Vikings

Vikings

The Vikings have left many traces of their settlement, which are still visible till today. Archeologists have provided physical evidence of their conquest, settlement and daily life. The study of the Vikings place- names and language shows the lasting effect the Vikings have had on the British isles, also DNA analysis provides some insights on the effect the Viking had on the genetic stock of countries they invaded or settled. The only how we have this information of Vikings as people is obtained from written sources, and the appearance of Vikings. The one problem is the Vikings date back so far that the information written is either uninformative, or unreliable. There are many things we do know for certain, and that is the Vikings were barbarians, but not as most have become to believe. In 789, three Viking ships arrived upon the Wessex shore. The local reeve was sent to welcome them but he was killed on the spot. This event was was recorded in a short entry in the Anglo-Saxan Chronicle. Then there was more to come, Lindisfarne, one of Britain's most sacred sites; was sacked by the Vikings. The first Viking raids were hit and run affairs. There was no real organized attacks or long term plan behind them. The raids were not even a new threat, society then was used to local skirmishes to great battles. The Vikings mainly attacked and rob local monasteries, and the sacred places of the Christian world. The Viking may just seem to be warriors, but they were also traders and colonist. They even were revolutionists, many of their inventions have been recovered, due to the fact the Vikings buried their goods, and even sometimes their ships. There have been ships dug up from the Vikings. The well-preserved remains of Viking's ships were found at Oseberg and Gokstad in Norway. There ships proved they were about 17.5 between 36m in length, and they were steered not by a rudder, but by a single oar mounted on the starboard side. It is believed the way ships were built that they could have reached speed up to 11 knots and higher speeds good be achieved in short bursts. The crews often were made up of 25 to 60 men that were seated on benches on open decks. Their successful worldly raiding adventures across seas required fast ships. The dug of ruins of the Viking's ships proved they had just that. Even though the Viking's relied heavily on ships, most of there fighting was on the ground. Types of military engagement might range from small-scale family feuds to full-scale battles. The largest of there armies would have consisted of 4,000 to 7,000 men. After the campaigns, they would generally go back to being farmers or join a small group of other war bands. There weaponry consisted of mainly hand-to-hand combat weapons. Late law shows that Viking's were required to own weapons. The main offensive weapons were the spear, sword, and battle-axe. The weapons weren't just for battle but also symbols of their owners' status and wealth. Weapons were often decorated with adornments in silver, copper, and bronze. The spear was the most common weapon; with and iron blade and wooden shaft, often 2 to 3m in length. It was used for both thrusting and throwing. Swords were the most costly to make, which made them a sign of wealth. Their defense weapons usually consisted of shields,