Vikingology Podcast

We know the Vikings traveled far and wide and that they had a significant impact on many of the lands where they roved, but in the English-speaking world we tend to focus on western Europe. What about their activities in Central Europe? It was a well-trodden path for Scandinavians seeking to get to the East and the riches of places like Constantinople and Baghdad, particularly through what is now Poland because of its coast line along the Baltic Sea. But what do we know of Vikings in Slavic lands? Did they raid? Did they trade? Did they settle and change the place? Are there still signs they were there?In this episode we speak with archaeologist Leszek Gardeła to explore the relatively-unknown impact Vikings had on the Western Slavs. We talk about who the Western Slavs were, how they were culturally distinct in the Viking Age, violence, graves, myths, and even a bit about women warriors. Did the Vikings change Poland? The answer might surprise you.Read Dr. Gardeła's book about women and weapons mentioned in the episode. Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we had an interesting chat with William Short and Reynir Óskarson who are experts in the experimental archaeology of Viking combat and weaponry. You know…the shiny, sexy stuff that comes to most people’s minds when they hear the word “Viking.”We talked about their methods for understanding fighting in the Viking Age, the famed Ulfberht sword, how Vikings may have trained, their battle tactics, and the honor-bound cultural ethos that was critical to life as a Viking.Learn more about William and Reynir’s work at Hurstwic.You can also read Reynir’s article about Glíma, an important method of fighting without weapons during the Viking Age which is Iceland’s national sport to this day. Or if you fancy reading the original in Icelandic, you can find it here.Also be sure to check out their book Men of Terror: A Comprehensive Analysis of Viking Combat Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe

Viking Age Iceland was what we might call “progressive.” They had no king or strong central state as had arisen elsewhere in Europe, but instead, starting in 930 A.D. had the Alþing, a public assembly where chieftains and free farmers settled disputes and matters of law by negotiation and consensus. It was a proto-democratic system ahead of its time and is still referred to as the oldest parliamentary system in the world. But trouble was brewing by the 1200s that would bring matters to a head. Power had been consolidated into the hands of just a prominent few. As those men set their sights on increasing their wealth and status, their democratic system came under threat and the island descended into civil war, culminating in Iceland submitting to the authority of the king of Norway in the 1260s.In this episode, Terri and C.J. sit down with Peter Konieczny, co-founder end editor of Medievalists.net and a historian who specializes in medieval warfare. We talk about the Sturlunga saga, which recounts this fascinating period in history that we may consider the final blow to Iceland's Viking Age.To dive into the source directly, read excerpts of Sturlunga saga in English translation. If you’d like to watch the video of this episode, you’ll find it here.Vikingology Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe

Have you ever wondered how Viking houses were built and out of what? It turns out, even archeologists had it wrong for a very long time. In this episode we talk to historian and archaeologist Sigurlaugur Ingólfsson, director of operations at the Árbæjarsafn Open Air Museum in Reykjavík, Iceland, who tells us how Viking houses were built, why they were built that way, and what we can learn from modern reconstructions.As always, our conversation takes a couple of interesting detours such as Viking Age bathrooms, garbage dumps, and why Icelandic sheep are so special, which Terri has experienced firsthand.We also talk about several places you can go to experience historic Nordic housing. Check out the Norsk Folkemuseum in Norway, as well as Stöng Settlement and the Viking Settlement Exhibition, both in Iceland.The video version of this episode is available on our Substack.Vikingology Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe

Something was brewing in Scandinavia that reached a boiling point in the 8th century A.D./C.E. We historians acknowledge this phenomenon as the creation of the “Viking Age.” But why? Scandinavia certainly existed prior to that time, and Vikings probably did too. So what made this time so special or different? What sent Nordic peoples out into the world to raid, trade, and settle in unprecedented numbers, ultimately changing their world and ours forever?Terri and C.J. get into the weeds of Viking history to try and answer this $64 million dollar question. As we discuss in this episode, no one root cause can explain the so-called "Viking Diaspora," but that has not stopped historians and archaeologists from trying to piece together the story of what might have happened.Was it ships? Climate change? Poverty? The warrior ethos? Or something else?…..Take a listen; we cover it all. What do YOU think caused the Viking Age? Let us know in the comments!For more background, take a look at James H. Barrett's article that we mention in the episode.If you’re interested in watching the video version of this episode, you can find it here on our Substack.Vikingology Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe

We had so much fun and covered so much interesting ground in our talk with Davide Zori of Baylor University that we made two episodes from it!Our first episode on the grave of Egil Skallagrimsson is available here on our Substack. Check it out. We have both video and audio versions available.In this episode, Davide dove into chieftain-level power structures in the Viking Age, particularly in Iceland where Scandinavians emigrated in the late-9th century and had to reinvent themselves without the influence of a king. This meant local “big men” jockeyed for power and status in a delicate dance of reciprocity with the other free farmers in their districts. Davide tells us how providing opportunity to benefit from feasting, raiding, and fighting was crucial to how chieftains expressed their status and authority. Who knew beef, beer, and boats were such a powerful equation for staying in power? Fascinating stuff.Vikingology Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe

Terri and C.J. finally had their long-anticipated sit down with fellow Oregonian and History podcaster Dan Carlin to discuss the topic of the Vikings, which Dan covered in his recent episode Twighlight of the Æsir.We wanted to understand why the most popular History podcast in the U.S. decided to devote FIVE hours to the Vikings — with a sequel coming later this year — and answer the question: What made the Vikings so special? Those of you familiar with Dan’s work know he does a ton of research when prepping for his shows, so we asked him what he’s learned in that process about who he thinks the Vikings were and how they stack up against other warrior cultures in the past such as Caesar’s Roman army and the Celts, and why throughout time it seems men — particularly young men — need to seek out adventure and fame.Then we took a bit of a philosophical turn and discussed whether it is right to judge people of the past by today’s standards, and how our historian brains are hardwired for the long view – another subject Dan did a podcast about earlier this year on his Hardcore History Addendum.If you want to know whether Alexander the Great would have been a Viking, why Terri thinks Dan would have made a good Viking Age Skaldic poet, or why Albion Swords are the best reproductions around, listen and find out.You can also watch the video version here.Thanks Dan! It was well worth the wait. We owe you one.Find Hardcore History and Hardcore History Addendum on all major podcast streaming services and on dancarlin.com.Dan also has a Substack now too, so check him out there.Vikingology Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe

We call our podcast Vikingology: The Art and Science of the Viking Age for a good reason. From the beginning we decided to focus not just on the factual history, but also on the “art” of historical interpretation. So it was with great pleasure that we got to sit down with best-selling historical fiction author Eric Schumacher for this episode.Like lots of us, Eric caught the medieval bug early in life. But instead of becoming a historian or archaeologist, he has turned his passion into several books that are set in the Viking Age. We talked to him about what drew him to Norwegian Vikings in particular, his writing process, and whether it’s the characters or the author who is in charge.Like a good Viking saga, Eric’s books are both history AND story. But which is more important for writing good fiction? Take a listen and find out.Or, if you prefer video you can watch the episode here.Thanks Eric! We had a great time. Terri learned a few things about fiction writing and C.J. got to geek out as a fellow best-selling author.If you are interested in buying Eric’s books, you can find them on his website.Vikingology Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe

Ever wondered what a Viking sounded like? Is it a dead language, or could someone have a proper chat with a Viking if one was suddenly transported to the 21st century? In this episode we found out firsthand from Dr. Jesse Byock who is an expert in Old Norse, the language of the Vikings. Take a listen and find out.In addition to teaching Old Norse, Jesse has also spent his career unearthing – literally! – the truth behind the Viking Age sagas. He is the principal archaeologist for the Mosfell Archaeological Project, a dig site that you may recall from our other episode with his Field Director, Davide Zori. Between the two of them and their team they may very well have discovered the last farmstead and resting place of famed Viking warrior Egil Skallagrimsson.If you’d like to learn how to talk like a Viking, Jesse offers all his books and learning materials online which you can check out on his website. He has also written several translations of the sagas. You can find them on his website as well.Takk fyrir Jess!Vikingology Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe

Just think of it. Those poor Christian monks minding their own business dedicating themselves to God living lives of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and then boom! Vikings start showing up to terrorize and steal from them, and then do it again and again and again. Why? What on earth could have brought this catastrophe upon those defenseless religious communities?In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Matthew Ponesse of Ohio Dominican University, an expert in 8th and 9th-century Frankish monasticism — you know, the kind created and supported by that medieval super King and Emperor Charlemagne — to get a sense of what they had that Vikings wanted so badly.He talks to us about what it meant to become a monk, the role and place of monasteries in the Carolingian and Viking worlds, and why he’s been able to spend his entire academic career ignoring Vikings even though they hammered the Frankish Empire repeatedly throughout the 9th century.Vikingology Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode we traverse a lot of Viking ground. Dr. Jesch is a scholar who has written on several aspects of the Viking Age over a long and distinguished career, from women and the Nordic diaspora to poetry and the runes. We talk to her about the influence Vikings had on the various areas where they traveled and settled, the difference between Skaldic and Eddic poetry, and what a Viking Age poetry performance looked and sounded like. We discuss the transition from oral to written culture and the amazing ability to commit things to memory that the Vikings possessed.If you’d rather watch the video version of the interview, you can find it here.Vikingology Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode we sat down with Dr. Davide Zori, archaeologist and historian at Baylor University who specializes in Vikings, to discuss some of Davide's most exciting finds at a farmstead in Iceland, including a grave which may be that of Egil Skallagrimsson, a famous Viking whose story is recounted in Egil’s saga Skallagrimssonar.Read the saga in English translation here.Davide worked the site for several years with Dr. Jesse Byock of UCLA and the University of Iceland. Their work is part of the Mosfell Archaeological Project. We also talked with Jesse on another episode about the site and also Old Norse language. Check it out! Get full access to Vikingology Podcast at vikingology.substack.com/subscribe