S8 Ep767: Eleanor Barraclough offers a poignant look at the Norse settlement of Greenland, founded by Eric the Red in 985 AD. At the Herjolfsness graveyard, well-preserved organic material reveals the coarse, patched clothing of 15th-century inhabitants, indicat
S8 Ep767: Eleanor Barraclough notes the Viking Age is often said to end in 1066 with the death of Harald Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge — a legendary figure who served as an imperial bodyguard in Constantinople before returning to Norway to claim the Eng
S8 Ep767: Eleanor Barraclough recounts archaeological discoveries in the Surtshellir lava cave in Iceland, revealing it as a site for ritual offerings to the fire giant Surtr. Deep inside, researchers found a stone boat outline containing jasper fire-starters and a
S8 Ep767: century Christian authors like Snorri Sturluson, requiring historians to be cautious when interpreting pagan beliefs. These stories describe the world's creation from fire and ice and its eventual destruction at Ragnarok, including the ship Naglfar constr
S8 Ep767: Eleanor Barraclough explores how reliquaries — holy Christian containers — were stolen during raids and repurposed as jewelry for Norse women, suggesting early raids were driven by young men seeking wealth and status to establish households. Barraclough a
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