I must have been told that Vikings were no more than marauding madmen, because I am very surprised by the intricacy, and beauty, of these objects. They are varied, too. I knew the Vikings traveled far and wide, I don't know why I didn't expect them to also be erudite and artists too. I enjoyed this post. Unexpected! My favorite kind.
It's easy for people to see others (or cultures) portrayed in a certain way and draw incorrect conclusions and with the Vikings it's certainly the case with a lot of people. In fact, it was the common belief generally, but as new evidence and understandings are revealed history needs to be rewritten somewhat more accurately. It's also easy for us to look back and incorrectly "judge" (perceive) people from a thousand years ago in a certain way when we have no real personal concept of exactly what life was like for them I suppose. It's this search for a better understanding that I love about history.
Anyway, I think it's nice that you've unexpectedly enjoyed one of my posts and thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hold up here. It's not that I unexpectedly enjoyed one of your posts, I enjoy most of your posts. It's that the content of this one surprised me.
Lol, yeah I figured that. 😊
Some people see literally no value in history, or simply stay comfortably within the boundaries (aspects) they enjoy, but I'm happy to look a little rather afield. It's really amazing how I'll see, hear or read something and then off I go, down the rabbit hole.
I'm glad you liked this one and maybe you'll take a deeper look into the Viking culture and history and find some more.
Do you have a favourite part/event of history you feel an affinity with?
I hated history in school, perhaps, or so I like to think nowadays, because what we were taught was largely false.
I am intrigued by the times depicted in Arthurian tales. And of the Roman empire. I just yesterday fell for a poem by Catallus of the late Roman empire
Now spring unlocks!
Now the equinox stops its blue rages quiet as pages.
I tell you, Catallus, leave Troy, leave the ground burning,
they did.
Look, we will change everything, all the meanings,
all the clear cities of Asia you and me.
Now the mind, isn't she an avid previous hobo?
Now the feet grow leaves so glad to see whose green baits
awaits.
Oh sweet don't go back the same way
go a new way.
I would love to be able to read poetry from that time in the original Latin
Now you made me think back to what I thought of history back in high school. I'll admit I didn't love it but the more I learned the more I wanted to learn.
Interestingly I did the French Revolution and the First World War and quite enjoyed both...and have spent lengthy periods in the exact places they played out in Europe later as an adult. My battlefield tours of the Western Front (Belgium/France) have been some of the most poignant experiences of my life and France...well, I love that place and it's many historical aspects and stories to follow.
I like that poem, thank you. I did Latin at school but like much of what I learned at school it is lost to me now. Sad really.