Etnobotânico tem uma nova teoria sobre qual planta os vikings realmente ingeriam. Os lendários guerreiros vikings nominados Berserkir eram conhecidos pela ferocidade em batalha, pois supostamente lutavam imersos em raiva cega (berserkergang), numa espécie de transe, uivando como animais selvagens, mordendo seus escudos e muitas vezes sem distinguir aliados de inimigos no calor de batalha. Contudo, os historiadores sabem pouquíssimo sobre os Berserkir além dos antigos e dispersos mitos e sagas épicas vikings. Uma suposta fonte do comportamento seria que os furibundos guerreiros ingeriam um tipo específico de cogumelo com propriedades psicoativas, entretanto, agora, um etnobotânico está desafiando essa hipótese, sugerindo que a henbane é a candidata mais provável, conforme um artigo publicado recentemente no The Journal of Ethnofharmacology. Accounts of the berserkers date back to a late ninth-century poem to honor King Harald Fairhair. The 13th-century Icelandic historian/poet Snorri Sturluson described Odin's berserkers as being "mad as dogs or wolves" and "strong as bears or wild oxen," killing people with a single blow. Specific attributes can vary widely among the accounts, often veering into magic or mysticism. There are claims that berserkers were not affected by edged weapons or fire, but they could be killed with clubs. Other claims say they could blunt the blades of their enemies with spells or just by giving them the evil eye. Most accounts at least agree on the primary defining characteristic: a blind ferocious rage. The onset of berserkergang purportedly began with bodily chills, shivering, and teeth chattering, followed by swelling and reddening of the face. Then the rage broke out, and once it abated, the berserker would experience both physical fatigue and emotional numbness for a few days. Several hypotheses have been proposed for why the warriors would have behaved this way, including self-induced hysteria—aided by biting their shields and howling—epilepsy, ergot poisoning, or mental illness. One of the more hotly contested hypotheses is that the berserkers ingested a hallucinogenic mushroom (Amanita muscaria), commonly known as fly agaric, just before battle to induce their trancelike state. A. muscaria has a distinctly Alice in Wonderland appearance, with its bright red cap and white spots. While it's technically toxic to humans, the mushrooms are apparently safe to ingest after parboiling them twice. A. muscaria was very popular as an intoxicant among Siberian tribes, possibly holding religious significance because of its psychoactive properties. The latter aspect is due to two compounds: ibotenic acid and muscimol, with muscarine (first discovered in 1869) most likely responsible for some of the more unpleasant side effects. The 'shroom typically induces a drunken state with auditory illusions and shifts in color vision. It can also induce vomiting, hyperthermia, sweating, reddening of the face, twitching and trembling, dilated pupils, increased muscle tone, delirium, and seizures. Much of that is consistent with accounts of berserker behavior. But according to Karsten Fatur, an ethnobotanist at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) is a much better candidate. It's been around since ancient Greece and has been used in various cultures throughout history as a narcotic, painkiller, cure for insomnia, and anesthetic. It's a common treatment for motion sickness and can produce short-term memory loss. It can knock out someone for 24 hours, and in rare cases henbane can lead to respiratory failure. It's also been investigated as a possible truth serum. Henbane even found its way into early European beers, gradually being replaced with hops after the passage of the Bavarian Purity Law in 1516. Fatur argues that while both the mushrooms and henbane could account for increases in strength, altered consciousness, delirium, jerking and twitching, and red face commonly associated with the berserkers, aggressive rage is not common with the mushroom. Fatur cites several cases involving angry behavior associated with plants related to henbane, containing the same alkaloids. "This anger effect can range from agitation to full-blown rage and combativeness depending on the dosage and the individual's mental set," he wrote. "As this is perhaps the most defining component of the berserker state, this symptom is of central importance in identifying the potential causes and provides a very critical reason as to why H. niger is a more appropriate theoretical intoxicant for the berserkers than A. muscaria." Henbane can also dull pain (hence the accounts of berserkers being nearly invulnerable), contribute to an inability to recognize faces, cause removal of clothing, and lower blood pressure, which Fatur suggests might account for the assertion that berserkers didn't lose much blood when injured with blades. And berserkers purportedly suffered from numerous side effects for several days following that battle high. The mushrooms typically don't produce lingering side effects; henbane does, including headache, dilated pupils, and blurred vision. Fatur suggests that A. muscaria would have been much more rare in Scandinavia—it typically grows in forests since it flourishes in a symbiotic relationship with tree roots. Henbane, in contrast, grows rapidly as a weed and is known to have flourished in Scandinavia during the berserker era. And a woman's grave in Denmark, dating back to about 980, included a pouch of henbane seeds, along with clothing and jewelry, according to Fatur. Naturally, a few caveats are in order. There are elements of berserker behavior that henbane cannot account for, such as the biting of shields and chattering teeth. And Fatur notes that much of this is speculative, since there simply isn't sufficient archaeological or historical evidence to prove or disprove his hypothesis. He himself has no specific expertise in history or archaeology, so the ethnobotanist is calling on future research by those communities to confirm or disprove his unique ethnobotanical perspective. DOI: Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2019. 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112151 (About DOIs) This story originally appeared on Ars Technica. FONTE: WIRED https://www.wired.com/story/how-vikings-went-into-trancelike-rage-before-battle/ Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #Berserker #Berserkir #Henbane #VikingsAlucinados #FúriaViking #LivrosVikings

Após três anos de construção, foi inaugurada a mais longa ponte viking do mundo. O fato se deu na Dinamarca e contou com a participação de mais de 1000 pessoas durante a sua concepção. A ponte liga o Museu Nacional da Dinamarca a um sítio arqueológico viking. Durante as obras, foram utilizados apenas materiais e tecnologias da Era Viking, fazendo da ponte uma verdadeira obra prima. Na inauguração, houve festa temática e passeios pela ponte. Clique aqui e assista em inglês um vídeo sobre o tema, publicado pela Inside Edition. Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #PonteViking #AMaiorPonteVikingdoMundo #ConstruçãoViking #LivrosVikings

As autoridades locais da Zelândia Ocidental, uma ilha dinamarquesa, deram sinal verde para que seja reerguida uma fortaleza viking em seu sítio arqueológico original, mais de 1.000 anos depois de sua primeira construção. O projeto é o resultado de muitos anos de planejamento por parte do Museu Nacional da Dinamarca e do município de Slagelse. O conselho da cidade de Slagelse, posicionada entre Copenhague e Odense, aprovou o projeto e o financiamento, de acordo com a TV2 Øst da Dinamarca. While a complete fortress will not be built, the plans include the building of one of the gates, many meters of tall wooden walls and a moat, along with scenes to illustrate the full extent of the defensive capability as it would have looked in the year 981. The Trelleborg archaeological site is already home to a reconstructed longhouse that plays host to an annual Viking festival, one of the biggest of its kind in Scandinavia. The addition of a reconstructed ring fortress would create an international tourist attraction unique in Scandinavia. Anders Rosbo, Head of Communications at Visit Denmark, told TV2 Øst that this would improve the appeal of Trelleborg—and Denmark—to British, Italian and French tourists with an interest in Viking history. “We are not only competing with Sweden and Norway, but also with experience trips, nature trips and gastronomy travel. I have no doubt that a stronger offer will also attract more visitors and thus also attract more to the area,” he said. Only used for a short time Trelleborg is the best preserved of the seven Viking ring fortresses found in Denmark and southern Sweden. While the scale of these constructions–built in an exact circle with roads and gates pointing in the four cardinal directions–is impressive, they were not home to generations of Vikings. It is believed that such fortifications were only used for a period of up to ten years. Historians also believe the ring fortresses were built not to defend Viking territory from foreign invaders, but to claim and protect land from other Viking tribes. Denmark and Sweden are currently seeking joint UNESCO World Heritage Site status for the seven sites, including Trelleborg. The reconstruction work is planned to begin in the coming months. FONTE: Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnikel/2019/09/17/denmark-to-rebuild-viking-ring-fortress/#3b5886e81dd0 Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #FortalezaViking #ReconstruçãoViking #VikingsDinamarqueses #LivrosVikings

Partindo de uma história domiciliar dos vikings, Marianne Hem Eriksen traçou as relações diretas entre a casa, a política e a história dos vikings. A casa viking, diferentemente do que se espera com uma visão contemporânea, não era um espaço neutro, tendo importante papel no campo político. Ela era considerada estágio primário para legitimar hierarquias, que eram visíveis dentro da distribuição dos espaços. A pesquisadora Marianne Hem Eriksen se dedicou ao estudo dessas plataformas domiciliares para, a partir delas, como fontes materiais, elucidar o conhecimento sobre a sociedade escandinava. Numa análise do cotidiano dessas pessoas, foi constatado que não apenas a casa era um espaço político, mas mesmo a categoria da família era mais ampla, não se conformando ao núcleo, mas todo o arredor, com os subordinados, os trabalhadores do campo, os animais, os convidados e os filhos de todo mundo. E, no campo arquitetônico, as distinções entre esses grupos eram acentuadas: os escravos, por exemplo, moravam em uma sala extra com uma lareira no estábulo da casa, pertencendo espacial e socialmente aos animais. Outra característica socialmente relevante é que a casa não compartilhada apenas entre os vivos. Muitos materiais da Idade do Ferro comprovam a regularidade do convívio entre a vida cotidiana dos vivos e sepultamentos domésticos, como bebês enterrados na lareira, ou dentro de vigas. E, provavelmente, a disposição desses enterros teve muito significado entre os familiares que compartilhavam aquele espaço. "Às vezes as pessoas mantinham os mortos por perto, incorporando-os no espaço vital. Bebês e antepassados podem ter ajudado a proteger a casa, ancorá-la nas histórias locais ou capacitar seus moradores.", disso Eriksen. Ao mesmo tempo, a morte é um tema de bastante ansiedade nesse conjunto humano e, na possibilidade da presença dos mortos criar uma situação negativa, parte desse hábito para com os mortos faz parte de um objetivo de controle do limiar do mundo dos vivos. Nesse sentido, era comum nas casas vikings o estabelecimento de pontos de contato com os mortos e, no limite, com o próprio tempo. Na documentação escrita, há relatos que deixam a entender que o limiar físico da casa tem relação com esse limiar de universos e que passar os limites da casa (“por cima de dobradiças e vigas” ou “sobre a porta”) possibilita o contato com outros mundos. Os arqueólogos também encontram coisas - como panelas, facas e anéis de ferro - enterradas nas portas ou perto delas. Talvez esses objetos protegessem a casa de poderes e seres externos. E o depósito de artefatos simultaneamente forjou e incorporou um elo entre a vida cotidiana das pessoas e suas casas. É possível estipular que a relação entre habitantes da casa e seus objetos cotidianos é estritamente intima. Acredita-se que, com a mudança dos ocupantes de um espaço, todos os artefatos são trazidos juntos. Assim, é possível compreender a sociabilidade e a história dos vikings não a partir de suas guerras ou viagens, mas partindo de uma visão do agente histórico como gerado por uma perspectiva e uma experiência que parte, inevitavelmente, do ambiente domiciliar. Nesse sentido, os recentes esforços para uma História do Cotidiano são bastante caros à historiografia, além de serem interessantes. FONTE: Aventuras na História https://aventurasnahistoria.uol.com.br/noticias/historia-hoje/pesquisadora-revela-detalhes-de-como-eram-casas-dos-vikings.phtml Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #CasaViking #HistóriaViking #PlataformasFamiliaresVikings #LivrosVikings

Poderoso rei viking acabou destruído por um inimigo após a morte, num quase caso de ataque zumbi. Na história existem mortes tão bizarras que parecem contos de ficção. E a mais estranha entre elas talvez seja a de Sigurd, o Poderoso. Sigurd Eysteinsson (r. 875-892), foi o jarl (chefe) de Orkney, que se localiza no norte da atual Escócia. A conquista deste território elevou a popularidade do viking e as ilhas dessa região escocesa eram todas bases vikings. Em seu reino, o líder também tomou os condados atuais de Caithness e Sutherland. De acordo com os estudos da Saga de Orkneyinga, Sigurd desafiou um líder nativo chamado Máel Brigte, o Dentuço, para uma batalha de 40 homens para cada tropa. O viking quebrou o acordo e levou o dobro de homens em sua tropa, quando a tropa inimiga continha os 40 combinados. Assim, mais uma vez ele ganhou a batalha e além de conquistar mais território, levou a cabeça de seu inimigo como troféu. Como costume, os vikings penduravam as cabeças em seus cavalos por garbosidade e como uma mensagem pouco sutil a quem quisesse enfrentá-los. A cabeça de Máel foi amarrada à sela. Conforme o cavalo andava, os dentes pelo qual era famoso arranharam a perna de Sigurd, numa espécie de mordida pós-morte. Dias depois, o líder foi tombado por uma infecção e não resistiu. E, com isso, tornou-se o mais próximo de uma morte por zumbi na História real. FONTE: Aventuras na História https://aventurasnahistoria.uol.com.br/noticias/almanaque/sigurd-eystensson-mordido-cabeca-historia.phtml Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #ZumbiViking #MordidaAssassina #ReiVikings #SigurdoPoderoso #LivrosVikings

A Era Viking terminou faz algumas centenas de anos. Contudo, o que e quando aconteceu? Nós demos uma olhada detalhada na linha do tempo viking. A Era Viking segue o período da Idade do Ferro Germânica. Dentre os anos 793 e 1066, os nórdicos usavam os rios e os oceanos para explorar a Europa a fim de comerciar, pilhar e conquistar. Obviamente, os relatos históricos antigos estão longe de serem exatos. Muito do que sabemos sobre a era, é baseado nas Sagas Islandesas, histórias escritas centenas de anos após os eventos terem ocorrido. Isso se de fato ocorreram. Essas são as maiores críticas às histórias vikings. What historical records there are tend to have been left by the people that the Norsemen conquered. So while those accounts will likely paint a one-sided picture, they do at least help us begin to pull a Viking timeline together. Bear in mind when reading these dates and facts that many historians disagree on the details! In some cases the dates aren’t clear, in others there’s some doubt whether the events even happened at all. The early days 791: Raids begin on the British Isles. Early targets were Christian monasteries on small islands, which were often unprotected. One of the most famous early raids was in 793 at Lindisfarne, north east England. It was described by Anglo-Saxon writers as “Heathen men came and miserably destroyed God’s church on Lindisfarne, with plunder and slaughter,” according to English Heritage. 830: The Oseberg ship is buried. Arguably the finest artefact to have survived the Viking age, the Oseberg ship discovered near Tønsberg was buried around this time. The skeletons of two women were found with the ship. The ship is today on display in Oslo, while a reconstruction bobs in the harbour of Tønsberg. 840: Norse settlers found Dublin. Or rather, they seized the ecclesiastical settlement and began to build a camps of their own, which would go on to become the capital of the Republic of Ireland. Far and wide 844: Muslims repel a Viking raid in Spain. Vikings sailed up the Guadalquivir river to raid Seville. A Muslim army fought back, and the rapid Muslim response dissuaded the Vikings from further attacks on Spain. 866: Vikings establish a Kingdom in York. Danish Vikings take York in the north of England, and establish a Kingdom. The Northumbrian kings Aelle and Osbert were not captured, however. You can learn more about York's perspective on the era's history at the Jorvik Viking Centre. Control and establishment 872: Harald I gains control of Norway. According to medieval Icelandic historians, Harald Fairhair (Harald hårfagre) became the first King of Norway and would rule to 930. He was regarded to have unified Norway after the the Battle of Hafrsfjord. The famous swords sculpture of Stavanger commemorates this moment. 878-890: The Danelaw pact. The Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum is signed, defining the political split of England between Alfred and the Danes. The Old English document survives in Cambridge's Corpus Christi College. Southern Europe 900: Raids along the Mediterranean. Vikings began a series of raids in the Med. A few years later, the Swedish Olef the Wise led a force to Constantinople, the city now known as Istanbul. He was well paid to turn around and leave. 911: Rollo founds Normandy in France. Viking chief Rollo is granted land by the Franks after he besieged Paris. The descendants of Rollo and his followers adopted the local languages and became the Normans. Battles in Britain 910: Battle of Tettenhall / Wednesfield. Forces from Mercia and Wessex combined to defeat the Northumbrian Vikings. The battle saw the defeat of the last great Danish army to ravage England. 915-918: Battles of Corbridge. On the banks of the Tyne River, an army of Englishmen fighting under the Norse King Rægnald defeated the Scots. The second encounter is also known as the Battle of Bloody Acres. Even farther, even wider 941: Rus Vikings attack Constantinople. The Rus and their allies took advantage of the Byzantine fleet and army being thinly spread. The Imperial capital essentially stood defenceless. The Rus' were said to have violently killed their victims. It was one of many wars between the two sides. 981: Erik the Red discovers Greenland. Expelled from Norway and later Iceland, Erik the Red settled in Greenland with 25 ships, people and goods. Within around 20 years, more than 3,000 Vikings were said to be living on Greenland as farmers. 986: Viking ships sight Newfoundland. L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site is the only authenticated Norse site in North America. Leif Erikson is the man credited with discovering the region, but according to stories it was Bjarni Herjolfsson who first discovered the land, having been blown off course from a journey to Greenland. About 10-15 years later, Erikson would go on to lead an expedition to the New World. The influence of Christianity 995: Norway's Viking King builds a Christian church. The founder of Trondheim, Olav Tryggvasson built the first Christian church in Norway. He had spend time on the Scilly Isles, where a seer is said to have foreseen a battle in which Tryggvason would suffer great wounds and then convert. Shortly after the meeting he survived a vicious attack, and duly converted. He returned to Norway to take the throne, and so began Norway's slow conversion. 1000: Christianity arrives in Iceland and Greenland. Although the faith had already begun to spread, it really took hold when Norway's King Olav began to convert chieftains. He also imposed trade restrictions on those that refused. The last days 1015: The North American settlement is abandoned. The area known as ‘Vinland' was abandoned, most likely due to limited supplies and the long journey required to trade with Scandinavia. 1030: The Battle of Stiklestad. Norway's Christian King Olav Haraldsson was defeated in the Battle of Stiklestad. Churches and shrines to Saint Olav were built in his honour across Europe. Some historians doubt the authenticity of the battle however, and say Olav could have been killed by his own people. 1066: Battles in England. England's King Harold Godwinson defeated Norway's Harald Hardråda at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, while William Duke of Normandy defeated the Saxon King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. FONTE: Life in Norway https://www.lifeinnorway.net/viking-timeline/ Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #CronologiaViking #LinhaDoTempoViking #EraViking #IdadeDoFerro #LivrosVikings

Runas são os caracteres do alfabeto escrito mais antigo dos povos germânicos, o Futhark. O alfabeto rúnico foi usado nas línguas germânicas, principalmente nos países nórdicos. A palavra runa vem do norueguês rún, que significa mistério ou segredo. Pouco se sabe sobre as origens do alfabeto rúnico e ninguém sabe exatamente quando, onde ou quem o inventou. Early Runic Inscriptions Inscriptions have been found throughout northern Europe from the Balkans to Germany, Scandinavia, the British Isles and Iceland, and were in use from about 100 to 1600 AD. Runic inscriptions have even been found in North America, supporting claims that the Vikings arrived in the Americas long before Columbus. These days English and other Northern European languages are written using Latin letters, but they used to be written using “Runestaves.” The oldest known runic inscription dates to 160 AD and is found on the Vimose Comb simply reading “HARJA”. More than 4,000 runic inscriptions and several runic manuscripts have been found with approximately 2,500 of these coming from Sweden. Many date from the 800's to the 1000's, during the period of the Vikings. Runic texts are found on hard surfaces such as rock, wood, and metal. The characters were also scratched on coins, jewelry, monuments, and slabs of stone. The Runic alphabet is known as Futhark after the first six runes, namely f, u, th, a, r, and k. It consisted of 24 letters, 18 consonants and 6 vowels, and was a writing system where each character marked a certain sound. Runes could be written in both directions and could also be inverted or upside down. The earliest runes consisted almost entirely of straight lines, arranged singly or in combinations of two or more. Later runes took on more complex forms and some even resemble modern day letters of the English alphabet. Experts believe the writing of the word ‘futhark’ itself may have been used for ancient Norse magic. For example, an amulet made from the tooth of a brown bear that was found in Orkney in the 1930s containing this word is said to have been used for protective or fertility magic. Futhark Origins Because of the resemblance to Mediterranean writing, it is thought that Futhark was adapted from either the Greek or Etruscan alphabet and its origin begins further back than the pre-history of Northern Europe. The earliest Futhark inscriptions don’t have a fixed writing direction, but instead were written left-to-right or right-to-left, which was a feature of very archaic Greek or Etruscan alphabets before the third century BC. One theory is that the runic alphabet was developed by the Goths, a Germanic people. Two inscriptions, the Negau and the Maria Saalerberg inscriptions, written in Etruscan script in a Germanic language and dating from the second and first centuries BC, give credence to the theory of Etruscan origins. The result is that runes can be pretty tricky to decipher, even by ‘experts’, especially when found incomplete or faded - as was the case with a rune inscribed whetstone found in Norway. Experts appealed to the public for assistance in translating the ancient script. Elder Futhark – The Oldest Runic Script Elder Futhark is thought to be the oldest version of the runic script, and it was used in parts of Europe that were home to Germanic peoples, including Scandinavia. It consisted of 24 letters, and was mostly used before the ninth century AD. This is the ancestor language of English, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Icelandic. As languages changed and more Germanic groups adopted it, Futhark changed to suit the language that it came to write. An early offshoot of Futhark was employed by Goths and known as Gothic Runes, which was used until 500 AD, before it was replaced by the Greek-based Gothic alphabet. Elder Futhark was used until 550 AD around the Baltic and North Seas to write the language described by Antonson as ‘North-west Germanic’. Unlike other forms of runes, the skill of reading Elder Futhark was lost over time, until it was rediscovered with its decipherment in 1865 by the Norwegian Sophus Bugge. Younger Futhark or "Normal Runes" evolved from Elder Futhark over a period of many years and stabilized by about 800 AD, the beginning of the Viking Age. Instead of 24 letters, the Scandinavian "Younger" Futhark had 16, as nine of the original Elder Futhark letters were dropped. The Younger Futhark is divided into two types, short-twig (Swedish and Norwegian) and long-branch (Danish). It was the main alphabet in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark throughout the Viking Age , and largely (though not completely) replaced by the Latin alphabet by about 1200 AD, which was a result of the conversion of most of Scandinavia to Christianity. Futhark continued to be used in Scandinavia for centuries, but by 1600 AD, it had become little more than a curiosity among scholars. Futhark is Brought to Britain Between 400 and 600 AD, three Germanic tribes, the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes, invaded Britain and brought Futhark from continental Europe with them. They modified it into the 33-letter "Futhorc" to accommodate sound changes that were occurring in Old English, the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons. The name "Futhorc" is evidence to a phonological change where the long /a/ vowel in Old English evolved into an /o/ vowel. Even though Futhark thrived as a writing system, it started to decline with the spread of the Latin alphabet here as well. In England, Anglo-Saxon Futhorc began to be replaced by Latin by the ninth century AD, and it did not survive past the Norman Conquest of 1066. By the 1000's, missionaries had converted the Germanic peoples to Christianity. A Secret Religious Formula? As runes date from before the time Northern Europe became Christianized, they have become associated with the "pagan" or non-Christian past, and thus a mystique has been cast upon the runic alphabet. The many meanings of the word rune have led to a number of theories linking the origin of the runic alphabet to cultic use . When the missionary bishop Wulfila translated the Bible from Greek into Visigothic in the fourth century, he translated the word mysterion to runa. One theory, therefore, is that the oldest Proto-Norse or Proto-Germanic meanings of the word may have been “religious mystery” or “secret religious formula.” In popular culture, runes have been seen as possessing mystical or magical properties . Historical and fictional runes commonly appear in modern popular culture, particularly in fantasy literature, video games, and various other forms of media. Many modern Wiccan sects use runes ceremonially and ritualistically as well. FONTE: Ancient Origins https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-ancient-writings/futhark-mysterious-ancient-runic-alphabet-northern-europe-003250 Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #Futhark #AlfabetoRúnico #RunasVikings #LivrosVikings

Os primeiros vestígios de vida humana nas Ilhas Faroé remontam à era viking, mas novas análises de pólen sugerem que as pessoas, e talvez até a agricultura, existiam nas ilhas muito antes da chegada dos vikings. Há muito que se especula que os monges irlandeses poderiam ter migrado para o norte, às Ilhas Faroé, muito antes dos Vikings chegarem lá. Mas, apesar dos incansáveis esforços de muitos cientistas, nada foi encontrado para provar que as pessoas viviam nas Ilhas Faroé antes do ano 800 dC. Até agora... Cereal pollen indicates early farming on the Faroe Islands Over the past few years, scientists from Aberdeen University in Scotland have found something in early Faroese pollen samples that gives them a reason to rethink Faroese prehistory: cereal pollen. But does finding flower dust from domesticated plants actually prove that anyone lived on the Faroes several centuries before the Vikings arrived there? And that they were farmers? The answer is maybe. The researchers are sweating over soil samples and archaeological finds to unravel the mystery, but it’s not an easy task. Kevin Edwards, a professor of physical geography and archaeology at Aberdeen University, tells ScienceNordic about their work: ”One of the main problems with cereal pollen is that it is produced in tiny quantities. Cereal pollen grains are also very large, and that means they don’t spread far with the wind. That’s why it’s so important to find it.” "On the Shetland Islands we examined an area where the conventional methods did not reveal any traces of local agriculture. But we had archaeological evidence that grains were processed there. So the theory was that the grains were grown at more suitable sites on the islands and subsequently transported to the area which we examined". - Kevin Edwards Scientists want better samples They have now found cereal pollen in the early samples from the Faroe Islands. There’s just one problem, though: the soil where they found the cereal pollen is far from ideal for accurate pollen analysis: “It’s problematic that the sites where we found cereal pollen aren’t very good,” says Edwards. “It’s likely that the soil has been cluttered up, partly as a result of soil erosion, where soil from fields on nearby hillsides has fallen down into the low-lying peat bogs.” Since peat bogs are the sites where the researchers can find samples of preserved pollen, the British research team is very keen to find samples from moors, so they can be sure that there is no clutter in the soil layers. Now scientists will find cereal pollen if it’s there In the meantime, they have come up with a way to make it easier to study large amounts of data and find the important cereal pollen – if it’s there to be found at all. “Normally when you study pollen samples, you magnify them 500 times in a microscope,” says Edwards. “Then you’ll get a clear view of it all – not only cereal pollen but also pollen from trees and herbs. But since cereal pollen is far larger than the other types of pollen, we can identify them using only 100x magnification.” He explains that he and his colleagues first do the normal pollen counts with 500x magnification to get an idea of which plants were growing in the area, so they can figure out what the landscape looked like. They then set the microscope to 100x magnification and go through numerous samples, this time scanning only for the large cereal pollen. That way they minimise the risk of leaving something out. Takes forever to count large amounts of pollen Since even the tiniest samples contain large amounts of pollen, the scientists don’t need to go through vast amounts of material to get a general idea of the appearance of the landscape. This means that the rare cereal pollen can escape if the researchers are not on their guard, he explains, using an example from the Shetland Islands, located just south of the Faroes: ”On the Shetland Islands we examined an area where the conventional methods did not reveal any traces of local agriculture. But we had archaeological evidence that grains were processed there. So the theory was that the grains were grown at more suitable sites on the islands and subsequently transported to the area which we examined,” he says. ”But with our low-magnification method we could study far more samples. And once we had done that, more cereal pollen popped up. This is how we documented that agriculture was practiced locally, all the way from the Bronze Age right up to the Viking period and beyond.” Perhaps there really were people and agriculture on the Faroe Islands before the arrival of the Vikings. The pollen finds would suggest so, but further studies and improved samples are required for a conclusive answer to that. ScienceNordic will be keeping a close eye on their work and will keep you updated on the progress. FONTE: Science Nordic https://sciencenordic.com/agriculture-agriculture--fisheries-archaeology/new-signs-of-pre-viking-life-on-the-faroe-islands/1381829 Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #DNAViking #VikingsDeFaroé #SinaisPréVikings #LivrosVikings

Você sabe quem descobriu a América? Há divergência de opiniões sobre quem descobriu a América. Descubra o porquê dessa divergência e saiba quem descobriu a América. Antes do século XVI, quando as regiões do mundo ainda eram desconhecidas uma para as outras e não havia mapa-múndi para saber onde cada país e região ficava, os mais curiosos saiam a caminho do oceano para tentar fazer novas descobertas. Assim, nesse meio de descobertas, a América foi encontrada, descoberta esta que é popularmente atribuída a Cristóvão Colombo. Como Colombo descobriu a América? Com a expansão marítima, era de grande interesse europeu a descoberta de novos locais para colonizar e a extrair riquezas naturais, já com a importância do comércio. Além disso, as novas rotas comerciais para a índia, famosa naquele tempo por suas especiarias e ponto de comércio, eram o maior interesse na época. A história relata que foi nessa busca que houve o descobrimento das Américas, mais especificamente em 12 de outubro de 1492. Aconteceu quando a armada de Cristóvão Colombo, desembarcou em uma ilha chamada pelos índios de Ilha de Guanahaní, pensando que havia desembarcado nas índias. Colombo batizou essa ilha como San Salvador (Bahamas). Quem foi Cristóvão Colombo? Cristóvão Colombo foi um navegador e explorador nascido me Gênova, província italiana, no ano de 1451. Era pertencente a uma família rica de artesãos. Desde os 10 anos Colombo já se interessava pela navegação, época esta em que teve sua primeira experiência no mar. No ano de 1476, quando tinha 25 anos, Colombo sofreu um naufrágio na região ao sul de Portugal, quando estava no interior de uma caravela comercial. Porém, esse acidente não foi o suficiente para lhe tirar dos mares. Assim, foi em busca de apoio, porém, as coroas portuguesa e espanhola lhe negaram suporte para se aventurar nos mares. Em 1942, Colombo conseguiu apoio dos reis Católicos de Aragão e Castela. Com isso, pode navegar e explorar regiões desconhecidas e em decorrência disso pode “descobrir” a América. Entretanto, mesmo após desembarcar na América e conhecer a região, Colombo não realizou que a terra que havia desembarcado se tratava de um novo continente. Foi Américo Vespúcio, que fez viagens nessa mesma época para esse “Novo Mundo”, que descobriu que ali se tratava de um continente diferente, após fazer viagens pelo litoral. Após o Brasil ser “descoberto”, em 1500, Américo faz diversas viagens a essas terras e, junto a outros navegadores, explorou as Antilhas e o litoral Atlântico ao sul, em busca de novas terras. Em 1508, eles descobrem a Península Yucatán, no México, e, em 1512, desembarcam na Flórida e ao Delta do Mississipi, nos Estados Unidos. Com todas as descobertas, os navegadores concluem que se tratava definitivamente de um novo continente. Assim, os cartógrafos que tentavam montar um mapa para o novo continente, colocaram nome de América, em homenagem a Américo Vespúcio. O chamado “descobrimento”, não representa o surgimento de um “novo mundo’, pois já havia povos habitantes do local, os denominados povos ameríndios, mas esse termo é o mais utilizado. A chegada dos vikings à América no século X Há contestações de que foram os vikings que descobriram a América e, a partir do seculo 19, estudiosos passaram a afirmar que os vikings chegaram nas Américas antes mesmo de Cristóvão Colombo. Essas afirmações se dão pela existência de um sítio arqueológico, com vestígios de presença viking em L’Anse aux Meadowa, na ilha de Terra Nova. Esses vestígios datam de por volta do século 10, muito antes da chegada de Colombo. Além disso, em 2010, cientistas europeus encontraram um gene típico de navios norte americanos no DNA de descendentes de uma única mulher, representando um total de 350 islandeses. Assim, as evidências comprovam que os vikings foram os primeiros estrangeiros a pisas em terras das Américas. FONTE: Escola Educação https://escolaeducacao.com.br/quem-descobriu-a-america/ Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #VilarejoViking #AméricaViking #LivrosVikings

Alguns sinais de trânsito em Aarhus, na Dinamarca, estão sendo substituídos por novos símbolos. As luzes vermelhas e verdes dos semáforos têm agora figuras vikings, para relembrar a história da cidade. O vereador responsável pela pasta de Tecnologia e Ambiente de Aarhus, Bünyamin Simsek, revelou esta segunda-feira os primeiros 17 sinais de trânsito com figuras de vikings, que aparecem com machados e escudos. Bünyamin Simsek escreveu no Twitter que Aarhus tem um “papel especial na história Viking dinamarquesa”, lembrando que muitas das ruas no centro da cidade se encontram exatamente no mesmo sítio em que estavam no século X. “Em colaboração com o Museu Moesgaard, vamos partilhar histórias do espaço urbano e fortalecer a narrativa do nosso DNA”, acrescenta o vereador. Os sinais serão colocados nas ruas que circundam o centro de Aarhus, uma cidade fundada pelos vikings no século VIII e que se tornou na altura um movimentado centro portuário. FONTE: Sapo 24 https://24.sapo.pt/atualidade/artigos/cidade-dinamarquesa-coloca-figuras-vikings-em-sinais-de-passadeiras Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #SemáforoViking #VikingsDinamarqueses #LivrosVikings

A população irlandesa estava em "sério decline" antes da chegada dos vikings, e novas pesquisas sugerem que os nórdicos tiveram mais sucesso que os nativos para expandir a povoação. Assumia-se que a população irlandesa crescia constantemente através dos séculos antes da "Fome" de 1840, mas novas estimativas mostram um grande declínio cerca de 200 anos antes da chegada dos vikings no século X. Academics from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) used rigorous archaeological data science algorithms to analyse a database of archaeological sites discovered during Ireland’s Celtic Tiger years, when there was a boom in motorway building and other developments. The researchers examined the radiocarbon readings that were included on excavation reports from these archaeological sites, and translated those readings into the level of activity during the early medieval Ireland period. Dr Rowan McLaughlin, research fellow from the School of Natural and Built Environment at QUB, said based on these readings, Ireland’s population appears to have gone into an unexplained decline about 700AD. “Millions of people lived in Ireland during prehistory and the earliest Christian times,” he said. “Around the year 700, this population in Ireland mysteriously entered a decline, perhaps because of war, famine, plague or political unrest. However, there was no single cause or one-off event, as the decline was a gradual process.” The researchers said the data showed the importance of migration as, without the Vikings, the population decline could have been much worse. “The Vikings settled in Ireland in the 10th century, during the phase of decline and despite being few in number, they were more successful than the ‘natives’ in expanding their population,” Dr McLaughlin said. “Today, genetic evidence suggests many Irish people have some Viking blood. This large database has opened up a completely new perspective on the past that we simply could not obtain any other way,” he added. Better understanding Emma Hannah, lead author of the paper, said the method used in the study would allow scientists to have a better understanding of that time. “Often in archaeology we are focused on interpreting the evidence from a single site, but analysing quantities of data in this way allows us to think about the long term,” Ms Hannah said. “Now we know these broad trends, we can better understand the details of everyday life. “It was quite surprising because the popular narrative is that there was increase in intensity of farming activity during the time but when we looked at the readings it showed a slowdown in agriculture and farming activity,” she added. Ms Hannah intends to continue this research during her PhD by looking at a subset of the data, and testing how craftwork in Ireland developed and evolved over the same period. “I’ll look at craftwork activity, like iron working, fine metal working and textile production,” Ms Hannah said. “There’s this perception that somewhere around 900, when the Viking towns were established and were really successful, that craftworking at rural, everyday sites kind of migrated towards these urban towns. “I’m trying to determine how much that is the case and trying to see how craft production as a whole relates to Viking urbanism,” she added. The research from Queen’s School of Natural and Built Environment has been published in the Journal of Archaeological Science. FONTE: Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/ireland-s-population-in-serious-decline-before-vikings-arrival-1.3993346 Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #PopulaçãoIrlandesa #VikingsNaIrlanda #Vikings #LivrosVikings

A cultura viking está entrelaçada com as histórias dos deuses nórdicos. No entanto, foram os vikings também que introduziram o cristianismo na Noruega. Começando mais de 1.000 anos atrás, a Era Viking foi uma época de mudança religiosa na Escandinávia. A história é longa e complexa, mas extremamente fascinante ao mesmo tempo. A maioria dos estudiosos modernos descarta a descrição dos primeiros vikings como pagãos que odiavam os cristãos, enquanto eles ainda mantinham crenças pagãs, ao contrário, a maioria dos especialistas acredita que os ataques às igrejas não têm relação com a religião. Para os vikings, as igrejas e mosteiros eram simplesmente edifícios mal defendidos com riquezas atrás de suas paredes. The Old Norse beliefs There isn't a great deal of evidence of Old Norse paganism as very little was written down. Rooted in rituals and oral tradition, Old Norse was fully integrated into everyday life. So much so, that it was seen as lifestyle rather than religion. The concept of religion as we know it today was only introduced to Scandinavia through Christianity. Paganism is occasionally mentioned in viking sagas. However, such sagas were mostly written down in Iceland in the 13th-century, a couple hundred years after Christianity was introduced. Who knows how these more modern beliefs coloured the memories of history? We do know that chieftains held a priest-like role, and that pagan worship likely involved the sacrifice of horses. We also know that Vikings weren't one people. They lived in groups across a vast region. That said, it's likely that these groups saw themselves to a certain extent as one with other speakers of Old Norse across northern Europe. The pre-Christian belief systems shared many ecological, economic and cultural ties. Like the Greeks and the Romans before them, the Vikings worshipped several gods. The best known is Odin, God of Wisdom, Poetry and War. Odin's son Thor—the God of Thunder—and the goddesses of fertility Freyr and Freyja are other notable names. The vikings sailed far and wide The raids on the British Isles and elsewhere brought the Vikings into more regular contact with the Christian world. It's believed that the Vikings maintained their own beliefs after the raids, but came under political pressure to convert if more peaceful relationships were to be formed. Christians were not supposed to trade with pagans. It is therefore believed that many vikings had to undergo some form of ‘temporary christening' in order to trade. It fell short of a full baptism, but showed a willingness to accept Christianity. That was enough to allow trade to take place. When Christianity came to Norway Most people know the story of Olav Tryggvason returning to Norway with Christianity in tow. But the religion had actually already spread to Scandinavia, albeit on a limited basis. As early as the year 725, attempts were made to convert Scandinavia. That's when Anglo-Saxon St Willibrord led a mission to Denmark. Christians and worshippers of Odin and Thor lived side by side in the city of Hedeby. You could even buy both the Christian cross and Thor's hammer in the local jewellery shop. Sometime around 950, Håkon the Good attempted to establish Christianity with his royal authority. It quickly became clear that he would lose the support of pagan chieftains if he insisted. That made the decision for him, so he abandoned the idea and sent his bishops back to the British Isles. Olav Tryggvason returned to Norway in the summer of 995 intending to claim the throne. This was the moment that the wide-scale conversion truly began. He brought with him many ships, plus several English priests and a bishop. When he landed on the island of Moster, he held the first official Christian mass in Norway. But it took around 35 years for the religion to be adopted in Norway. Archaeological evidence suggests that Christianity was adopted gradually. Individual settlements would convert based on whether the local chieftain converted or not. Better safe than sorry The introduction of Christianity to Norway took a lot longer than many people realise. Whether the religions were seen as comparable, or people just didn't want to risk upsetting the old gods or the new gods, we'll never know. Norway's historic stave churches feature elaborate carvings that mix together Christian and Viking symbols. That surprises many people considering the earliest remaining example was built as late as the 12th-century. Many of the church roofs are lined with dragon carvings, while inside, intricately-carved portals retell ancient tales. Norway’s oldest stave church, Urnes, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The northern wall features a beautifully carved panel depicting a snake biting and being bitten by another animal. The Romanesque basilica layout of the church along with the carvings make it an important example of the combination of traditional Norse symbols and medieval Christian influences. Evidence of this lengthy crossover period can also be seen in cemeteries across the UK, where many Scandinavians settled. Some ancient gravestones carry both the hammer and cross. Coins tell a story Also in the UK, Viking era coins from York carry the name of St Peter. But look a little closer, and you'll see that the final ‘I' in ‘PETRI' is actually Thor's hammer! The York Museum Trust explain how some coins from the rea provide an important insight into how Viking rulers worked with the Christian church, or didn't: “By contrast Jorvik king Olaf Sihtricsson proclaimed his militant independence with coins bearing his title in the Old Norse language. Later Eric Bloodaxe, York’s last Viking king, used a Viking sword design. After he left the city it was never used again.” A constant mix of old and new In his book Nordic Religions in the Viking Age, Thomas A. Dubois summed up the situation nicely. Both for centuries prior to Christianisation and the centuries thereafter, communities and individuals developed their own versions of religion. This would include their own deities, rituals and world view that helped to explain their present situation. New ideas would enter these contructs based on economic and cultural influences, while old ideas lingered. “Thus, Nordic religion at any given point in space or time could be seen as both an artifact of its past and a reflection of its present.” FONTE: Life in Norway https://www.lifeinnorway.net/viking-religion/ Assine a nossa newsletter ou inscreva-se em nosso Blog Viking para receber as novidades do Mundo Viking em tempo real e, por favor, não deixe de seguir-nos em nossas redes sociais. #ReligiãoViking #VikingsNoruegueses #LivrosVikings