The Viking's Haul

20/11/2025

Herbs have always been important to every people & culture, in every part of the world. Our ancestors were no different. They used herbs as medicines and as flavourings in food. Those knowledgeable and skilled in their use were treated with respect. Even today, there are those who make great use of the many plants around us.

In the Viking and Saxon periods in Britain, herbs were a vital part of daily life, used for medicine, cooking, and ritual purposes.

Common herbs like thyme, sage, and mint were grown in small garden plots near homes or monasteries.

Medicinal uses were widespread: yarrow stopped bleeding, nettles treated joint pain, and chamomile eased stomach ailments. Vikings and Saxons relied heavily on natural remedies, often guided by local herbalists or learned monks.

Herbs were also important in the kitchen, adding flavor to simple diets of meat, fish, and grains. Some, like rosemary and dill, were used for preservation, while others, such as marjoram and fennel, enhanced stews and broths.

Beyond food and medicine, herbs held symbolic and magical significance. Sage and juniper were thought to ward off evil spirits, while certain plants were used in rituals to protect livestock or bring good luck.

Even today, many of these herbs continue to grow in English gardens, a living link to the practical and spiritual lives of the Vikings and Saxons.

Thanks to Regia Anglorum for the photo

20/11/2025

The start of more Temuka.
Much more to come. This was one bag… …there’s eight boxes to come!

19/11/2025

Odin’s words of wisdom - Viking Age advice for daily living. Mostly every bit as relevant, today, as they were then.

Timeless wisdom and sage advice flow from this epic poem found in the Poetic Edda. Said to be the words of the mighty All-Father, Odin, it is one of the most important sources for ascertaining the philosophical mindset of people in Viking societies.

16/11/2025

Not Viking, but a fantastic project. Scotland is planning to build a broch - the first in possibly 2,000 years!

I’ve put a link to the actual project in the comments below⬇️

This will be the first broch built in Scotland for two millennia.

16/11/2025

That’s the end of cataloguing the mountain of musical biographies and DVDs. They’re all shelved, now👍😊

15/11/2025

Another Viking ship coming together!
This one’s a cargo ship, as opposed to a warship. There’s a lot of work still to do, but the hull is now finished👍😍

14/11/2025

A good representation of just how far a few people from the far north managed to spread and the influence they were able to exert, in just a very few centuries.

Scandinavian Settlements and Viking Expansion

The map shows Scandinavian settlements and raiding territories from the 8th to 10th centuries.

8th century: The Vikings’ original homelands in Scandinavia.

9th century: Expansion across England, Normandy, and parts of southern Italy (shown in yellow for the Norman influence).

10th century: Further territorial reach into Ireland, Scotland, and Eastern Europe.

Raiding regions: Highlighted areas indicate regions frequently targeted by Viking raids.

This visual demonstrates both the growth of Viking influence and the extent of their maritime reach across Europe during the early medieval period.

14/11/2025

Some of the many newly arrived music DVDs!🎵🎶👍

13/11/2025

Just a few of the many music biographies about to hit the shelves!

12/11/2025

Before elephant ivory became readily available to European artisans & craftsmen, walrus ivory and whale teeth were the favoured material for top end merchandise. The Vikings were greatly involved with this trade, having a virtual monopoly supply of walrus ivory from Greenland. They then facilitated trade of both raw materials and finished products throughout most of Europe.

Bidro handelen med hav-elfenbein til at de norrøne bosetterne forlot Grønland? 🤔

Havets elfenbein – hvalross-støttenner og hvaltenner – var ettertraktet av dyktige håndverkere og kunstnere i vikingtiden og middelalderens Europa. Mellom 800- og 1200-tallet ble hvalrosselfenbein ofte foretrukket over elefantelfenbein når man skar ut utsøkte gjenstander for de velstående og kirken. Det ble også brukt til å lage eksklusive versjoner av vanlige gjenstander som spillebrikker – for eksempel de berømte Lewis-sjakkbrikkene.

Trondheim spilte en viktig rolle ved å forbinde jegerne i nord med fjerne kunder, og fungerte som et senter for håndverk. Handelen strakte seg også østover til Novgorod og Kiev, og deretter videre til Bysants og Asia. Over tid la omfattende eurasisk etterspørsel alvorlig press på hvalrossbestandene på Island og Grønland.

Dersom du synes at dette er spennende – og lurer på hva som skjedde med de norrøne bosetterne – kan du bli med på VIMU Talk: The Surprising Story of Viking Age Sea Ivories for å høre mer.

NB! Torsdagens foredrag er på engelsk. 🇬🇧

📷: BERRE