2. The first ever
recorded Vikings was
in a raid in the 790s
and the last recorded
raid was in 1066,
during the Norman
Conquest of England.
3. The Vikings are mostly known for causing or being in wars and fights,
mostly caused by pirating, raiding and exploring. Not all the things they
did was violent, they also traded. Between the 8th to the mid 11th century
they settled in many parts of Europe. The most known Vikings items were
horned helmets and there huge longboats which they used for raiding and
traveling. The longboats helped them travel to Russia, Iceland, Greenland,
Newfoundland and Al Andulas. This is know known as the Vikings Age.
The Viking age has formed a huge role in medieval history in Scandinavia,
Britain, Ireland and the rest of Europe.
Model of a
Viking Longboat
4. The vikings mostly lived in Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
Social affairs were held at an assembly called “The Thing”.
Crimes were settled and daily affairs were handled. In the
Viking society the people were divided into three classes
from strongest to weakest: Jarls, Karls and Thralls. Jarls were
the strongest and tallest and their occupation was war. The
Karls or freemen were farmers, craftsmen or normal citizens.
The Thralls were pretty much slaves and they had to do a lot
of the dirty work. They had no legal rights and most of them
were prisoners
5. Viking houses were not made for comfort but for living and safety. Viking houses were
built of stone, wood or turf depending on which materials they had access to. The
houses were long, with sloping hay or turf roofs while the floor was dug below the
ground level. The walls were made of woven wooden sticks, covered with mud to
keep out the wind and rain. Most houses just had one room for a family to share but a
rich family may have an entrance hall, bathroom, kitchen and a large main room. In
Viking towns
houses were
usually very
crowded and
close together.
Diagram of a
Viking house.
6. The wealthier Vikings were
usually Jarls. Karls could be
wealthy if they sold their own
slaves to other tribes. The rich
Vikings were the only citizens
might be able to pay for a bed.
Wealthy Vikings were even
given different funeral
ceremonies then others.
Instead of being buried they
were put in a truck or a wagon
as the Vikings believed in life A jarl helmet.
after death. Wealthy Vikings
could also afford wine rather
than just beer.
7. Food of the Vikings
Vikings hunted harvested and ate
many foods. Some of the foods
that the Vikings harvested were:
wheat, barley and rye. They also
had some vegetables like
cabbage, onions and leeks. They
also would make bread and
porridge. They also grew: plums
and apples. They would also get
nuts and berries from the forest
The Vikings also ate fish a lot.
Some fish they ate were herring
and cod. They also raised animals
like pigs, sheep and goats. The The Vikings couldn’t grow much food for the
Vikings couldn’t grow much food Winter so they salted or smoked the many
for the Winter so they salted or animals they killed in the Fall. They also
smoked the many animals they sometimes hunted seals or whales. Plates and
killed in the Fall. bowls were made of wood and beverages were
drank out hollow horns called drinking horns.
8. Family Life of the Vikings
At home the Viking husband would be
the one who would handle the farming
and would sometimes pilot boats, and
the mother would do the housekeeping
and make meals. The man would be the
one in charge generally and the kids
helped their mother in the house. The
girls would keep helping the mother out
but the boy would start to help his
father with farming.
9. In the Viking society girls were married between the
ages of 12 and 15. As soon as a Viking woman got
married she would do all of the housekeeping and
cook the food. The dowries normal
woman would bring would be a
bed, and other furniture and goods.
Woman from richer families would
also bring jewellery of silver and gold. If a woman
wanted a divorce because the husband was slacking off
or for other reasons than she would have to get
witnesses to see the husband mess up. If she didn’t get
the witnesses she wouldn’t be able to take her dowries
back with her.
10. There is little known about the Viking childbirth.
What is known is that women were the only caregivers
during birth and a midwife or a witness of a birth was
considered a “helping women”. The delivery
techniques in the birth didn’t change much over also.
11. If a baby was born with any sicknesses or disabilities the Vikings would
leave the baby to die. Childhood was very hard because there were
many diseases they did not have cures for and many kids did not live to
their 15th birthday. If a Viking lived to be 10 years old they were
considered adults. Instead of going to school they were required to do
housekeeping at the age of 5. Boys were treated differently than girls.
The girls learned how to do the housekeeping and how to make meals,
whereas boys learned how to do farm work and learned how to use a
sword. They were also taught how to pilot ships in water.
12. Canada Viking
If a baby was born and had a
Almost equal rights as adults. disability or sickness, the
Usually treated more kindly
Don’t have
Childhood
baby would be left to die.
than adults. Have a hard life.
cures for
Have special rights. some No School.
Don’t work at young age. diseases.
Adults at age of 10.
Rights
Aloud to have there own All Boys were taught to work
opinion on farms, use swords and
sometimes to steer boats at
Both boys and girls have school.
the age of 5.
Pretty easy life
All girls had to do
Have cures for some diseases housekeeping and make
meals
13. Vikings did not have an education system or a school.
Instead boys and girls learned to take care of the house
and farm. Boys learned how to navigate ships and
sword play, whereas girls just learned to take care of
the house and cook. Boys also learned how to farm.
14. The Vikings originally believed the Pagan Religion of multiple Gods and
despised Christianity. However nearing the end of the tenth century the
Vikings changed their religion to Christianity. Their old religion was
similar to the Roman and Greek beliefs. They would think that if they
treated the Gods well they would protect the Vikings against evil. Because
of this the Vikings had sacrifices called “The Blot”. They would generally
sacrifice animals. They also believed in this called “ The Final Day” where
everyone would die in a world filled with fire.
15. A god of the
One common god in the Viking Civilization was the
god Odin. He was the chief god and was the father of
Thor, Balder, Hoder, Tyr, Bragi, Heimdall, Ull, Vidar,
Hermod and Vali. Odin was married to 3 women
which were, Fjorgyn, Frigga and Rind. He had a habit
of disguising himself as a human to seduce and
impregnating women. A drawing of the god Odin
16. Clothing
Viking wore clothes similar to some
other cultures. Men wore tunics and
trousers, while women wore long
dresses, a long apron and usually a
scarf over there head. Some facts
about Viking dressing style was it was
thought to be un-cool for a Viking
man to show too much bare chest,
Vikings fastened there clothes with
ties and brooches and Vikings grew
vegetable plants to colour there
clothes. The clothes were made from
linen, wool, animal skins and fur.
17. The Vikings had three types of art in general. One was
drawing different varieties of animals called Jellinge Style.
Another was making homemade ornaments made of gold
and silver called Ringerike style. They also did wood
carving called Urnes style. The Vikings did have music, and
most of the instruments were made of the wood from the
elder trees. They had lyres, recorders, blast horns (made
out of cow horns), and big drums made out of wood and
animal skin.
18. From October 29 to November 2nd the festival
called the winternights is held in Viking villages
everywhere. They would have a feast and a time to
remember the deaths that past year. It represents
the end of Summer and the beginning of Winter. It
also marked the beginning of the wild hunting
where they would all go hunting to prepare for
Winter. For Vikings there were only 2 seasons
Summer and Winter.
19. CONCLUSION
As you can see the Vikings
are a very interesting, but
violent civilization.
Vikings were always doing
something from making
clothes to starting wars.
By many people they may
be considered cool and
awesome but by others
they are just cold blooded
killers.
20. “Vikings” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking#The_Viking_Age
http://www.dougcabot.com/lore/vi_social.html Viking Social Structure
Tim Lambert: http://www.localhistories.org/vikinglife.html
Viking life: http://www.viking.no/e/life/ewomen.htm
Viking Childbirth http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/medicine.shtml
http://library.thinkquest.org/C003446/a.php?b=9
Hatt Christine: The Viking World, published in Chicago Illinois by Heinemann Library
Bailey Linda: Adventures with the Vikings Published in Toronto by Kids Can Press Ltd.
Norse holidays and festivals: http://www.wizardrealm.com/norse/holidays.html
Viking Gods http://www.rosala-viking-centre.com/gods.htm
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/music.shtml
