Viking World Exam Review with complete solution
Illerup Adal
Illerup Adal is a lake in Denmark that contains thousands of weapons from the Iron
Age Scandinavia, from 200-500 C.E. The weapons were likely taken from defeated
enemies and then sacrificed to the gods by throwing them into the lake, but not
before taking measures to render the weapon useless. This collection of artifacts not
only contributes to the understanding of Norse warfare, but it also describes Norse
pagan rituals involving sacrifices of both living and non-living goods.
Grontoft
Grontoft was a village on the western side of the Jutland peninsula that declined
before the impact of Rome reached Scandinavia. It shows that, in the 1st and 2nd
century C.E., Scandinavia had a relatively egalitarian social structure based on the
similarities in the size of the houses. This egalitarian nature would change radically
with the introduction of trade and communication between the Scandinavians and
Romans, which allowed some Scandinavians to become rich.
Hodde
Hodde was a village on the Jutland peninsula that was one of the earliest pre-Roman
Germanic settlements in that area. The village was arguable created 1 B.C.E., but it
reached its peak in the 4th century C.E. Unlike earlier Scandinavian societies, Hodde
demonstrates that the impacts of Rome did reach into Scandinavia, although the
Romans didn't control the area. Earlier Scandinavian settlements (such as Grontoft)
have egalitarian housing arrangements; however, trade with the Romans allowed
some people in Hodde to get rich, which resulted in class division within society.
emporia
Emporia were specialized port cities along the periphery of empires in North-West
that served as trading centers. They were the main places that trade goods flowed
through, and they consequently has a variety of merchandise and precious metals
contained in them. Northern emporia were under the control of Scandinavians while
southern emporia were under the control of the franks.These locations were also
where tax collectors, known a portreeves, would acquire taxes on traded goods,
which was a substantial source of revenue for the government. This material wealth
made emporia key targets for Vikings, and the first recorded Viking attack was on an
emporia in Southern England in 789. Throughout the rest of the Viking Age, emporia
were key targets for Vikings. Not only did Vikings raid emporia, but they also sold
their own goods through emporia. One example of an emporia is Dorestad.
Dorestad
Dorestad was a location in Northern Frankia along the banks of the Rhine river. Due
to its centralized location and the ease with which it could trade with other regions, it
was a noteworthy emporia that was also significant because it minted coins.
Dorestad thrived between the 7th and 9th centuries, where it then declined due to a
mix of Viking conquest and a decline in trade due to the decline of the Carolingian
Empire.
Hedeby
Hedeby was an important emporium between Scandinavia and Dorestad that served
as a way for the Scandinavians to trade with the rest of continental Europe. It was
located on the southern end of the Jutland peninsula and thrived from the 8th to 11th
centuries during the Viking Age. Hedeby was the largest Nordic city during the Viking
Age and functioned as a way to connect the North and Baltic seas.
Hjortspring Vessels
, Hjortspring Boat was a large canoe that was clinker built, 18 m long and 2 m wide,
and had a crew of approximately 20 who would paddle the boat. The ship is dated
from 400-300 B.C.E., and because of the wealth of treasure found in it, it is
considered a war sacrifice. This ship is the oldest wood-built Scandinavian ship
discovered.
Nydam Vessels
Nydam ship was a ship discovered in the southern part of Denmark that is widely
considered a war sacrifice, like the Hjortspring Vessels, but dates from the second
half of the 4th century. The ship is 75 feet long, 10 feet wide, and built entirely of oak.
This ship also demonstrates clinker-built ships held together with clench-nails. This
ship was likely designed for use on rivers.
Gokstad Ship Burial
The Gokstad Ship, built just before 900 A.D., was a ship found in Norway. The ship
was 76.5 feet long, and only needed several feet of water when sailing,
demonstrating the technical superiority of Vikings over other Europeans, at least
initially. Gokstad was buried with grave goods in a funeral service, but many of the
grave goods were scavenged. The Gokstad ship was both sea worthy and
riverworthy. The Gokstad ship was a clinker-built ship and extremely flexible and
strong. The Gokstad ship would have had a crew of 34, including 32 oarsmen, a
helmsman, and a captain.
Oseberg Ship Burial
Oseberg ship burial was another high profile funeral boats that also had the grave
goods plundered, but the common goods remains. Oseberg ship contained a female
burial, but women were not warriors in Scandinavian society. Oseberg ship was
dated to ca. 820s or 830s and is the earliest Scandinavian sailing ship.
dendrochronology
Dendrochronology is a scientific process that uses the tree rings in a tree to
determine the date that the tree was cut down. Dendrochronologists can also
oftentimes determine the location that the wood came from. This process is often
used to date Viking ships and artifacts when wood remains intact.
Roskilde/Skuldelev
The Roskild Fjord was the location of 5 ship excavations, termed the Skuldelev
ships, that is located in Denmark. The ships were dated to the 11th century and sunk
in order to protect a the fjord from external attack. The Skuldelev ships contain 5
different types of ships, including 2 warships (one the largest ever found) as well as
trade ships. To date, it is one of the most comprehensive finds of different Viking
ship types.
knarr
Knarr are trade ships that would have traded through the European continent. They
would also have held colonists and were responsible for transporting 10,000-20,000
colonists to Iceland. The hull of a Knarr was wider and deeper than that of a
longship, which resulted in it being able to fit more cargo at the cost of versatility and
speed. The only well preserved Knarr was found in Roskilde Fjord.
Skei
Skei is a location in Norway that contained a grave find of a bronze bucket and
bronze receptacle bowls. These bowls were made in England and Ireland,
respectively, and were acquired by the Scandinavians through raiding. These grave
goods demonstrate not only the extent of Viking raiding, but also that Vikings raided
practical goods as well as luxury goods.
Gotland
Illerup Adal
Illerup Adal is a lake in Denmark that contains thousands of weapons from the Iron
Age Scandinavia, from 200-500 C.E. The weapons were likely taken from defeated
enemies and then sacrificed to the gods by throwing them into the lake, but not
before taking measures to render the weapon useless. This collection of artifacts not
only contributes to the understanding of Norse warfare, but it also describes Norse
pagan rituals involving sacrifices of both living and non-living goods.
Grontoft
Grontoft was a village on the western side of the Jutland peninsula that declined
before the impact of Rome reached Scandinavia. It shows that, in the 1st and 2nd
century C.E., Scandinavia had a relatively egalitarian social structure based on the
similarities in the size of the houses. This egalitarian nature would change radically
with the introduction of trade and communication between the Scandinavians and
Romans, which allowed some Scandinavians to become rich.
Hodde
Hodde was a village on the Jutland peninsula that was one of the earliest pre-Roman
Germanic settlements in that area. The village was arguable created 1 B.C.E., but it
reached its peak in the 4th century C.E. Unlike earlier Scandinavian societies, Hodde
demonstrates that the impacts of Rome did reach into Scandinavia, although the
Romans didn't control the area. Earlier Scandinavian settlements (such as Grontoft)
have egalitarian housing arrangements; however, trade with the Romans allowed
some people in Hodde to get rich, which resulted in class division within society.
emporia
Emporia were specialized port cities along the periphery of empires in North-West
that served as trading centers. They were the main places that trade goods flowed
through, and they consequently has a variety of merchandise and precious metals
contained in them. Northern emporia were under the control of Scandinavians while
southern emporia were under the control of the franks.These locations were also
where tax collectors, known a portreeves, would acquire taxes on traded goods,
which was a substantial source of revenue for the government. This material wealth
made emporia key targets for Vikings, and the first recorded Viking attack was on an
emporia in Southern England in 789. Throughout the rest of the Viking Age, emporia
were key targets for Vikings. Not only did Vikings raid emporia, but they also sold
their own goods through emporia. One example of an emporia is Dorestad.
Dorestad
Dorestad was a location in Northern Frankia along the banks of the Rhine river. Due
to its centralized location and the ease with which it could trade with other regions, it
was a noteworthy emporia that was also significant because it minted coins.
Dorestad thrived between the 7th and 9th centuries, where it then declined due to a
mix of Viking conquest and a decline in trade due to the decline of the Carolingian
Empire.
Hedeby
Hedeby was an important emporium between Scandinavia and Dorestad that served
as a way for the Scandinavians to trade with the rest of continental Europe. It was
located on the southern end of the Jutland peninsula and thrived from the 8th to 11th
centuries during the Viking Age. Hedeby was the largest Nordic city during the Viking
Age and functioned as a way to connect the North and Baltic seas.
Hjortspring Vessels
, Hjortspring Boat was a large canoe that was clinker built, 18 m long and 2 m wide,
and had a crew of approximately 20 who would paddle the boat. The ship is dated
from 400-300 B.C.E., and because of the wealth of treasure found in it, it is
considered a war sacrifice. This ship is the oldest wood-built Scandinavian ship
discovered.
Nydam Vessels
Nydam ship was a ship discovered in the southern part of Denmark that is widely
considered a war sacrifice, like the Hjortspring Vessels, but dates from the second
half of the 4th century. The ship is 75 feet long, 10 feet wide, and built entirely of oak.
This ship also demonstrates clinker-built ships held together with clench-nails. This
ship was likely designed for use on rivers.
Gokstad Ship Burial
The Gokstad Ship, built just before 900 A.D., was a ship found in Norway. The ship
was 76.5 feet long, and only needed several feet of water when sailing,
demonstrating the technical superiority of Vikings over other Europeans, at least
initially. Gokstad was buried with grave goods in a funeral service, but many of the
grave goods were scavenged. The Gokstad ship was both sea worthy and
riverworthy. The Gokstad ship was a clinker-built ship and extremely flexible and
strong. The Gokstad ship would have had a crew of 34, including 32 oarsmen, a
helmsman, and a captain.
Oseberg Ship Burial
Oseberg ship burial was another high profile funeral boats that also had the grave
goods plundered, but the common goods remains. Oseberg ship contained a female
burial, but women were not warriors in Scandinavian society. Oseberg ship was
dated to ca. 820s or 830s and is the earliest Scandinavian sailing ship.
dendrochronology
Dendrochronology is a scientific process that uses the tree rings in a tree to
determine the date that the tree was cut down. Dendrochronologists can also
oftentimes determine the location that the wood came from. This process is often
used to date Viking ships and artifacts when wood remains intact.
Roskilde/Skuldelev
The Roskild Fjord was the location of 5 ship excavations, termed the Skuldelev
ships, that is located in Denmark. The ships were dated to the 11th century and sunk
in order to protect a the fjord from external attack. The Skuldelev ships contain 5
different types of ships, including 2 warships (one the largest ever found) as well as
trade ships. To date, it is one of the most comprehensive finds of different Viking
ship types.
knarr
Knarr are trade ships that would have traded through the European continent. They
would also have held colonists and were responsible for transporting 10,000-20,000
colonists to Iceland. The hull of a Knarr was wider and deeper than that of a
longship, which resulted in it being able to fit more cargo at the cost of versatility and
speed. The only well preserved Knarr was found in Roskilde Fjord.
Skei
Skei is a location in Norway that contained a grave find of a bronze bucket and
bronze receptacle bowls. These bowls were made in England and Ireland,
respectively, and were acquired by the Scandinavians through raiding. These grave
goods demonstrate not only the extent of Viking raiding, but also that Vikings raided
practical goods as well as luxury goods.
Gotland
