Viking Constructions

Hi everybody!

    I would like to show you some constructions that Vikings have built around the world. The word Viking comes from the ancient language called Old Norse and means "pirate raider". 

   First, I am going to talk about the Viking ships, called Longships, which were very important in the Viking Age. As we know, the Vikings of Norway, Denmark and Sweden were the undisputed masters of the seas from the late 8 ^th  to the 11 ^th century. The Vikings livelihood depended on vessels beyond where they could fish and carry out their formidable pirate raids. Archaeologists have discovered remains of huge long ships of the 9 ^th century along the northern coast.

Representation of Drakkar

   In general, all parts of a Viking ship was made ​​of wood, even the rivets. The Vikings used axes to cut down trees and wedges to make them fall in the desired directions. The last step in the construction of a Viking ship of war, called Drakkar, was added fierce dragon heads at the front to ward off evil spirits and sea monsters. They retired them after the 
ship docked in earth again, 
in order to not scare the spirits from 
the friendly earth that helped them.                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                             

Representation of Knar

   There were different types of ships according to size and function. For example the Knarr, which was used for longer voyages, or the Karve which was used for human transport. Both of them were very similar.

          

   These impressive boats gave Viking civilization a tremendous advantage over their competitors in the open sea. The Vikings’ warships brought conquest and changed Europe and the North Atlantic in these centuries. The first forays may have been caused by trade disputes. 

   The Vikings started to invade Britain about 789 AD and continued to arrive for about 200 years. Just as the Anglo-Saxon had done 400 years earlier, the Vikings came across the North Sea. They imposed their culture on all the sites in which they settled, spread their religion and values ​​across the continent and even their languages ​​mixed with the native languages ​​of Britain and Wales to form the roots of modern English. They may even have been the first Europeans to reach North America. 

   Now, I am going to talk about the Viking houses. I could find so much information about them. Most Vikings lived on farms. The Viking house shaped like the Viking ship with oval sides, called Long houses, and somewhere between 30 and 50 people living together in a house, the entire family and their slaves, and often domestic animals in a stable room at one side. 

Viking house reconstruction. Denmark.

   This Viking house reconstruction at the Fyrkat Viking Fortress in Hobro, Denmark, is a typical Viking house design. Note the many poles at the sides, supporting the walls and the roof, which is made of small wooden roof tiles.  




   The house usually had only one room with a cooking fire in the middle. The smoke from the fire escaped through a hole in the roof. The houses were often close to each other to form a settlement or small village. This also gave good protection in the event of an attack on the village by enemies.

   The Vikings lived mainly along the coastlines of the countries or along the rivers which ran into the sea. Some Vikings lived further inland but, like most settlements and villages, they were often located near to rivers. 

Viking settlement