Viking Language Old Norse

15/10/2026

Dengir

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15/10/2026

Discovered at the important Viking Age magnate site of Tissø, this miniature gilded silver figurine depicts a mysterious human-like figure with an elaborate hairstyle and richly ornamented clothing. Its striking appearance has invited interpretations involving Norse mythology, ritual practices, and powerful female figures such as the völva, or seeress. Although its identity remains uncertain, the figurine offers a fascinating glimpse into the spiritual and artistic world of Viking Age Scandinavia.

www.oldnorse.org
www.juleswilliampress.com

14/10/2026

This remarkable collection of gold ornaments was discovered in a bog in Jutland, Denmark. Dating to the Migration Period, the hoard reflects the extraordinary wealth and goldsmithing traditions of pre-Viking Scandinavia. Such treasures may later have provided a source of gold for Viking Age jewellery, as older objects were rediscovered, melted down, and transformed into new ornaments.

www.oldnorse.org
www.juleswilliampress.com

13/10/2026

Baðstofa

how to learn old norse; old norse; learn old norse; viking; viking sagas; viking language; viking archaeology; icelandic sagas; iceland; jesse byock; jwp; jules william press; medieval; medieval iceland; medieval scandinavia; viking age; Norse mythology; what is old norse. scandinavian mythology; vi...

13/10/2026

This exquisite gold bird-shaped pin was discovered in the Galloway Hoard, unearthed in Scotland in 2014. Hidden inside a small wooden box alongside a gold ring and ingot, it was concealed within a bundle of silver arm-rings. Its elegant, long-necked form resembles a flamingo, though it may represent a phoenix, a Christian symbol of resurrection. Considered unique, it is one of the most remarkable treasures of the Viking Age.

www.oldnorse.org
www.juleswilliampress.com

12/10/2026

Archaeologists discover a child’s skull built into the floor of a 2,500-year-old Scandinavian house

A study of nearly 200 individuals buried in domestic contexts in ancient and Viking Age Scandinavia has revealed unusually high levels of violence....

how to learn old norse; old norse; learn old norse; viking; viking sagas; viking language; viking archaeology; icelandic sagas; iceland; jesse byock; jwp; jules william press; medieval; medieval iceland; medieval scandinavia; viking age; Norse mythology; what is old norse. scandinavian mythology; vi...

12/10/2026

Some swords from the Viking Age are especially elaborate. Over 3,000 swords from the Viking Age have been found in Norway, and most were discovered in graves along with other weapons. The swords vary from simple home-forged blades to foreign-made ornated blades with intricate patterns and hilts decorated with precious metal. Swords with the inscriptions VLFBERHT or INGELRII probably came from workshops in southern Germany. The inscriptions could be like trademarks. The Old Norse myths tell of swords made by dwarves and which possessed magical power. The sagas tell of mighty swords passed down from one generation to the next.

www.oldnorse.org
www.juleswilliampress.com

11/10/2026

This sword was bent and destroyed before being buried as a grave gift. It is not a unique case. Many swords found in Viking Age graves are broken, bent or folded together and show signs of being subjected to hard blows and other violent damage. The destruction was deliberate. Viking burial rituals reflect complex ideas about life, death and the afterlife. Perhaps ‘weapon killing’ was part of a ritual connected to the transition from the world of the living to the world of the dead, where the dangerous power of the sword had to be destroyed?

www.oldnorse.org
www.juleswilliampress.com

10/10/2026

“Gunnvor, Trydrik’s daughter, made the bridge in memory of her daughter Astrid. She was the handiest maiden in Hadeland.” This is the meaning of the inscription on the runestone from Dyne in Oppland. The stone is from the mid-1000s and testifies to Norway’s transition from paganism to Christianity. The motifs are clearly Christian, but both the style and the practice of raising monumental stones have deep roots in pre-Christian times. The front of the stone is engraved with motifs from the New Testament. We see the three wise men following the star of Bethlehem to the stall where they find Mary and the baby Jesus.

www.oldnorse.org
www.juleswilliampress.com

09/10/2026

The pieces in this showcase were made between 800 and 1100. They tell of how beliefs changed in the course of the Viking Age. For many people, Thor’s hammer symbolizes the Old Norse religion. The main attribute of the god Thor is his hammer Mjølner, which he uses to maintain order in the world. Pendants with the symbol of the Christian cross have been used in Norway since the late Viking Age. The oldest form, with four equal-length arms tipped with ‘wings’, is often called a Saint Cuthbert’s cross, after the Celtic saint from the 600s.

www.oldnorse.org
www.juleswilliampress.com