Your name in Runes:
The Vikings
 What does the word Viking mean? How did the Vikings themselves use the word?
The word Viking means a pirate raid from the language “Old Norse”. People who went off raiding in ships were said to be
“going Viking”. The Vikings themselves used it to mean someone who came from the fjords. The old Norse word "Vik" means
creek or inlet and referred to a person from the Vik which is today's Skagerrak.
 Where did they originate from? Cut and paste a map here showing you know which
countries exactly.
 What is the significance of the attack on, “ England's Lindisfarne monastery in A.D.
793?” Write the reasoning in your own words.
The significance of the attack on Lindisfarne monastery is
that the Vikings savagely attacked the
monks and pillaged one of Christendom's holiest shrines. Many believed God had sent the
Northmen as an act of divine judgment. For the next century, Europe's kingdoms were locked in
a life-and-death struggle against massive onslaughts by Viking fleets and armies.
 Who is Eric Bloodaxe?
o What is his importance to the Vikings?
Eric Bloodaxe’s importance to the Vikings is that he is one of the best known names in Viking history, he
was king of Norway until his brother took over, and the last independent king of north Northumbria, he is
known for his Viking raids in Scotland
o What is “The image of the archetypal Viking Warrior”? How is this image or
personae described?
o What was his wife known for? Why?
 What is so special about the Viking ships?
Viking ships are special because a single mast stepped amidships carried a large, square
sail. This gave the Longships speed and manoeuvrability and their shallowness of
draught allowed them to penetrate rivers. They needed no harbours because they were
designed to be beached on any type of sandy shore.
o What about the drekar? (click here for another website to use too)
Drekar's were stealthy troop-carriers. They could cross the open oceans
under sail and then switch to oars for fast attacks on undefended towns and
monasteries.
o How were they made to be water proof?
Sorry, I cannot find the information to answer this question.
o
Copy paste an image of one of the Vikings boat and label its parts.
 In regards to their Religion:
o
Who is Eddas?
Eddas are wonderful literary works which represent the old pagan beliefs as folk tales.
o What does the death of Christ have to do with their religion?
One of their folk tales describes how the chief god Odin was sacrificed to himself by being hanged on a
tree and pierced in the side with a spear, and this was followed by a sort of resurrection a few days later
- a clear parallel with Christ's crucifixion
o Who is their most powerful one-eyed god?
Odin the god of war and death
o Who was their most popular god?
Thor the god of thunder
o What were they the gods of?
The gods of war and death, and thunder
 The Viking Diaspora: here you are to click on five countries and tell of the influence
or the discoveries of the Vikings at each place.
 Viking Quest: here you are to be a Viking. Think like a Viking. You are a Viking!
Homework: For those of you who have not completed The Viking Diaspora then you have
homework, which is to complete the Viking Webquest. Once you have accomplished your
task, please post your results on your Wiki-space for grading.
Bibliography
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/runes.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/vikings/who_were_the_vikings/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/bloodaxe_01.shtml#four
http://www.viking.no/e/travels/elongship.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/ships.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/vikings/trade_and_exploration/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/religion_01.shtml
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/diaspora.html