The Vikings - Research Paper Example

The Vikings The Vikings were Scandinavian farmers, herders, fishers and pirates whose raids and invasion in North America assisted in shaping the medieval period of the region. They originated from the northern countries of Scandinavia like Denmark, Norway and Sweden and so they were also referred to as Norsemen.1 Individuals from the Norse society were mainly farmers but they also engaged in other activities such as trade, crafting, fishing and they were also popular as warriors. The warriors from this society were commonly known as Vikings and they were known to be brutal raiders. Actually, the word Viking means raiding and these people lived during the Viking age which lasted for about 300 years.2 The Vikings spent much of their time raiding, trading and settling throughout Europe and so their influence and legacy is widespread. The Vikings influence was great throughout Europe and their influence only declined as most of them become Christians and also as some of them were absorbed into different cultures where they had settled. This paper explores the Vikings covering their lifestyle and activities during the Viking age. The Vikings abandoned their homes and travelled into Europe and settled there. However, there is no vivid explanation of what made the Scandinavians to leave their homelands permanently to settle abroad. The Vikings left their Scandinavian homelands and expanded across Western Europe and they also traded with locals and raided coastal regions and as a result of their intense contact, many words across Europe have Scandinavian. Initially, the Vikings were exclusively fishermen and farmers and throughout the Viking age, farming and fishing were the key activities practiced during this era. These individuals took advantage of fertile soils and well-stocked fishing grounds to ensure that they produce enough food for consumption. Most of them were farmers and some of the crops they cultivated include barley and oats plus a variety of fruits and vegetables. In addition, they raised livestock including goats, pigs, cattle and sheep and they as well practiced crafting as they had the ability to make use of raw materials to make various tools and equipments they needed. Moreover, they built long and slender ships called longboats which they used for raiding and shorter and broader ships known as knorrs for trading activities and they built a small rowing boat for fishing. On land, they used horse or cart to travel or transport goods. In the Vikings society, those in the upper class were referred to as jarls and they were followed by a class of farmers and craftsmen who were called Karls, however, the lower class was occupied by the slaves also called thralls.3 Slavery was very common during this era and it was accepted and inevitable part of life. For instance, the Vikings raided a community and they captured women and children and made them slaves and sold in markets without any say because they had no rights. In ancient Viking society, the outside work belong to the man while women performed the inside work. The duty of a Viking woman was to make sure that the family had enough food and they made butter, cheese, dried among others. More so, they were expected to have knowledge about herbs to provide medical attention for those in need. However, in some cases, some women were allowed to warriors just like the Viking and these women were called shield girl. On the other hand, Viking girls were married away between 12 and 15 years and they were required to run the housework and perform duties belonging to women and the girls has were not given chance to choose who to marry.4 Most of them lived in one-story structures which they referred to as longhouses made up of slanted roofs covered with shingles or straw and the walls were made out of wood and stone,5 and they also had a hearth which served as a place to cook and source of warmth. The Vikings took meals mostly in the morning as breakfast which included bread and oats and the other in the evening which included meat, vegetables and fish among others.6 Their foods were mostly from their farms and also they got their mat from deer or wild birds since they were hunters as well. They also ate fish including herring and salmon because they practiced fishing. Nevertheless, they used honey as a sweetener both for drink and food because they lacked knowledge about sugar.7 The Viking was a patriarchal society but women were more privileged as opposed to others from other parts of Europe, for instance, women had a right to share the riches her husband acquired and also they were privileged to own property including land and they were allowed to divorce their husbands anytime they wanted. The Vikings were also famous for the way they conducted burial which they called bait burial as the buried their dead kinsmen in a boat along with many of their possession and in some cases the rich were buried with their slaves. Little is known about Norse pagan religious practices but it has been noted that the Viking age was a period of considerable religious change in northern countries of Scandinavia. Almost the entire population was pagan before they were converted to Christianity later in the tenth century.8 The Vikings had many gods and including the Odin, the god of warfare and death and it was believed to be one of the most powerful gods in the Norse society, and Thor, the god of thunder was the most popular one among the Vikings.9 More so, Frey and Freyja, the god and goddess of fertility also played an important role in the society. During the Viking age, clothing was an important symbol of status and they commonly used wool and linen to make their clothes and wool was made from the coats of sheep and linen the stems of the flax plant. Mostly, the flax grew only in the southern part of Norse lands during the Viking age but others claim that flax was cultivated in the northern countries like Norway and Sweden. Their clothes were dyed to make them look attractive but the dyes accessible to Norse weavers were few but most of them were optimistic and so various vegetable dyes were regularly used leading to a variety of colors. Basically, all the processes involved in cloth making including fiber processing, spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing were done by women. It is believed that outer garments were made from wool whereas undergarments were linen but some suggests that linen was also used for outer garments. Viking shoes were made from leather and the shoe was created based on individuals’ foot.10 In addition, the warriors wore iron helmets and protected themselves with wooden shields during raiding and used various weapons such as spears and swords among others. In conclusion, the Vikings refer to a group of people who lived during the Viking age and they had greater impact on Europe. They were mainly farmers and fishers but they also practiced crafting, herding, and trading activities among others. The warriors were called the Vikings and they were known for their brutal raiding in different parts of Europe. Before the tenth century when they were converted to Christianity, they were mainly pagans and they had many gods including Odin and Thor among others. Their clothes were made from wool and linen then died using various vegetable dyes and shoes from leather. More so, this society was highly stratified with the jarls occupying upper class, karls belonged to the middle class and the slaves occupied the lower class. Bibliography Grimbly, Shona. 2013. Encyclopedia of the Ancient World. London: Routledge. Jovinelly, Joann, and Jason Netelkos. 20`02. The Crafts and Culture of the Vikings. New York: Rosen Pub. Group. Malam, John. 2003. Exploring the Vikings. London: Evans. Margeson, Susan, and Roesdahl Else. n.d. The Vikings. In the Hands of a Child. Richardson, Hazel. 2005. Life of the Ancient Vikings. New York, N.Y.: Crabtree Pub. Read More