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"The aim of this book is to present the Vikings neither as blood-thirsty ruffians nor as blond, blue-eyed heroes, but to relate their activities to what is known of the material background of their lives. The society which emerges is different from the rest of Europe, and in some ways perhaps more archaic, but it is not one which can reasonably be called primitive, unorganised, or exceptionally cruel." --Tags
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Member Reviews
This book is old and very out of date, but that's what happens with research material. What it has is quite good, though. Simpson goes into law, politics, marriage, family life, farming, recreation, and more. Our research and understanding of the Vikings has changed since 1967, but it's still a very fascinating read.
Like any non-fiction book, this one should not be treated as any one true source of information. But what it does give you is a great jumping off point for further research, by giving the reader enough information to know what they should be researching. This book could be especially useful for fantasy and historical fiction writers, given the subject matter.
Like any non-fiction book, this one should not be treated as any one true source of information. But what it does give you is a great jumping off point for further research, by giving the reader enough information to know what they should be researching. This book could be especially useful for fantasy and historical fiction writers, given the subject matter.
UHYNPS92
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Author Information
22+ Works 2,581 Members
Jacqueline Simpson is the Secretary of the Folklore Society.
Some Editions
Series
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1967
- Quotations
- In 930 a law was passed (in Iceland) limiting the amount of land which newcomers might claim: a man should have only as much as he could walk round in one day, carrying fire with him; a woman, as much as she could walk round ... (show all)in one day, leading a two-year-old cow.
In any case, a bastard could be given full legal equality with legitimate children if his father adopted him. In Denmark and Sweden the procedure simply consisted in setting the child on the adopter's knee, and then publicly ... (show all)announcing the adoption at the Assembly. Norwegian laws contain a more colourful ceremony, which began by the adopter slaughtering a three-year-old ox and making a boot from the hide of its right leg; then he held a feast, during which the boot was set down in the middle of the hall, and first the adopter, then the child, then the rest of the family in turn, placed their right foot in it, thereby accepting the child as an equal member of their group.
Sagas give a good picture of the Icelandic horse fights. The stallions were led into a meadow where the crowds were gathered, and there were mares tethered near by to rouse them; they were loosed in pairs, and besides each ho... (show all)rse ran a man armed witha stout stick, to goad it if it began to yield ground. It was forbidden to use this stick against one's opponent's horse, but of course this rule was aften broken. Typical is the episode in The Saga of Thorstein of the Cudgel-Blow: Thorstein and Thord had arranged a fight between young stallions, and when they set them at each other it was Thord's stallion which was the less eager to bite. The Thord struck Thorstein's stallion on the jaw, for he thought his own was getting the worst of it, and this was a heavy blow; but Thorstein saw it, and in reply he struck Thord's stallion a far heavier blow, and so now Thord's stallion ran away, and all the men yelled with excitement. Then Thord struck Thorstein with the cudgel he had used on the horses, and the blow caught him on the eyebrow, so that the flesh was town and hung over the eye.
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, History
- DDC/MDS
- 914.8 — History & geography Geography & travel Geography of and travel in Europe Scandinavia and Finland
- LCC
- DL31 — History of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania Northern Europe. Scandinavia History of Northern Europe. Scandinavia Antiquities. Social life and customs. Ethnography
Statistics
- Members
- 107
- Popularity
- 302,940
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.58)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 5
