REDISCOVERING THE VIKINGS

Vikings are increasingly in the spotlight of films and television series, often with significant departures from what archaeological and historical research tells us. Through that research and the work of demanding re-enactment groups, the author finally allows us to rediscover them.

The Vikings… Their raids, and the ancient Scandinavian civilisation from which they spring, have fascinated historical literature since the Middle Ages. Their rediscovery beyond Scandinavia in the 19th century brought them into greater prominence. Since then, films, series and documentaries have placed them more than ever in the spotlight — for better and for worse — sometimes taking great liberties with historical and especially archaeological reality, in the light of new discoveries and knowledge.

That is the purpose of this work. The author, a teacher but above all deeply involved in historical re-enactment, presents here the fruits of his research and this rediscovery. In close contact with re-enactment groups and sites practising a quality-focused living history, "Crom" shows us what we can learn from artefacts preserved in museums, as well as the work carried out by associations striving to reconstruct this past as faithfully as possible, in the light of our most recent knowledge.

A fabulous journey through time.