The name ‘Viking’ means ‘a pirate raid’ in the Old Norse language.
Around 500 years before Christopher Columbus ‘discovered’ the American continent, Vikings had visited its shores, landing in what is now Canada in around AD 1000.
Among the many gods Vikings believed in were Thor, the god of thunder, and Loki, a cheeky mischief-maker who could shape-shift to become all different kinds of animals. What a beast!
The Vikings were expert boat builders and sailors. Keels – central spines along boats’ bottoms – made their 16 to 37m ‘longboats’ easy to steer, and because these were designed to float high in the water, landing on beaches was easy.
They loved to keep themselves clean and tidy. Several Viking excavations have turned up razors, combs, tweezers, and even ear cleaners. It turns out these savage warriors cared quite a lot about their personal hygiene. Historians also believe that the typical Viking citizen bathed at least once a week, far more than any other European group during that time.
Yes, that’s right Eloise. There were 9 realms of the Viking mythological world. These realms were thought to be the home of different kind of beings, like the home of the gods and goddesses or giants. Do you know the names of these 9 ‘worlds’ ?
I know them!
1. Asgard,where gods lived,
2. Midgard,our world,
3. Jotunheim,world of giants,
4. Helheim,land of dead,
5. Nivlheim,land of ice and mist,
6. Muspelheim,land of fire,
7. Vanaheim,land of Vanir,
8. Alvheim,land of the light elves,
9. Svartalvheim,the land of dark elves.
Did you know the Vikings believed in 9 worlds?
Yes, that’s right Eloise. There were 9 realms of the Viking mythological world. These realms were thought to be the home of different kind of beings, like the home of the gods and goddesses or giants. Do you know the names of these 9 ‘worlds’ ?
Did you know that…
Fenrir Grayback, the werewolf in the Harry Potter books, was named after a ferocious giant wolf from ancient Viking mythology.
I know them!
1. Asgard,where gods lived,
2. Midgard,our world,
3. Jotunheim,world of giants,
4. Helheim,land of dead,
5. Nivlheim,land of ice and mist,
6. Muspelheim,land of fire,
7. Vanaheim,land of Vanir,
8. Alvheim,land of the light elves,
9. Svartalvheim,the land of dark elves.
Did you know that sagas are the stories of the Vikings and they were told from generation to generation, and never written down?
Did you know that word ‘Saturday’ came from old Norse language
which means ‘wash day’ because Vikings were washing on this day?