.
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The Battle of Stamford Bridge
Most people associate the year 1066 with the Battle of Hastings. Undoubtedly an important battle that led to Norman rule over England, The Battle of Stamford Bridge was perhaps more important in deciding Hastings’ outcome.
At the end of September 1066, a Norwegian invasion force of approximately 10,000 sailed by the Orkneys, to land at Riccall, near York. The Earls of Northumbria and Mercia, Morcar and Edwin all advanced from York to challenge the Norwegians, under leadership of The Legendary Viking, Harald Hardrada. The experienced Norwegians easily defeated the Earls on the 20th of September, meaning that Harold would be without valuable allies for the battle that lay ahead. King Harold marched 180 miles North to meet the Norwegians here in an impressive four days. He had a force of about 3000 mounted infantry, having just lost the assistance of the Levies he called upon earlier in the year.
The Norwegians had taken the people of York hostage, and exchanged them for agreement that Stamford Bridge would be the place of the battle. Spread out after their victory against the Earls, they were ill-prepared for the battle (having removed helmets and chain mail in the heat) as they saw the Saxon army approaching from the south on the 25th of September.
The Norwegian outposts desperately tried to delay the Saxons as the army gathered up their equipment to fight, and it is said that one Norseman stood on the bridge, even without armour, and fought off the Saxons, killing over 70 until some Saxon men boated underneath the bridge and stabbed upwards with a long spear.
These delays allowed the Norwegians to form a tight, narrow fronted, triangular wall which the Saxons hit, causing a day long battle.
Harald Hardrada was killed and the Norwegian resistance began to crumble, despite Earl Tostig’s attempts to rally the army. The Vikings fled back to Riccall, to their fleet, and even then, only 24 out of the original 200 ships returned to Norway.
And now, after a hard fought victory, Harold and his remaining men had to march back down England, towards Hastings, to fight Duke William of Normandy.
9th century Viking skeletal remains found in Dublin
Skulls and bones were found near Rogerstown estuary. Local historians believe the remains date back to the 9th century. The former port of Lusk, close by, was used by the Vikings.
(via Irish Central)
The Karlevi rune stone, Vickleby parish, Öland
The stone was erected for the chieftain Sibbe, Foldar’s son, on the stone he is called dólga Þrúdar draugur; the last word draugur is a well known kenning for ‘warrior, doer, performer of battles’, dólg means ‘hostility, strife, battle’ and Þrúdar is the name of one of Thor’s daughters, a goddess in norse mythology.
