DOCSLIB.ORG

Book Reviews

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Book Reviews Swedish American Genealogist Volume 29 | Number 4 Article 13 12-1-2009 Book Reviews Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag Part of the Genealogy Commons, and the Scandinavian Studies Commons Recommended Citation (2009) "Book Reviews," Swedish American Genealogist: Vol. 29 : No. 4 , Article 13. Available at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag/vol29/iss4/13 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Swedish American Genealogist by an authorized editor of Augustana Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Book Reviews Here you will find information about interesting books on the immigration experience, genealogical manuals, books on Swedish customs, and much more. We welcome contacts with SAG readers, suggestions on books to review perhaps. If you want to review a book yourself, please contact the Book Review Editor, Dennis L. Johnson, at <[email protected]> or Dennis Johnson, 174 Stauffer Road, Bucktown Crossing, Pottstown, PA 19465, so he knows what you are working on. book. He describes the Scandinavian early peopling of the Nordic lands In people as being uniquely self-suffi- after the last Ice Age beginning about cient, and ingenious at extracting a 13,000 years ago. Peoples from the livelihood from the many harsh eastern steppes slowly moved into Scandinavia environments found in the north of the area as nomadic hunters and Europe. These qualities were brought fishers and eventually populated From Scandinavian Shores, Immi- with those who migrated to North most of the area as the ice retreated. grant Culture and Stories from Our America, enabling them to adapt to Beginning some 5,000 years ago, the Nordic Family Histories, by J.B. and deal with the often equally harsh first farming people began to leave Hove, Juel Publishing, Isanti, MN, environments they encountered in their traces, migrating north and 2007, softcover, illustrated, 255 pages, Amazon.com, $15.00 plus the New World. west across Europe. Later arrivals of shipping. The author traces these qualities Indo-Europeans, Sarmatians, Kareli- to the ancient sources of the peopling ans, Sami, Finnish people, and others This recent history of the Scandina- of Scandinavia, mainly from east in added to the blend, and in more re- vian people is intended to present a central and northern Eurasia, a land cent times, Germans, Walloons, and picture of the historic roots of the of steppes, which often resulted in a a sprinkling of others from southern many descendants of the immigrants nomadic lifestyle for these peoples. Europe and the British Isles was who came to North America from Southern Europe, on the other hand, added to further mix the population. Scandinavia mainly in the 19th cen- was peopled by cultures from the This aggregate culture retained its tury. The author has chosen a less warm and more fertile river valleys egalitarian nature, however, due traditional structure for his history of the Middle East, where agri- primarily to the harsh environment, than commonly used by historians. cultural surpluses enabled larger and the origins of the peoples occupying The book is more closely akin to Mo- more complex civilizations ruled over the area, and a scattered population berg’s two volumes, A History of the by the thousands by kings, emperors, Swedish People (Dorset Press, 1971 and a large ruling class. This led to and 1973) than it is to the more com- significant differences in the cultural mon chronological history. The book history between northern and south- jumps between periods in time to ern Europe. focus more on subject matter than With the conditions of short grow- chronology, and is an effort to deal ing seasons, long winters, and limited more with the lives and customs of resources survival required the adop- the common folk of Scandinavia than tion of habits of organization, cooper- with the kings, the nobility, and the ation, discipline, and resourcefulness. history of government affairs. There was little surplus to support a J.B. Hove is not an academic histo- nonproductive upper class, and a rian, but according to the book jacket more egalitarian society resulted. has spent the past ten years in study Men often traveled to exploit remote of archaeology, ethnology, folk stud- resources, creating more indepen- ies, genetics, and linguistics in order dent women who were far beyond to develop his somewhat unique being only slaves to their men as in portrait of the history of Scandina- many other societies. vian culture. He has gathered to- After an introductory chapter out- gether from various sources many lining the experience of Scandina- anecdotes and historical writings to vians in populating the New World, support the major premise of the the author describes his views on the Swedish American Genealogist 2009:4 23 Book Reviews it is not a coincidence – Scandina- the stories by Snorri Sturlusson, vians (regardless of nationality) are written several hundred years after technologically advanced, enjoy the actual events. Other evidence of stable governments, and have egali- Norsemen in North America has tarian societies with high status for surfaced over the years, some au- women. They are world leaders in thenticated and some highly contro- honest government, human rights, eq- versial, and has added to this stimu- uitable income distribution, indus- lation of interest in the subject. with limited resources. This portrait trial efficiency, and humanitarian This new first novel by J. A. Huns- painted by the author is derived aid. Today, Scandinavian immi- inger is the most recent of a series of principally from historical sources, grants’ great legacy is their remark- novels prompted by these discoveries although it is not inconsistent with able culture.” in North America, by writers who genetic and DNA information de- Perhaps some readers from other have imagined a variety of adven- veloped in the last several decades. cultures might find this author’s ap- tures undertaken by Viking visitors Succeeding chapters deal with proach a bit chauvinistic. His facts, to the New World. The novel is arguments explaining the egalitar- however, appear to be thoroughly intended to be the first of a series ian nature of Scandinavians, the documented and consistent with under the title Axe of Iron. The common Nordic roots consolidated most other histories of Scandinavia, second in the series, titled Axe of Iron, over the past three millennia, the although some may disagree with his Confrontation, was scheduled for influence of the Viking Age, the Dark opinions about the merits of the publication this year (2009), but as Ages, and the Bubonic Plague. There Scandinavian culture as he sees of this writing is not yet available. are chapters about wolves, the them. As a whole, this book provides The author is a retired commercial training and lives of soldiers, the an excellent, fairly compact, and pilot and aviation writer. As an ama- influences of witchcraft, the Church, engaging summary of the history of teur historian, he is a Viking en- the role of women, courting customs, the Scandinavian people for readers thusiast and has studied extensively the rigid classes in society, and the of all ages. the research and archaeological evi- self-sufficient nature of the common Dennis L. Johnson dence from sites in Greenland and folk. Scattered among all these the New World to assist in crafting chapters are anecdotes and quota- this novel. It is a gripping story about tions from a variety of sources from Viking stories the adventures of a large party of Tacitus to Moberg. Selma Lagerlöf, Norsemen who undertake to find a Sigrid Undset, the Icelandic Sagas, suitable place for settlement in North Axe of Iron, The Settlers, by J.A. Beowulf, the Yngling’s Saga, Heims- Hunsinger, Vinland Publishing LLC, kringla, the Kalevala, and others are Lewes, DE, 2007, softcover, illu- used to enrich this history for the strated, 384 pages, Amazon.com, reader. J. B. Hove also draws heavily $16.95 plus shipping. from the writings of his own Nor- wegian-born grandmother, Mary Writers have long been interested in Norlander. Mary was a regular con- the history of the Greenland settle- tributor to the Svenska Amerikanska ment by Norse colonists beginning in Posten in Minneapolis and thousands the last decade of the tenth century. of her articles were published over This interest was greatly sharpened the years. She wrote with insight by the discovery in the 1960’s of the about the habits of ordinary Scandi- remains of Norse settlements and navians and their attitudes about artifacts at L’Anse aux Meadows, honesty, affection, women, work, and Newfoundland. Helge and Anne Sti- household habits. ne Ingstad, Norwegian archaeolo- This book has been clearly shaped gists, investigated and authenticated to support the author’s view of the this evidence proving that Norse uniqueness of Scandinavian culture, people from Greenland and Iceland and his closing paragraph best sum- had visited this area and built dwell- marizes this view: ings in about the year 1000. “Today, because of their culture – This evidence strongly reinforced 24 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:4 Book Reviews ginally intended destination. After and defender. Along the way, through reassembling their fleet after the many incidents and adventures, storm, they pause to consider and numerous details of Viking Age life, then decide to sail further south culture, and practices are revealed. along the coast to see what the Most of this is plausible and gener- possibilities are for a colony in the ally fits with my own understandings lands ahead. Various adventures and knowledge about this period in America shortly after the visits of occur along the way, with both history.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Early Bibliography (1968)
    fh.a..c,4,r" tt.c. ~ . .I lw~ jOWL ~u/f ~"Z;, ( A. ., 0 ",l O'¥U.. ! ) ~ rt.c. J #f 6 7 8; t, / ,;.y>y'7. / - +~~ OLD EUGLISHBIBLIOGRAPHY ."' :.~1968 . ,, l will be grateful if re aders -will call my at tention _to .any omissions or inaccurACies thP.y .mliy notice in the , biblioe;Ta.P1:-J~_·_:· r . Respectfully submitted, r:~·q:. R~~~-:i Fred C ~ .Robinson, Chairman !lesearch and Bibliography Committee . HISCELLANEOUS Bessinger ·, J. B. (with -S. J. Kahrl). OE Newsletter, Vol. II, no. 1 (December, 1968). [Prepared and mimeographed at New York _University.] . Kpssick,' -Shirley. ".An Introductory Note to the study of OE, II UNISA Erw:lish ·· Studies [ Bulletin_of the Dept. of Engli~h, Univ. of South . Africa, Praetoria], I (1968), 72-75. LElementary .remarks about beginning the study of OE-.] Ogilvy, J. ·n. ·A. Books Known to the En lish 9'7-1066 (Cambridge, f.1ass., 1967). REV: I\fortoi:i W. Bloomfield, Speculum 63 1968 , .529-30. · • . Or:rick, Allan H.; ed. Nordica et .Anglica: Studies in Hondr of Stefan Einarsson (The Hague, 1968). LCited below as "Nordica et An.dica. "] · · Robins .on, Fred C. "OE Rese arch i n .Progress, ·1967-1968,°" NM, -69 '(1968), 472- 487. Thrupp, Sylvia L., ed. Early i'Ied~ieval Society (New York, 1967). [Reprints of various essay~ including ·'some touching -on Anglo-Saxon society. 260 pp.] Tinkler, John. "OE in Rohan," Tolk i en and the Critics, ed. Neil D. Isaacs and Rose A Zimbado (Notre Danie, 1968), pp. 164-69. · \'liley, Raymond A. "Four Unpublfshed Letters .
    [Show full text]
  • The Extent of Indigenous-Norse Contact and Trade Prior to Columbus Donald E
    Oglethorpe Journal of Undergraduate Research Volume 6 | Issue 1 Article 3 August 2016 The Extent of Indigenous-Norse Contact and Trade Prior to Columbus Donald E. Warden Oglethorpe University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/ojur Part of the Canadian History Commons, European History Commons, Indigenous Studies Commons, Medieval History Commons, Medieval Studies Commons, and the Scandinavian Studies Commons Recommended Citation Warden, Donald E. (2016) "The Extent of Indigenous-Norse Contact and Trade Prior to Columbus," Oglethorpe Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 6 : Iss. 1 , Article 3. Available at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/ojur/vol6/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Oglethorpe Journal of Undergraduate Research by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Extent of Indigenous-Norse Contact and Trade Prior to Columbus Cover Page Footnote I would like to thank my honors thesis committee: Dr. Michael Rulison, Dr. Kathleen Peters, and Dr. Nicholas Maher. I would also like to thank my friends and family who have supported me during my time at Oglethorpe. Moreover, I would like to thank my academic advisor, Dr. Karen Schmeichel, and the Director of the Honors Program, Dr. Sarah Terry. I could not have done any of this without you all. This article is available in Oglethorpe Journal of Undergraduate Research: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/ojur/vol6/iss1/3 Warden: Indigenous-Norse Contact and Trade Part I: Piecing Together the Puzzle Recent discoveries utilizing satellite technology from Sarah Parcak; archaeological sites from the 1960s, ancient, fantastical Sagas, and centuries of scholars thereafter each paint a picture of Norse-Indigenous contact and relations in North America prior to the Columbian Exchange.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Religious Practice in Norse Greenland
    Hugvísindasvið Early Religious Practice in Norse Greenland: th From the Period of Settlement to the 12 Century Ritgerð til M.A.-prófs Andrew Umbrich September 2012 U m b r i c h | 2 Háskóli Íslands Hugvísindasvið Medieval Icelandic Studies Early Religious Practice in Norse Greenland: th From the Period of Settlement to the 12 Century Ritgerð til M.A.-prófs Andrew Umbrich Kt.: 130388-4269 Leiðbeinandi: Gísli Sigurðsson September 2012 U m b r i c h | 3 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 5 1.1 Scholarly Works and Sources Used in This Study ...................................................... 8 1.2 Inherent Problems with This Study: Written Sources and Archaeology .................... 9 1.3 Origin of Greenland Settlers and Greenlandic Law .................................................. 10 2.0 Historiography ................................................................................................................. 12 2.1 Lesley Abrams’ Early Religious Practice in the Greenland Settlement.................... 12 2.2 Jonathan Grove’s The Place of Greenland in Medieval Icelandic Saga Narratives.. 14 2.3 Gísli Sigurðsson’s Greenland in the Sagas of Icelanders: What Did the Writers Know - And How Did They Know It? and The Medieval Icelandic Saga and Oral Tradition: A Discourse on Method....................................................................................... 15 2.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Creating Holy People and Places on the Periphery
    Creating Holy People and People Places Holy on theCreating Periphery Creating Holy People and Places on the Periphery A Study of the Emergence of Cults of Native Saints in the Ecclesiastical Provinces of Lund and Uppsala from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries During the medieval period, the introduction of a new belief system brought profound societal change to Scandinavia. One of the elements of this new religion was the cult of saints. This thesis examines the emergence of new cults of saints native to the region that became the ecclesiastical provinces of Lund and Uppsala in the twelfth century. The study examines theearliest, extant evidence for these cults, in particular that found in liturgical fragments. By analyzing and then comparing the relationship that each native saint’s cult had to the Christianization, the study reveals a mutually beneficial bond between these cults and a newly emerging Christian society. Sara E. EllisSara Nilsson Sara E. Ellis Nilsson Dissertation from the Department of Historical Studies ISBN 978-91-628-9274-6 Creating Holy People and Places on the Periphery Dissertation from the Department of Historical Studies Creating Holy People and Places on the Periphery A Study of the Emergence of Cults of Native Saints in the Ecclesiastical Provinces of Lund and Uppsala from the Eleventh to the Th irteenth Centuries Sara E. Ellis Nilsson med en svensk sammanfattning Avhandling för fi losofi e doktorsexamen i historia Göteborgs universitet, den 20 februari 2015 Institutionen för historiska studier (Department of Historical Studies) ISBN: 978-91-628-9274-6 ISBN: 978-91-628-9275-3 (e-publikation) Distribution: Sara Ellis Nilsson, [email protected] © Sara E.
    [Show full text]
  • Pursuing West: the Viking Expeditions of North America
    East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 5-2015 Pursuing West: The iV king Expeditions of North America Jody M. Bryant East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Medieval History Commons Recommended Citation Bryant, Jody M., "Pursuing West: The iV king Expeditions of North America" (2015). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2508. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2508 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Pursuing West: The Viking Expeditions of North America _____________________ A thesis presented to the faculty of the Department of History East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in History _____________________ by Jody Melinda Bryant May 2015 _____________________ Dr. William Douglas Burgess, Jr., Chair Dr. Henry J. Antkiewicz Dr. John M. Rankin Keywords: Kensington Rune Stone, Runes, Vikings, Gotland ABSTRACT Pursuing West: The Viking Expeditions of North America by Jody Bryant The purpose to this thesis is to demonstrate the activity of the Viking presence, in North America. The research focuses on the use of stones, carved with runic inscriptions that have been discovered in Okla- homa, Maine, Rhode Island and Minnesota. The thesis discusses orthographic traits found in the in- scriptions and gives evidence that links their primary use to fourteenth century Gotland.
    [Show full text]
  • Heroism As Constructed Masculinity in the Epics of Gilgamesh and Beowulf
    University of Tennessee at Chattanooga UTC Scholar Student Research, Creative Works, and Honors Theses Publications 5-2015 Engendering epic: heroism as constructed masculinity in the epics of Gilgamesh and Beowulf Rachael Scott Poe University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.utc.edu/honors-theses Part of the Classics Commons Recommended Citation Poe, Rachael Scott, "Engendering epic: heroism as constructed masculinity in the epics of Gilgamesh and Beowulf" (2015). Honors Theses. This Theses is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research, Creative Works, and Publications at UTC Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of UTC Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Engendering Epic: Heroism as Constructed Masculinity in the Epics of Gilgamesh and Beowulf Rachael Scott Poe Departmental Honors Thesis The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga English Department Project Director: Gregory O’Dea Examination Date: Monday, March 30, 2015 Members of the Examination Committee: Andrew McCarthy, Salvatore Musumeci, Heather Palmer 1 Western culture is rife with heroes—and has been for centuries. From the demigods of old to the cinematic action stars of today, there is something that intrigues us about these noble and often solitary saviors. When considering epic heroes such as Gilgamesh and Beowulf, it is readily apparent that these men are products of patriarchal societies, and, consequently, masculinity is an inherent consideration when defining heroism. Recent criticism and re-visioning of ancient heroes has yielded some fascinating commentaries, especially in terms of gender theory.
    [Show full text]
  • PROCLAMATION 5722—OCT. 5, 1987 101 STAT. 2213 Leif Erikson
    PROCLAMATION 5722—OCT. 5, 1987 101 STAT. 2213 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day of Oc­ tober, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twelfth. RONALD REAGAN Proclamation 5722 of October 5,1987 Leif Erikson Day, 1987 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Our Nation sets aside October 9 each year to honor Leif Erikson and to cel­ ebrate our country's Nordic heritage. Almost a thousand years ago this young Viking explorer set out from Norway to convert Greenlanders to Christianity. He eventually reached North America and brought back re­ ports of places he called Helluland, Markland, and Vinland. The explorers, missionaries, settlers, and adventurers who followed him in later centuries shared his bold spirit. The memory of Leif Erikson continues to inspire all who would chart new territory for the good of mankind. Many who settled in North America were Nordics. Like "Leif the Lucky" they displayed great determination and courage as they came to a new world. They and their descendants have truly contributed much to our na­ tional heritage; the strength of character and spirit of adventure they trace to their ancestors, including Leif Erikson, are traits Americans will always revere as quintessentially American. In honor of Leif Erikson and our Nordic American heritage, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved on September 2, 1964 (78 Stat. 849, 36 U.S.C. 169c], has authorized the President to proclaim October 9 of each year as "Leif Erikson Day." NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 9, 1987, as Leif Erikson Day, and I direct the appropriate government officials to display the flag of the United States on all government buildings on that day.
    [Show full text]
  • The Vineland-Excursions of the Ancient Scandinavians
    THE VINELAND-EXCURSIONS OF THE ANCIENT SCANDINA VIANS DY E. LØFFLER. 1883. Before having the honour of giving a short account of the early discovery of America by the Scanclinavians, I must be permitted to remark, that the greater part of what I am going to relate here we may take for granted to be known to Scan­ dinavian historians and archæologists. As, however, foreign scientists can less easily avail themselves of the original sources, the old sagas, and as the knowledge of foreigners of the dis­ covery of America before Columbus, especially the Scandinavians' Vinelancl-excursions, must be founded on an old work: "Anti­ qvitates Americanæ", I believe that a cfitical review of the facts related in the original sagas will not be out of place in this assembly. The 15111 and 16th centuries were, as is well known , a period of great naval expeditions, discoveries, and conquests, un­ dertaken principally by Spain and Portugal. The 9'", 10•" and, to some extent, the 11th centuries were of similar importance to the Scandinavian countries, and numerous viking-fleets left their 65 homes to make conquests and to gain spoil and glory on foreign shores 1• Normandy and England had to submit to the domi­ nion of the Dan es , Ireland and Scotland felt the weight of the Norsemen's swords , and Swedish emigrants went eastward into Russia, where they formed strongholds in Novgorod and Kijev2• Distant lceland , which perhaps was discovered first by Irish monks 3, was afterwards colonized by Norwegians 4, and from thence Erik the Red went, after previous explorations , in the year 986 to South Greenland , where he settled in Brattahlid 5.
    [Show full text]
  • The Churches of the Holy Land in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries 198
    Tracing the Jerusalem Code 1 Tracing the Jerusalem Code Volume 1: The Holy City Christian Cultures in Medieval Scandinavia (ca. 1100–1536) Edited by Kristin B. Aavitsland and Line M. Bonde The research presented in this publication was funded by the Research Council of Norway (RCN), project no. 240448/F10. ISBN 978-3-11-063485-3 e-ISBN (PDF) 978-3-11-063943-8 e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-3-11-063627-7 DOI https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110639438 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. For details go to http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. Library of Congress Control Number: 2020950181 Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2021 Kristin B. Aavitsland and Line M. Bonde, published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston. The book is published open access at www.degruyter.com. Cover illustration: Wooden church model, probably the headpiece of a ciborium. Oslo University Museum of Cultural history. Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0 Grete Gundhus. Typesetting: Integra Software Services Pvt. Ltd. Printing and binding: CPI Books GmbH, Leck www.degruyter.com In memory of Erling Sverdrup Sandmo (1963–2020) Contents List of Maps and Illustrations XI List of Abbreviations XVII Editorial comments for all three volumes XIX Kristin B. Aavitsland, Eivor Andersen Oftestad, and Ragnhild Johnsrud
    [Show full text]
  • Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections
    SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOLUME 116, NUMBER 3 TWO RUNIC STONES, FROM GREENLAND AND MINNESOTA BY WILLIAM THALBITZER (Publication 4021) CITY OF WASHINGTON PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AUGUST 30, 1951 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOLUME 116, NUMBER 3 TWO RUNIC STONES, FROM GREENLAND AND MINNESOTA BY WILLIAM THALBITZER (Publication 4021) CITY OF WASHINGTON PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AUGUST 30, 1951 %§& £oro (gattimovt (pttee BALTIMORE, MD., U. 8. A. — . TWO RUNIC STONES, FROM GREENLAND AND MINNESOTA* By WILLIAM THALBITZER Copenhagen, Denmark CONTENTS Page Introduction 2 I. The Kingigtorssuaq stone from the neighborhood of Upernavik, northwest Greenland 6 II. The Kensington stone 14 Historical background 14 The Kensington runes and the numeral signs 18 Paleographic signs 23 The Dalecarlian runes and the H-rune 26 The linguistic form 28 Old Swedish 29 Archaisms 32 Neologisms 35 The style 39 Further philological impressions 42 Appendix ( 1950) 49 Three historic documents 49 Final comments on the Danish treatise (1946- 1947) 51 Notes 54 1. The Greenland runes as carved on stone or wood in Greenland. 54 2. The secret runes on the Kingigtorssuaq stone 54 3. Singular runes on the Kensington stone, X a°d f" 56 4. © =oe 57 5. Opdagelsefaerd 57 skiar or ? ( scar, "cliff, rock" ) 6- H ^1 f X R — Eng. 58 7. rise = Modern Sw. resa, "journey, (warlike) expedition" 59 8. at se aptir, "to look after, guard, superintend (the ships)".... 61 9. dagh rise, "day's journey" 61 10. The style 62 11. Medieval Swedish-Norwegian mixed language 63 12. Old Swedish as a hypothetical problem 64 13.
    [Show full text]
  • The Viking Age: an Overview Hen a Band of Raiders from Scandinavia Time
    The Viking Age: An Overview hen a band of raiders from Scandinavia time. In fact, their raids on monasteries are mainly attacked the English monastery at Lind- explained by the fact that they were not Christian Wisfarne, in Northumbria, in 793 AD, the at the time, and thus felt no sacrilege in attacking these wealthy, unprotected places. VIKING SOCIETY Overall, most of the Norse people were peaceful farmers, attached to the land and particularly able to raise cattle and livestock which they even traded to their neigh- bors. Throughout the Norse or Vikings? Viking Age, there was Although we generally refer to medieval also a lot of peace- Scandinavians as Vikings, people in their time ful trading between called them the Norse, Danes, Rus or simply, Scandinavia and the the Northmen. The word Viking largely emerged surrounding countries, The church and norman abbey ruins at in the last 200 years, even though it has its Lindisfarne, England, site of the first recorded even as raids and wars roots in the old Norse word vik or “bay”, or in Viking raid in Europe of conquest continued the expression “i viking” which meant to go all over Europe. terror they caused was so great that news of it raiding. To better represent the importance of quickly spread all around Europe. The fact that Social organization was farmers, traders or craftsmen in the “Viking” they had attacked a house of God made the men dominated by the pow- world, it is more exact to use the word “Norse”, from the North seem like particularly ruthless war- er of local chieftains which emphasizes the common Nordic culture riors, a reputation that still dominates our vision who came together at of these peoples who settled everywhere from of the Vikings today.
    [Show full text]
  • The Lost Western Settlement of Greenland, 1342
    THE LOST WESTERN SETTLEMENT OF GREENLAND, 1342 Carol S. Francis B.S., University of California, Davis, 1972 B.A., University of California, Davis, 1972 M.S., California State University, Sacramento, 1981 THESIS Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in HISTORY at CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO FALL 2011 THE LOST WESTERN SETTLEMENT OF GREENLAND, 1342 A Thesis by Carol S. Francis Approved by: __________________________________, Committee Chair Candace Gregory-Abbott __________________________________, Second Reader Jeffrey K. Wilson ____________________________ Date ii Student: Carol S. Francis I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and that this thesis is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for the thesis. __________________________, Graduate Coordinator ___________________ Mona Siegel Date Department of History iii Abstract of THE LOST WESTERN SETTLEMENT OF GREENLAND, 1342 by Carol S. Francis The Western Norse Settlement in Greenland disappeared suddenly, probably in 1342. Research in the area includes medieval sources, archeological studies of the ruins, climatic data from the Greenlandic icecap, oral stories from the Inuit in Greenland and Canada, and possible sightings of ancestors of the Norse in the Canadian Arctic. Feeling threatened both physically by the Thule (ancestors of the Inuit) and a cooling climate, and economically by the Norwegian crown, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Eastern Settlement in Greenland, the Western Settlement voluntarily left en masse for the new world, probably in 1342 based on sailing dates. _______________________, Committee Chair Candace Gregory-Abbott _______________________ Date iv PREFACE I was volunteering on a trip from Hudson Bay to Baffin Island with Students on Ice in 2007, when I heard the zodiac driver say, “there is a Viking trading site in the South Savage Islands.” That made me curious, as trading sites take time and trust to develop.
    [Show full text]