Good morning, we are watching the Ascent of Civilization series and are now going to learn about the Vikings. The run time for this documentary is 50:31.
The Vikings discovered America 500 years before Columbus and revolutionized exploring and trading. The Vikings lived in the north of Europe in widely scattered communities. The Romans called it Scandinavia. It was a land of fire and ice. In the beginning, the Vikings lived peacefully along the coastlines. That changed when they started to terrorize Europe. No man, woman, or child was safe from Viking raids. So how did this group of seafarers change Europe? It is 739 and the Viking long boats are spotted off the British Isles. Their target is a small monastery in Lindisfarne. It is an important pilgrim destination in the north of England and is home to monks. The monks are devout and peaceful. They do not have weapons to defend their treasures. The monks are seen as an easy target for the Vikings. The warriors on the boat are ready to take what does not belong to them. The warriors are battled hardened and this raid on the monastery would not be their first. The raid on Lindisfarne marks the Viking entrance into history. The victims of the raids are often left in fear. The Viking warriors are brutal and show no mercy. They take what they want and any survivors are sold into slavery. The loot is divided when they get back to the ships. The Vikings leave behind death and destruction. More attacks follow after this raid on Lindisfarne. They are the most successful warriors during the Middle Ages, and the people are in fear. The Viking weapon is basic and many of them do not wear helmets. The horned helmets they were alleged to have worn are just a myth. The next discussion on the Vikings is how the warriors, particularly the Berserkers, got their courage. Some people suggest that the Vikings ate mushrooms or other plants that worked as intoxicants. Other suggests that they ate fungus. Some suggested that biting their shields was a form of hypnosis. One final suggestion was that the berserkers shouted and ramped themselves up. One historian talks about the weapons and how the Vikings may have named them. The Viking ship was the most effective Viking Weapon. The Viking Ships were the fastest and most stable of their time. They were ideal for raids. The Vikings traveled widely over the seas targeting areas of commerce. Despite their brutality, Vikings did have a peaceful side to them. The Vikings lived as farmers, merchants, and craftsmen when they were not raiding. They lived off the land. The blacksmiths were famous and they would take the loot to melt down. The Vikings lived in longhouses; the large longhouses were owned by the Chief. The Vikings were organized into family groups and then into clans. The women are in charge of the household. All important decisions are made by the Assembly. Free Viking men were called together to make a decision and they came together at an appointed time and place. It is one of the rare times Vikings came together. Haithabu was a Viking town, where people came together to trade with the Vikings. It is here where international business connections are made. Haithabu harbor is famous for all the ships that come into it. It is described as the “big down at the far end of the ocean.” Parties at Haithabu are famous and getting drunk was a sign of masculinity. A poet is often at these parties and presents praises to the Viking leader. The Vikings have an oral tradition it was only in the 12th Century their stories were written down. The stories are about the Viking gods and Viking mythology is rich and colorful. Nature provided everything the Vikings need. It also provides the Vikings with tales for their mythology. I thought the Nova episode on the Vikings was a good summary of the Vikings, but I find this episode better. It had a really good pace and the information was presented nicely. The discussion on the Viking ship and shipbuilding was fascinating providing a good deal of detail and was much better than what was presented in the NOVA episode. This would be a good episode to show to a history class because it is an excellent introduction to the Vikings.
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