AnthroNotes Volume 22 No. 1 Fall 2000
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TEACHER'S CORNER: VIKINGS
IN YOUR CLASSROOM
by Elisabeth Ward
With the millennial anniversary of the
Vikings' arrival in North America upon
us, the Vikings have become a hot topic.
This teacher's corner builds on that enthusiasm
with solid teaching ideas. Following the reading of
the AnthroNotes' lead article, the questions below
should provoke lively class discussion.
DISCUSSION TOPICS
1. Viking Ships. The impressive double-prowed
ship of the Vikings is a well known icon. Viking
ships were essential components of the Viking
culture. How important was the Viking ship during
the Viking Age? How did technological changes,
like iron production and ship building techniques,
influence Viking society? Finally, what have
archaeologists learned about Viking ships in the last
100 years?
2. Contacts with Native Peoples. According to
the Vinland Sagas, when Vikings first arrived in
North America they met strange people they called
Skraelings. Who were the Skraelings? What
evidence do we have that the Vikings met them?
How extensive do anthropologists believe that
interaction was? How was the Viking meeting with
Native Americans different from Columbus'
encounter 500 years later? What might have
motivated these two peoples to interact?
3. Understanding the Sagas. Sagas are a form of
literature developed in Iceland; tales that had been
told for generations were preserved in books during
the 13th and 14th centuries. The best known sagas
focus on the adventures of the early settlers of
Iceland (ca. A.D. 900), some ofwhom also went on
Viking raids. Which sagas are important for the
discovery ofNorth America, and why? Do you see
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AnthroNotes Volume 22 No. 1 Fall 2000
any problems with using the sagas for informationabout the past?
4. The Viking Age in Europe. The Viking Agewas a time of transition and change in Europe andin Scandinavia. What event marks the beginning ofthe Viking Age, and what event marks the end?How far did the Vikings get, and what were theirmain areas of interest? What motivated the Vikingraids? What influence did the Vikings have inEurope? Discuss the problems and advantages tousing the name "Viking". What did "Viking" meanin the narrow sense or literal meaning of the word?
5. Religion and the Vikings. What religion didthe Vikings practice, and what religion did theirsouthern neighbors believe in? Look on the web orin other Viking books for names of the Vikinggods. How might religious differences colorVikings' understanding of other cultures and viceversa? By the end of the Viking Age, Viking kingsand Viking settlers abroad were converting toChristianity. How do you think this conversionchanged Viking society?
6. Greenland. The Greenland colony existed foralmost 500 years and then mysteriously died out.Explain the importance of ivory in the economy ofthe Greenland Norse before it became extinct.What new sources of information are archaeologistsusing to understand what happened to theGreenlanders? What was the temperature like inGreenland when the Vikings first arrived, and howdid it change? What other changes were takingplace that might have led to the colony's collapse?
7. Vikings in Popular Culture. What is wrongwith our current stereotypical image of the hornedhelmeted Viking warrior? Look for modernadvertisements using horned-helmeted characters;what is the context, and what does this imply aboutthe symbolism of the horned-helmets? How hasthis modern image emerged? Why do you thinkthe Vikings continue to be popular today?
WEB RESOURCESThe Internet is teeming with sites about the Vikingsand the Viking Age. However, the following four
sites have been recommended by the NationalMuseum of Natural History's Office of Education.
http://www.mnh.si.edu/vikings/ is the web sitedeveloped with the National Museum of NaturalHistory's exhibition. In addition to an overview ofthe exhibit, it also has a multi-media "voyage" ofthe Viking world, focusing on how we know aboutthe past.
http://viking.norden.org links to manyScandinavian Viking sites, most with Englishsummaries or translations. Often these are the bestsources for basic Viking information.
www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/ is the new PBS
site related to the documentary listed below. It is anexcellent site for students doing research, rather thanfor teachers.
www.realtime.com/ ~ gunnara/ is the home of theViking Answer Lady, who really knows her subjectand conveys information in a fun way. The graphicstyle does make it difficult to read for extendedperiods.FILM DOCUMENTARIESFour documentaries your class might enjoy are:
Leif Eriksson, the Man who Almost Changed theWorld (2000) was developed concurrently with theSmithsonian's exhibit, though it focuses on the lifeof Leif Eriksson and his discovery of NorthAmerica. It is available both as VHS and as HighDefinition CD. To order, contact Ward TV inGeorgetown, Washington D.C. at (202) 333-4500.
"The Vikings" by Nova (2000). This two-hourspecial is divided into two parts. Part one focuses onthe Vikings at home and their expansion westward,touching on their discovery ofNorth America. Parttwo, adapted from Swedish Television, features new
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AnthroNotes Volume 22 No. 1 Fall 2000
information on the Viking activities in Russia. Toorder, call 1-800-949-8670.
Secrets of the Dead: The Lost Vikings of Greenland(1996). Part two of a four pan series, thisdocumentary provides insight into current researchin Greenland that helps scientists reconstruct pastenvironments, particularly from clues such as bugremains and ice-core samples. To order call 1-800-PBS-SHOP (727-7467); email: www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/resources .
Ancient Mysteries: The Vikings in North America(1996). Narrated by Leonard Nimoy, this one hourdocumentary summarizes what is known fromarchaeology and history about the Viking voyagesto North America. Available from New VideoGroup, 126 Fifth Ave. NY, NY 10011; (212) 206-8600.
MUSEUM RESOURCESNational Museum of Natural HistoryIn conjunction with the Smithsonian's exhibition,each museum on the venue schedule (above) isdeveloping educational components. Please contactyour nearest venue to discover what they haveplanned. The National Museum of NaturalHistory has developed the following supplementalmaterials that you can order from the Scheduler,Office of Education, National Museum of NaturalHistory, Smithsonian Institution, Washington,DC20560-0158; (202) 357-2747; fax: (202) 786-2778.
Family Guide: This 13-page workbook is intendedfor families with children aged 3 to 15 as they walkthrough the exhibition. It will be availablewherever the exhibit tours. Young students alsoenjoy doing these activities at home. The activitieswere developed by a Maine teacher.(Continued on page 17)
AT THIS RATE" IT'U- PRDBABT/ TAKE THBA 500 YEARS TO SORT IT OUT... *
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AnthroNotes Volume 22 No. 1 Fall 2000
Teacher's Guide-. Developed by Carolyn Sadler
(National Museum of Natural History) for grades
4 and above, this guide includes a discussion ofhow
we know about the Viking past, suggested activities
for the classroom, a pronunciation guide, and an
excellent general bibliography.
The York Archaeological Trust . This is the research
division of the Jorvik Viking Center in York,
England, a tremendously popular museum with a
Disney inspired "ride" through the actual
archaeological site. The Center also has a hands-on
archaeological workshop. Though visiting the
museum is best, they also have materials available.
For more information or to order samples of their
activities, write: Cromwell House, 13 Ogleforth,
York Y01 2JG or e-mail: postmaster®
vorkarch.demon.co.uk.
Roskilde Ship Museum. In conjunction with the
Lejre Learning Museum of Denmark, Roskilde's
education department has developed a number of
hands-on activities for a range of ages. This
includes making trade bags and beads, weaving, and
painting runestones. Most importantly, Roskilde
has a prepared, English language guide for building
one's own Viking ship. At least one high-school in
the US (Minersville, PA) has built a ship using this
plan. Roskilde can be reached by phone at: (45) 46
30 02 00 or by mail: Postbox 298, Roskilde,
Denmark DK-4000.
Elisabeth Ward is assistant curator of the Viking
exhibition and co-editor of the exhibit catalog
"Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga.
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