Vikings Live: a tour from the British Museum

The British Museum・2 minutes read

The British Museum is hosting a Viking exhibition showcasing a royal warship, spanning four continents and a thousand years to highlight the Vikings' global impact. Dr. Gareth Williams curated the exhibition, revealing new information on Viking society, shipbuilding techniques, burial rituals, and cultural influences found in names, language, and genetics.

Insights

  • The Vikings were not a unified ethnic group but rather referred to pirates or raiders, with ships being a central aspect of their identity and society, showcasing their maritime-based culture and extensive travels across continents.
  • Viking women played significant roles in Viking society, managing households, conducting rituals, and possibly wielding swords, challenging traditional gender roles and enhancing their status in society, as evidenced by their ownership of high-status items and involvement in important cultural practices.

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Recent questions

  • What is the focus of the exhibition at the British Museum in London?

    The exhibition at the British Museum in London showcases Viking artifacts and a Viking royal warship, highlighting the impact of the Vikings on the world over a thousand years.

  • How were Viking ships constructed and what made them unique?

    Viking ships were clinker-built, using metal nails and washers for fastening. They were designed to be light, flexible, and able to handle heavy seas, built for speed and flexibility. The shipbuilding process involved steam bending planks to create the ship's shape, with a full-size Viking ship construction taking about 18 months with a team of ten men.

  • What were some key aspects of Viking society and culture?

    Viking society was maritime-based, with everyone having access to water transport. Viking burials provide insight into their beliefs and culture, sometimes using ships as burial vessels for the dead. Viking children's lives are revealed through preserved toys like toy boats found in Dublin and Denmark, showcasing aspects of their daily lives.

  • How did Viking women contribute to society and challenge traditional roles?

    Viking women played crucial roles at home, managing households, owning high-status items like gold chains, brooches, and ear scoops. They had authority in conducting sacrifices, healing, and possibly practicing sorcery, enhancing their status in society. Evidence suggests Viking women may have wielded swords, challenging traditional gender roles.

  • What impact did the Vikings have on language and culture in Britain?

    The British landscape bears Viking influence through Scandinavian-origin words and place names, with names ending in "by" indicating Scandinavian influence. Major places like Swansea and Fishguard have Scandinavian names, reflecting Viking heritage. Family names like Brand and Gunnhild derive from Scandinavian personal names, indicating Viking ancestry and their lasting impact on British culture.

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Summary

00:00

"Vikings: Warship Exhibition Reveals Maritime Culture"

  • The British Museum in London is hosting an exhibition on the Vikings, showcasing a Viking royal warship.
  • The exhibition spans four continents and a thousand years, highlighting the Vikings' impact on the world.
  • The exhibition is the first in the new Sainsbury Exhibition Gallery, featuring the longest warship ever discovered.
  • Dr. Gareth Williams curated the exhibition, bringing Viking artifacts to London with the help of experts.
  • The exhibition presents new information on the Vikings due to recent archaeological finds and improved scientific techniques.
  • Vikings traveled extensively, reaching places like Britain, Ireland, Canada, South Africa, and Central Asia.
  • The Vikings were not a single ethnic group but referred to pirates or raiders, with ships being central to their identity.
  • Viking society was maritime-based, with everyone having access to water transport.
  • Viking children's lives are revealed through preserved toys like toy boats found in Dublin and Denmark.
  • Viking burials provide insight into their beliefs and culture, with ships sometimes used as burial vessels for the dead.

21:01

"Viking Ship Construction: Speed, Flexibility, Tradition"

  • Estimate of approximately 100 people on board a Viking ship.
  • Process of shipbuilding involves laying out plank numbers five and six on the keel.
  • The keel of the ship is 32 meters long, making it the longest Viking ship found.
  • National Maritime Museum in Cornwall showcases traditional Viking shipbuilding techniques.
  • Shipbuilding process involves steam bending planks to create the ship's shape.
  • Viking ships were built for speed and flexibility, allowing them to twist while sailing.
  • Viking ships were clinker-built, using metal nails and washers for fastening.
  • Full-size Viking ship construction took about 18 months with a team of ten men.
  • Viking ships were designed to be light, flexible, and able to handle heavy seas.
  • Viking ships were known for their visual impact and varied styles for different purposes.

37:56

Viking Raiders: Traders or Warriors?

  • Coins found across the Viking world likely came through trade, indicating a debate on whether Vikings were raiders or traders.
  • Viking raiding in continental Europe resulted in tribute or loot, showcasing the origins of the Viking concept.
  • Viking raiders, often teenagers or in their early twenties, appreciated good workmanship, treasuring and burying stolen items.
  • Robin Knox Johnson, a sailor, shares insights on sailing across the ocean in a Viking replica ship from Bergen to the Shetlands.
  • Navigation during Viking voyages possibly involved a basic Sun compass, with evidence found in Greenland and Viking settlements.
  • Early Viking raids on coastal monasteries in Britain and Ireland marked the start of the Viking Age, driven by plunder and loot.
  • Viking expeditions grew in size, with fleets of hundreds of ships invading Northumbria, indicating armies of thousands.
  • Viking warriors' protective gear, like shields and swords, were essential status symbols, with swords being expensive luxury items.
  • Viking warriors fought in shield walls for defense but also used fighting knives for close-quarters combat, as seen in injuries at Repton.
  • Vikings believed in an afterlife in Valhalla, where warriors feasted and fought, awaiting the final battle of Ragnarok, showcasing their warrior culture.

55:59

"Viking Women, Slavery, and Knut's Reign"

  • The Vikings exhibition in 1980 sparked interest in practical experimentation and reenactment.
  • A significant find in 2009 near Weymouth uncovered the bones of around 50 men, believed to be from the Scandinavian region, dating back to the Viking Age.
  • Speculation surrounds the identity and fate of these men, possibly linked to the Danish invasions during Ethelred the Unready's reign.
  • Viking women played crucial roles at home, managing households, owning high-status items like gold chains, brooches, and ear scoops.
  • Women had authority in conducting sacrifices, healing, and possibly practicing sorcery, enhancing their status in society.
  • Valkyries, mythical female figures, were associated with Odin in battles, selecting warriors for Valhalla.
  • Evidence suggests Viking women may have wielded swords, challenging traditional gender roles.
  • Slavery was prevalent in the Viking world, with Dublin as a center for the slave trade, impacting the settlement of Iceland.
  • Knut, son of Sweyn Forkbeard, conquered England in 1016, ruling till 1035, and became a respected Christian king.
  • Runes, seen in various objects in the exhibition, reflect the cultural mix between Scandinavians, Scots, and Northumbrians, influencing language and culture.

01:14:40

Viking Influence in British Names and Genetics

  • Bluetooth technology is likened to Harald uniting the Danes, enabling devices to communicate.
  • British landscape bears Viking influence through Scandinavian-origin words and place names.
  • Names ending in "by" in England indicate Scandinavian influence, meaning farm or village.
  • Major places like Swansea and Fishguard have Scandinavian names, reflecting Viking heritage.
  • Family names like Brand and Gunnhild derive from Scandinavian personal names, indicating Viking ancestry.
  • Surnames can reveal Scandinavian ancestry, with older surnames often linked to specific regions.
  • Genetic studies use surnames to trace Viking ancestry, with Y chromosomes indicating Scandinavian heritage.
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