Abstract:

To most people the Viking Age is a period of history in which savage barbarians stormed out of uncivilized Scandinavia and spread throughout the world in search of wealth and battle.

This common opinion, however, does not accurately represent the prehistoric Scandinavian culture, society, and political structure. Due to the Scandinavians’ lack of written sources dating to its pre-Christian history it is difficult to piece together what life and society was actually like during the Viking Age. By examining archaeological evidence and what written sources we do have, it has become possible to piece together what prehistoric Scandinavia and the Viking Age actually were.