The Vikings

Catalog description

The Vikings will study the rise and proliferation of Viking culture and society during the Viking Age (c. 793 - c. 1066 CE). This course will examine Norse/Scandinavian culture including their social structure, political and economic systems, technology (especially shipbuilding and navigation), religion, literature, language and of course the raiding, trading and exploration traditionally associated with Vikings. As the course synthesizes and analyzes historical evidence, several themes will be of importance including: social and economic structures, religious belief systems, the place of women and marginalized groups in society, and cultural developments such as art and literature. The overall goal of this course is to use factual and thematic knowledge of this time period and these cultures to analyze and appreciate both change and continuity in the development of Viking history.