Were there actually Viking cats? Find out the answer and more in HIST 3304 this spring! Together we will explore the history of this time we now call the “Viking Age” beginning with the climate catastrophes of the sixth and seventh centuries to the Norman Conquest of England in the middle of the eleventh. We will approach these diverse and exciting centuries of history from the perspective of the cultural artifacts that they produced; we will study a few of the key texts and objects created by the people who lived in this era, as well as some cutting-edge historical scholarship from our own moment. Readings include the Icelandic sagas, the Primary Chronicle of Kievan Rus’, the Encomium of the Anglo-Danish Queen Emma, Old Norse poetry, and the Bayeux Tapestry.
