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Between the infamous Lindisfarne raid in 793 CE and the Norman conquest of 1066, the peoples we now know as the Vikings became one of the most far-ranging and influential civilizations in history. The Vikings are frequently portrayed as raiders, marauding across medieval Europe and Britain, but the culture and society of the medieval Nordic peoples were so much more diverse, multifaceted, and influential than they are often depicted.
In 24 Hours in the Viking World, author and Viking expert Kirsten Wolf chronicles an hour in the life of 24 individuals from every corner of Viking society over the course of a single day. From the warrior to the thrall, the shipbuilder to the farmer, the poet to the oracle, each chapter offers a snapshot of the world as it was in medieval Scandinavia and an insight into how these people lived, loved, worked, fought, and died.
24 Hours in the Viking World presents an absorbing, grounded, and tangible look at what it was really like to be alive during this pivotal era in history.
Acknowledgements 7
Introduction 9
7th Hour of the Night (00.00-01.00): A Farmer is Murdered in His Bed 13
8th Hour of the Night (01.00-02.00): A Skald Wounded in Battle is Treated by a Healer 22
9th Hour of the Night (02.00-03.00): A Woman Gives Birth 32
10th Hour of the Night (03:00-04:00): A Baker Starts Making Bread 42
11th Hour of the Night (04.00-05.00): A Trader Gathers His Goods 52
12th Hour of the Night (05.00-06.00): A Woman Defends Her People 62
1st Hour of the Day (06.00-07.00): A Baby is Spared from Being Exposed 73
2nd Hour of the Day (07.00-08.00): A Man Prepares for Military Action 81
3rd Hour of the Day (08.00-09.00): A Son Buries His Revenant Father 90
4th Hour of the Day (09.00-10.00): A Rune Master Unveils His Work of Art 99
5th Hour of the Day (10.00-11.00): A Lawspeaker Announces a New Law 108
6th Hour of the Day (11.00-12.00): A Slave Woman Breaks Her Silence 116
7th Hour of the Day (12.00-13.00): A Man is Accused of Being Homosexual 124
8th Hour of the Day (13.00-14.00): A Chieftain Returns from a Viking Raid 133
9th Hour of the Day (14.00-15.00): A Man Fights in a Single Combat 144
10th Hour of the Day (15.00-16.00): A Woman Decides to Divorce Her Husband 155
11th Hour of the Day (16.00-17.00): A Housewife Prepares a Special Dinner 163
12th Hour of the Day (17.00-18.00): A Man is Compensated for the Loss of His Brother 173
1st Hour of the Night (18.00-19.00): A Boatbuilder Finishes Building a Ship 184
2nd Hour of the Night (19.00-20.00): A King Attends a Sacrificial Feast 195
3rd Hour of the Night (20.00-21.00): A Chieftain is Burned in His House 205
4th Hour of the Night (21.00-22.00): A Woman Takes Up Arms 215
5th Hour of the Night (22.00-23.00): A Daughter Prevents Her Father from Committing Suicide 224
6th Hour of the Night (23.00-00.00): A Man Breastfeeds a Baby 234
About the Author 245
Picture Credits 246
Sources 249
Bibliography 255
Names 257
Index 263