Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Named for the Norse word
vik
, which means fjord or inlet, the Vikings
sailed their sleek, seaworthy ships on extensive voyages, laden with amber
and furs for trading—and weapons for fighting. They traveled up the Seine
and deep into Russia, through the Mediterranean east to Constantinople, and
across the Atlantic to Greenland and even “Vinland” (Canada). In fact, they
touched the soil of the Americas centuries before Columbus, causing proud
“ya sure ya betcha” Scandinavian immigrants in the US to display bumper
stickers that boast, “Columbus used a Viking map!”
Both history and Hollywood have painted a picture of the Vikings as fierce
barbarians, an image reinforced by the colorful names of leaders like Sven
Forkbeard, Erik Bloodaxe, and Harald Bluetooth. Unless you're handy with
an axe, these don't sound like the kind of men you want to hoist a tankard
of mead with. They kept slaves and were all-around cruel (though there is no
evidence that they forced their subjects to eat lutefisk). But the Vikings also
had a gentle side. Many were farmers, fishermen, and craftsmen who created
delicate works with wood and metal. Faced with a growing population con-
strained by a lack of arable land, they traveled south not just to rape, pillage,
and plunder, but in search of greener pastures. Sometimes they stayed and col-
onized, as in northeast England, which was called the “Danelaw,” or in north-
west France, which became known as Normandy (“Land of the North-men”).
