Far from being just wild, barbaric, axe-wielding pirates', the Vikings created complex social institutions, oversaw the coming of Christianity to Scandinavia and made a major impact on European history through trade, travel and far-flung settlement and colonization.
Now thoroughly updated and with a new foreword, this encyclopedic study brings together the latest research on Viking art, burial customs, fortresses, jewellery, kingship, religious conversions and family life. The result is a rich and compelling picture of an extraordinary civilization.