Viking Suggestions?

I'm a search for info on the everyday life of the average viking. If anyone has any suggestions for books or websites. I would really appreciate it.

You'd think I'd know tons about Vikings after, you know, living in Denmark and all, but alas I really didn't learn that much about them then. We were supposed to go to Lejre last time we were there. It's a recreation of a Viking settlement. I've wanted to see it forever. Unfortunately, they had just closed down for the cold season when we were there. Doh!

If I find any particularly juicy bits, I'll be sure to share.

*shivers*

Okay, now you might think I found this doing research, but in fact I found it because my husband asked what an Ossuary was. Never having heard that word before I naturally abandoned my very, very close to being finished manuscript of Fiona and looked it up.

An Ossuary is a building, chest or vessel meant to hold the skeletal remains of a person.

Okay...Weird enough, but we've gotta have a place for skeletons right? But do we really have to make them into chandeliers???

The Sedlec Ossuary is a Roman Catholic chapel in the Czech Republic where they took the bones of the people and made them into decorations and furnishings...

And I thought the catacombs under Paris with the Heart made out of skulls was creepy...

Okay, Beltan's in trouble I have to go save him! Off to finish Fiona!

One of My Favorite Places on the Web

A Modern Herbal has so much information! There are pictures, descriptions, uses, and instructions for preparation of herbs. I have used this for research tons of times!

Torture: Medieval Information Technology

Now if someone wants to ruin your life they can steal your identity and make you electronically cease to exist. That seems bad enough, but back in medieval times if you wanted to ruin someone's life the best thing to do was to accuse them of a crime like blasphemy. Then came the pain and the torture and eventually even if you didn't do anything you'd admit to it just so they'd kill you.

I'm doing some research for Fiona O'Sithein and found this lovely site.

Medieval Torture

Don't worry our sweet, little Fiona isn't doing the torturing. ;)

Norman London and Shameless Promotion!

I just ordered two new books. I can't wait for them to get here.

One is Norman London by William Fitz Stephen. He was a 12th century historian who wrote an account of London sometime before 1183. It sounds so interesting, and it is the absolute perfect time period for Fiona! It sounds like it's something very similar to a medieval tourists guide to London! Wahoo!!!





The other book I bought is Confessions of Shameless Self-Promoters by Debbie Allen. It's about getting over the teachings of childhood and learning to talk yourself and your product up. I'm hopping it'll help me leave behind some of my inhibitions and go out and get my books sold!



I'll let you know what I think when I get them in and read!

The Medieval Tailor

" [the tailor] must be able not only to cut for the handsome and well-shaped, but bestow a good shape where nature has not granted it. He must make the clothes sit easy in spite of a stiff gait or awkward air. His hand and head must go together; he must be a nice cutter, and finish his work with elegance."

I was doing some research for Fiona O'Sithein and came across this lovely quote.

If only the modern tailor's of the world would take these simple thoughts into consideration...

The Lucky Horseshoe

I have a horseshoe that I've been meaning to clean up and hang above the door for ages and just haven't gotten around to. So while watching an episode of Piggly Winks the other day with my little guy about why horseshoes were lucky, I got to wondering.

I found this awesome website that I just had to share.

The Horseshoe

Games Vikings Play

Okay I'm doing some research and I found interesting stuff about games that Vikings play so of course I had to share!

First of all there is the lovely game of Hnefatafl. I'm sure someone out there can pronounce that! I'm fluent in Danish, which is a Nordic language, and I couldn't even venture a guess! Hnefatafl is a game similar to Chess but according to some of the sites I found on it, it's actually older. There are pieces and its played on a board with a grid. The pieces simulate a Viking Raid so there are pieces in the middle which someone is in charge of defending and four sets of pieces along the outside which someone else attacks with. Those good old Vikings! Surround and conquer!

Another game I found was Kubb I couldn't find anything but commercial websites about it so for all I know someone totally could have made it up just to make money, but according to their site its an outdoor game played by Vikings. Its a little like bowling or horseshoes.

Back to the Viking party...

The Evil Yule Cat!

I'm doing some research for a scene I'm writing for Arrianna where the people of Sithein go and visit the dragon's for Yule. So I was looking up Ancient Viking Yule traditions and I'm finding some freaky stuff!

Like for instance...

The Yule Cat was a giant cat that came and ate people who were lazy and didn't get their work weaving done!

Now if you ask me that's just freaky!

Now back to work!