The Scandinavian Viking Age spanned from approx. 800 to 1050 AD. The Vikings explored both eastern and western regions through trade, travels and conquest.

The equipment of the warriors

Weapons were an emblem of free men, and they were an inseparable part of a festive costume. Used for both warfare and hunting, weapons were men's companions throughout their lives, and a man was often buried alongside his weapons. The most common weapons found in graves are spears, axes, seaxes, swords and shields.

Seafaring

The Vikings were skilled shipbuilders and sailors and excellent navigators. They travelled on ships built for both sailing and rowing. The invention of the keel made the Vikings undefeated sailors. Thanks to the keel, they could build wide, seaworthy ships with a small draught. The steering oar was attached at the rear on the right side of the ship. This is why the right side of the ship is still called starboard, based on the Swedish word styrbord (styra=to steer). The typical Viking warship was approx. 30 metres long and had 32 rowers.

The worship of Thor

The Viking mythology and religion were very diverse. Their well-known gods and concepts include the war god Odin, the thunder god Thor and the fertility goddess Freya, and Valhalla, the hall of the dead, where the valkyries or Odin's maidens led the warriors killed in battle.

Thor was a very popular god among the people, since he protected the farmers against mythological giants. Thor's weapon Mjölner was an enormous hammer, which he used to kill giants. The Vikings believed that Thor used the Mjölner to cause thunderstorms. Many Vikings wore necklaces depicting a hammer.

Home life - clothing and jewellery

During the Viking Age, elaborately decorated clothes were a sign of the wearer's ranks and wealth. In women's attire, jewellery played an important role. Jewellery made from bronze and – in around the 11th century, silver jewellery – were a sign of the wearer's wealth and position in society. Even on weekdays, when the best jewellery was not worn, there was no mistake as to who was the mistress of the household. Women wore keys to the house, granaries and silver chest on their waist-belts as a sign of their power. Women's jewellery and household utensils were buried with them.