Vikings Ships:
Miniatures of two different types of longships,
on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark.
An illustration of Vikings leaving their ship.Main article: Viking ship
There were two distinct classes of Viking ships: the longship (sometimes erroneously called "drakkar", a corruption of "dragon" in Norse) and the knarr. The longship, intended for warfare and exploration, was designed for speed and agility, and was equipped with oars to complement the sail as well as making it able to navigate independently of the wind. The longship had a long and narrow hull, as well as a shallow draft, in order to facilitate landings and troop deployments in shallow water. The knarr was a dedicated merchant vessel designed to carry cargo. It was designed with a broader hull, deeper draft and limited number of oars (used primarily to maneuver in harbors and similar situations). One Viking innovation was the beitass, a spar mounted to the sail that allowed their ships to sail effectively against the wind.[27]
Longships were used extensively by the Leidang, the Scandinavian defense fleets. The term "Viking ships" has entered common usage, however, possibly because of its romantic associations (discussed below).
In Roskilde are the well-preserved remains of five ships, excavated from nearby Roskilde Fjord in the late 1960s. The ships were scuttled there in the 11th century to block a navigation channel, thus protecting the city, which was then the Danish capital, from seaborne assault. These five ships represent the two distinct classes of Viking ships, the longship and the knarr. The remains of these ships can be found on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde.
Longships are not to be confused with later-period longboats. It was common for Viking ships to tow or carry a smaller boat to transfer crews and cargo from the ship to shore, however.
Burial sites
See also: Viking funeral
There are numerous burial sites associated with Vikings throughout Europe—in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany and other North Germanic regions. As well as providing information on Viking religion, burial sites also provide information on social structure. The items buried with the deceased give some indication as to what was considered important to possess in the afterlife.[26] Some examples of notable burial sites include:
Gettlinge gravfält, Öland, Sweden, ship outline
Jelling, Denmark, a World Heritage Site
Oseberg, Norway.
Gokstad, Norway.
Borrehaugene, Horten, Norway
Valsgärde, Sweden.
Gamla Uppsala, Sweden.
Hulterstad gravfält, near the villages of Alby and Hulterstad, Öland, Sweden, ship outline of standing stones
Trulben, by Hornbach, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
The Good, the Bad, and the Mortal:
The Deities of Norse Mythology
The Norse deities came in two flavors, the Vanir and the Aesir. The Vanir were the older, fertility gods; they included Freyr, Freya, and Njord. The Aesir were more modern, warlike gods, which included Odin and Thor. The Norse told a story of a war between the Vanir and the Aesir after the creation; the deities formed a truce and exchanged members with the result that they fused together and were thereafter collectively known as Aesir. Scholars think this story describes a time when two cults struggled against one another and, ultimately, merged into one.
Creation of the World
In Norse mythology there are 9 worlds that are divided among three levels:
Upper level
•Asgard (Aesir, the land of the gods),
•Alfheim (elves),
•Vanaheim (Vanir),
Middle Level
•Midgard (men),
•Jotunheim (giants),
•Svartalfaheim (dark-elves),
•Nithavellir (dwarves),
Lower Level
•Muspelheim (fire, a bright, flaming, hot world in the southern region), and
•Niflheim (the dead, the lowest level)
all held together by the world tree, Ygdrasil. But the nine worlds and Ygdrasil were not there in the beginning.
The Ragnarok:
or end of the world, has been prophesied. When Mirmir no longer guards his well, Yggdrasil's root will begin to rot. The Nidhog dragon will finally succeed in knawing through the root that ends at Hvergelmer well. The Norns will be alarmed at the pollution of the Urdh well and the yellowing of the leaves of the world tree. Odin's sacrificed eye lies in Mirmir's well and sees what is to come. He knows that nothing can stop Fibulwinter, three years with endless winter, which will be followed by Ragnarok.
The days will grow colder until even Urda well freezes solid. Storm and sleet will pound the World-Tree. One of Yggdrasil's branches will break and fall, striking Jormungand, the world serpent, which immediately will let go of its tail. The Hel ship Naglfar will become visible in the mist. The wolves Skoll and Manegarm will get closer and closer to Sun and Moon, which they have chased for eons. Fenrir wolf and and the Hel-wolf Garm will break their chains. Giants will release Loki from his fetters on the mountain. Nidhoggr will leave the roots of Yggdrasil and head toward Asgard. Behind him will march all the Giants. Heimdall will see all this, and will take up the Gjallarhorn to blow the warning.
Loki will lead monsters and Giants to attack the Gods in the great battle of Ragnarok on Vigrid plain. The leader of the Fire Giants, Surt, will attack Freyr, who will be armed only with a deer's antler. Freyr will stick his deer horn through Surt's eye, but then Surt will kill him with his flaming sword. Thor's son Magni will send a killing arrow toward Nidhoggr's head. Side by side, Odin and Thor will fight Fenrir and Jormungand. Odin will put his spear, Gungnir, in Fenrir's chest, but the wolf will crush Odin to the ground. Thor will kill Jormungand with his hammer, Mjollnir, but then will take nine steps backwards and fall down, poisoned by the serpent's venom. Tyr will kill the wolf dog Garm. Vidar will take revenge for Odin. The enemies Loki and Heimdall will their spears at each other at the same time and both will die. Modi will be surrounded by Giants, but Magni and Vidar will rescue him.
The winds will increase and blow Yggdrasil from every direction until the great World-Tree falls. The Dark Elves forge will tip and the World-Tree will burn. The Bifrost Rainbow Bridge will collapse and one by one each of the Worlds will fall. The remaining Aesir will escape in Freyr's ship, Skidbladnir. It will be almost taken by the Hel-ship Naglfar. Midgard will then be destroyed by fire, and will sink back into the sea.
This final destruction will be followed by a rebirth, the Earth reemerging from the sea. Seven sons of the dead Aesir will return to Asgard and rule the universe.
According to Norse Legend, the sacred Rainbow Bridge called Bifrost connects Midgard (the realm of humankind) with Asgard (the realm of the Gods). Also known as Asabru ("Bridge of Gods"), Bifrost was magically constructed from fire, water and air...whose quivering and changing hues it has retained. Not only do the Gods use this Bridge to travel to and from the Earth, it also leads to the Urdar Well, situated at the foot of the great ash Yggdrasil, where they assemble daily in council.
Of all the Gods onlyThor, God of Thunder, never passes over the Bridge for fear it might be demolished by his heavy tread and lightning bolts. The Watchman God Heimdall stands guard over over Bifrost night and day. Armed with a trenchant sword, he carries a trumpet called Giallar-horn, upon which he generally blows a soft note to announce the coming or going of the Gods. However, Heimdell is destined to sound a terrible trump at the dawn of Ragnarok...the time the Frost Giants will unite with Surtr to destroy the world. During Ragnarok...the end of the cosmos...it is said that Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge, will collapse and shatter beneath the weight of the monsters
Norse mythology
developed from the myths and legends of northern peoples who spoke Germanic languages. It shares many features with the mythology of pre-Christian Germanic groups. When some of these groups spread into England and Scandinavia, they carried their myths with them. As they converted to Christianity, their traditional beliefs faded. But Christianity did not take hold in Scandinavia until a later date, and the Norse version of Germanic mythology remained vigorous through the Viking era, from about A . D . 750 to 1050. Modern knowledge of Norse mythology stems from medieval texts, most of them written in Iceland. Descendants of Norse colonists in that country maintained a strong interest in their heritage even after becoming Christian.
A major source of information about Norse mythology is a book called the Poetic Edda, sometimes known as the Elder Edda. It consists of mythological and heroic poems, including Voluspa, an overview of Norse mythology from the creation to the final destructive battle of the world, called Ragnarok. The unknown author who compiled the Poetic Edda in Iceland around 1270 drew on materials dating from between 800 and 1100.
Around 1222, an Icelandic poet and chieftain named Snorri Sturluson wrote the Prose Edda, or Younger Edda, which interprets traditional Icelandic poetry for the audiences of Snorri's time. Part of the Prose Edda describes a visit by Gylfi, a Swedish king, to the home of the gods in Asgard. There the king questioned the gods about their history adventures, and fate.
cosmic large or universal in scale; having to do with the universe
medieval relating to the Middle Ages in Europe, a period from about A . D . 500 to 1500
saga story recounting the adventures of historical and legendary heroes; usually associated with Icelandic or Norse tales of the Middle Ages
Norse mythology is known from other Scandinavian texts as well. Many Norse poems refer to mythic events or figures. In the early 1200s, Icelanders started writing family sagas about their ancestors and heroic sagas about their legendary heroes. Many of these sagas contain references to mythological subjects. Also in the 1200s, a Danish scholar named Saxo Grammaticus wrote a history of the Danish people that begins with an account of
One story from Norse mythology tells of Sigurd, a hero who used a special sword to slay the dragon Fafnir. When Sigurd roasted and ate the beast's heart, he was able to understand the language of the birds. They warned him that he was going to be killed.
their pagan gods and ancient heroes. Works by earlier Roman and medieval historians also include information about Germanic and Norse myths. In A . D . 98, for example, the Roman historian Tacitus wrote Germania, a description of the Germanic tribes that mentions some of their religious beliefs and customs.
Read more: Norse Mythology - Myth Encyclopedia - Greek, god, story, legend, names, ancient, tree, war, world, Roman, creation, life, hero, king, people, children, creatures, evil, fire, monster, warrior http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Ni-Pa/Norse-Mythology.html#ixzz0sADHGju5
Norse mythology comes from the northernmost part of Europe, Scandinavia: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. The mythology of this region is grim, shadowed by long, sunless winters. But the darkness is laced with gleams of grandeur and sparks of humor. The myths depict a universe in which gods and giants battle among themselves in a cosmic conflict fated to end in the destruction of the world.
Read more: Norse Mythology - Myth Encyclopedia - Greek, god, story, legend, names, ancient, tree, war, world, Roman, creation, life, hero, king, people, children, creatures, evil, fire, monster, warrior http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Ni-Pa/Norse-Mythology.html#ixzz0sABWNTzF
