Viking artefacts discovered across a vast geographical range, from Russia and modernday Turkey to Greenland and North America, bear witness to an artistic legacy that astonishes by its beauty, wealth and diversity. This richly illustrated introduction to an extraordinary people presents an art of immense sophistication, ranging from exquisite gold jewellery to superbly decorated weapons of war, breathtakingly intricate woodcarvings, and vividly incised and painted runestones.
This north European civilisation has always had a special place in the popular imagination. "The Vikings" reflects favourite themes, including: the restless spirit of these warrior-explorers and their extraordinary voyages in quest of trade as well as adventure, booty, conquest and glory; the mighty pantheon of gods and goddesses such as Odin, Freyja, Thor and the mischief-making trickster Loki; the mysteries of the afterlife, including Valhalla (land of dead warriors) and the Underworld domain of the goddess Hel; the warrior cult, which produced the terrifying Berserks (fighters who believed themselves to be possessed by wolves or bears in battle); and the ceremonies and sacrifices that accompanied the magnificent longship burials of the Viking chieftains.
A superb addition to any library of art and the imagination, The Vikings sets new standards in capturing the achievements of an ancient civilisation through the marriage of word and image.
Author(s): Tony Allan
Publisher: Duncan Baird Publishers
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 144
City: London
IMAGE AND IMAGINATION 6
The Soul of the Vikings 8
The Story of the Vikings 10
Map: The Viking World 11
Raiders of the Fjords 18
The Art of the Vikings 20
Secrets of the Runes 26
The Futhark 28
Runestones of the Kings 30
SAGAS OF GODS AND GIANTS 32
The Viking Cosmos 34
The World Tree 38
Aesir and Vanir 40
Odin, Lord of Sacrifices 42
Spirits of the Forests 46
Freyja, Mistress of Love 48
The Divine Thunderer 50
The Hammer of Thor 52
Loki, Master of Mischief 54
Giants, Dwarfs, and Monsters 56
Serpents and Dragons 58
The World Serpent 60
The Battle at the End of Time 62
THE RESTLESS SPIRIT 66
Conquest and Plunder 68
Longships of Valhalla 70
Shipbuilding 72
Decorated for Valor 74
The Watery Road 76
Lords of the Volga 80
The Norsemen and the City 82
A Seamless Flow 84
The Island of Fire 86
On Vinland's Shores 90
BELIEF AND RITUAL 92
Gifts for the Gods 94
The Ceremonial Feast 96
Magic and Transformation 98
The Mystic Spiral 102
Omen and Prophecy 104
In Pursuit of Fertility 106
The Meeting Place of the Chiefs 108
Jewelry and Amulets 110
The Coming of Christianity 112
THE SWORD AND THE HELM 114
A People at War 116
Commanders of the Brave 120
The Warrior Visage 122
Fate and Glory 124
The Art of Warfare 126
The Viking Armory 128
Ships of Stone 130
The Feasting Hall of the Dead 132
Viking Rulers/The Norse Gods 136
Further Reading 138
Index 138
Picture Credits 144
