Viking Worlds

Things, Spaces and Movement

Edited by Marianne Hem Eriksen, Unn Pedersen, Bernt Rundberget, Irmelin Axelsen and Heidi Lund Berg

Imprint: Oxbow Books

244 Pages, b/w and colour illustrations

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9781789252101
October 2019
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9781782977278
December 2014
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9781782977285
November 2014

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Description
Contents
Authors

Fourteen papers explore a variety of inter-disciplinary approaches to understanding the Viking past, both in Scandinavia and in the Viking diaspora. Contributions employ both traditional inter- or multi-disciplinarian perspectives such as using historical sources, Icelandic sagas and Eddic poetry and also specialised methodologies and/or empirical studies, place-name research, the history of religion and technological advancements, such as isotope analysis. Together these generate new insights into the technology, social organisation and mentality of the worlds of the Vikings.

Geographically, contributions range from Iceland through Scandinavia to the Continent. Scandinavian, British and Continental Viking scholars come together to challenge established truths, present new definitions and discuss old themes from new angles. Topics discussed include personal and communal identity; gender relations between people, artefacts, and places/spaces; rules and regulations within different social arenas; processes of production, trade and exchange, and transmission of knowledge within both past Viking-age societies and present-day research. Displaying thematic breadth as well as geographic and academic diversity, the articles may foreshadow up-and-coming themes for Viking Age research. Rooted in different traditions, using diverse methods and exploring eclectic material – Viking Worlds will provide the reader with a sense of current and forthcoming issues, debates and topics in Viking studies, and give insight into a new generation of ideas and approaches which will mark the years to come.

List of contributors Preface: Exploring Viking Worlds 1. From Ginnungagap to the Ragnarök. Archaeologies of the Viking Worlds Neil Price PART I. REAL AND IDEAL SPACES 2. Powerful space. The Iron-Age hall and its development during the Viking Age Lydia Carstens 3. Húsdrápa. A skaldic poem in context Joanne Shortt Butler 4. Courtyard sites in western Norway. Central assembly places and judicial institutions in the Late Iron Age Asle Bruen Olsen 5. Place names and settlement development around an aristocratic residence. Thoughts from an on-going study of the hinterland of Tissø Sofie Laurine Albris 6. The powerful ring. Door rings, oath rings and the sacral place Marianne Hem Eriksen PART II. GENDERED THINGS, GENDERED SPACES? 7. She came from another place. On the burial of a young girl in Birka Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson 8. Roles and perceptions of shielings and the mediation of gender identities in Viking and medieval Iceland Patrycja Kupiec and Karen Milek 9. ‘Truth’ and reproduction of knowledge. Critical thoughts on the interpretation and understanding of Iron-Age keys Heidi Lund Berg PART III. PRODUCTION, EXCHANGE AND MOVEMENT 10. Manors and markets. Continental perspectives on Viking-Age trade and exchange Bjarne Gaut 11. Making the cloth that binds us. The role of textile production in producing Viking-Age identities Ben Cartwright 12. Leadworking in Viking-Age Norway Unn Pedersen 13. Isotopic analysis of silver from Hedeby and some nearby hoards. Preliminary results Stephen Merkel, Andreas Hauptmann,Volker Hilberg and Robert Lehmann 14. Vikings in Poland. A critical overview Leszek Gardeła

Marianne Hem Eriksen (PhD Research Fellow, University of Oslo) primarily researches cognitive aspects of houses and households in Late Iron Age Scandinavia, and is currently investigating social and ritual aspects of doors.

Dr. Unn Pedersen (Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Oslo) is an archaeologist with specialisation in Viking-age non-ferrous metalworking, technology and crafts, her main research interests being urbanisation and metrology.

Dr. Bernt Rundberget (Philosophiae Doctor, University of Oslo) specialises in Iron Age and Medieval Period iron production, his main area of research covers technology, extent, distribution as well as economical and political conditions of iron manufacture.

Irmelin Axelsen (MA, University of Oslo) is an archaeologist with focus on late Iron Age and Medieval research discourse.

Heidi Lund Berg (MA, University of Oslo) is an archaeologist with focus on Iron Age Skandinavia, specialised in key and locking technology.