Undervisningsplan

Vikings in the West: Norse- Insular contact and Identities

Course content

The Viking influence and involvement around the Irish Sea is well attested through contemporary annals and documents, as well as a vast and varied archaeological record. The archaeological material span from settlements structures with finds of commonplace utensils from the early Viking towns, to the remains of Norse graves with weapons and jewellery, as well as more complex hybrid expressions in new ornamental styles and new forms of stone monuments. This field of research has especially in recent years experienced a revitalization, with an increased focus on the combination and fusion of cultural and religious expression in the wake of the initial contact. This has led to an increasing awareness and debate concerning the coexistence of the Norse and local population groups, and the development of new social and cultural identities in the Norse colonies. In this course, the students will be given an introduction to current issues in this debate, with an emphasis on the archaeological material and its possible interpretations, related to recent discussions on socio-cultural interaction.