ANOTHER POWERFUL CULTURAL FORCE IN THE MIDDLE AGES WAS
THE VIKINGS 9OO AD- 12OO AD
WHO WERE THE VIKINGS ?
THE ROMANS HAD CALLED THE FAR NORTH OF EUROPE
SCANDINAVIA
1. THESE WERE THE PEOPLES OF PRESENT DAY DENMARK, SWEDEN AND NORWAY
THE NAME VIKING COMES FROM WICING THE OLD ENGLISH WORD FOR PIRATE AS MUCH OF THE EAST COAST OF BRITAIN WAS RAIDED BY THE NORSEMEN.
2. THE VIKINGS WERE EXCELLENT TRADERS AND SEAFARERS DESIGNING THE LONG SHIP.
BETWEEN 17 - 35 METRES LONG WITH 4O - 7O CREW WITH OARS, THE BOAT HAD A LOW DRAFT SO IT COULD SAIL DOWN SHALLOW RIVERS.
THE VIKINGS WERE EXPERT SAILORS ESPECIALLY OVER THE NORTHERN OPEN WATERS OF THE ATLANTIC. THEY WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE GULF STREAM.
THEY READ THE TIDES AND WINDS AND PROBABLY HAD ALTERNATIVE 'COMPASSES' SUCH AS STONES THAT CHANGED COLOUR DEPENDING ON LATITUDE. THEY RELEASED CAPTURED BIRDS TO SEE WHICH DIRECTION THEY FLEW IF THEIR BOATS WERE LOST.
3. VIKING RAIDERS TRAVELED FAR THROUGH RUSSIA TO BYZANTIUM, ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO ICE LAND GREENLAND, NEWFOUNDLAND AND THE NORTHERN COAST OF AMERICA.
4. WHILE THEY DID NOT SETTLE TO ESTABLISH CITIES THEY RETAINED THEIR CULTURE IN THE 'SAGAS' WRITTEN STORIES OF THEIR PAST. THEY HAD THEIR OWN ALPHABET AND INSCRIBED RUNESTONES
THE ICELANDIC SAGAS
5. OTHER THAN TELLING STORIES AT FEASTS, RAIDING AND TRADING WAS THE VIKINGS MAIN ACTIVITIES. THEY EXTENDED THEIR REACH INTO RUSSIA
THEIR EXPANSION CONNECTED EUROPE THROUGH TRADE
THEY EXPORTED - FUR - SILVER JEWELLRY - AMBER - SLAVES - SALT
THEY IMPORTED - SILK - SPICES - WINE - GLASS - COINS & GOLD SILVER TO BE SMELTED INTO VIKING JEWRELLRY
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