Whithorn Priory and Museum in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, includes a small collection of Hiberno Norse Material from excavations at this important site.
People once thought that Vikings drank from the skulls of their enemies. This is a misunderstanding of Krákumál 25 where it states: 'drekkum bjór af bragði ór bjúgviðum hausa' 'drink beer at once from the…
Statue by Einar Jónsson erected in 1924 at Arnarhóll in the centre of Reykjavík. It depicts Ingólfr Arnarson, who is named in Landnámabók ('The Book of Settlements') as the first Scandinavian settler in Iceland. He is said to have named…
This is Sigurd pictured slaying the dragon Fáfnir on the Ramsund carving (Sö 101), carved in the mid eleventh century. The runic inscription which the scenes from the legend accompany refers to a certain Sigriðr raising a bridge in memory of her…
This is a photo of a building named Jötunheimar in Heimaey, the only permanently inhabited island in the Westman Islands. Jötunheimar refers to the 'Giant Land' of Norse mythology. However, we are not sure where this building got its name, or what…
Many place names in Iceland reference the earliest Norse settlers, such as this example of Ingólfshvoll (Ingólfr's Hill), referring to the first permanent settler, Ingólfr Arnarson whose name appears in several place names in the vicinity of…
In addition to many streets bearing Norse names, some buildings also have Norse roots. This example of a house named 'Seagate' (or sea street) may reference a road that has changed its name.
The Manx Loghtan Sheep is a breed particular to the Isle of Man. It is very similar to the Gutefår (or Gotlandic sheep), the oldest breed in Scandinavia, and was probably introduced to Man by the Viking settlers.
The Manx Loghtan Sheep is a breed particular to the Isle of Man. It is very similar to the Gutefår (or Gotlandic sheep), the oldest breed in Scandinavia, and was probably introduced to Man by the Viking settlers.
The Calf of Man is an Island lying off the south coast of the Isle of Man. Its name derives from Old Norse kalfr, meaning both a calf and (as in this case) a small island lying off a larger one.