Category Archives: old norse blog

The man’s skull also bore a 3cm-wide hole, believed to be evidence of trepanation-an ancient surgical procedure. BY CIARAN MCGRATH Archaeologists have uncovered a grim Viking-era burial pit near Cambridge containing the remains of at least 10 young men, including an exceptionally tall individual described as an “extreme giant”, in what experts believe may haveContinue reading “Viking ‘execution pit’ discovered in Britain with remains of an ‘extreme giant’”

The Great Heathen Army wasn’t a single unified force, but rather a shifting coalition of warbands whose multi-layered leadership helped it outmanoeuvre the Anglo-Saxons. By James Osborne When the Great Heathen Army arrived in England in the mid-9th century, it marked a turning point in the history of Viking activity in the British Isles. EarlierContinue reading “Meet the mysterious leaders of the Vikings’ most fearsome army”

The hoard was likely buried sometime between 871 and 874 in present-day Worcestershire. BY MARGHERITA BASSI In a classic example of lucky metal detectorists triggering an archaeological investigation, a group of metal detecting enthusiasts in England discovered a rare hoard of early medieval Anglo-Saxon coins in the parish of Bickmarsh, Worcestershire.  Members of Go DetectingContinue reading “Metal detectorists discover rare, Anglo-Saxon coins likely hidden from Vikings”

By Chris Nesi They always said he was a sharp student. A schoolboy in Norway made the discovery of a lifetime when he spotted a rusty object protruding from the ground on a field trip that proved to be a 1,300-year-old sword predating the Viking era. First-grader Henrik Refsnes Mørtvedt, 6, was on a classContinue reading “6-year-old boy finds 1,300-year-old sword on school field trip”

One of the most recognizable Viking images may not be as historically accurate as many people assume. By Jane Alexander The image of the fearsome Viking charging into battle crowned with a helmet of horns has become an enduring visual symbol of warriors from Norse history. The problem with this image is that there isContinue reading “Did Vikings Really Wear Horned Helmets?”