Scots academic leads major project which may shed light on Scotland's Vikings
25th October
By Kirsteen Paterson @kapaterson
Journalist
Glasgow University is teaming up with the University of York to re-examine the links between Dublin and York
THEY were the two most important Viking settlements in Western Europe.
Now Glasgow University is teaming up with the University of York to re-examine the links between Dublin and York in a project which could also cast new light on Viking Scotland.
Then known as Dyflin and Jorvik, the cities were major Viking colonial centres and were ruled over by the same family during the late ninth and early 10th century. The leaders were known as the grandsons of Ivar, a reference to Ivar the Boneless, a conquering chieftain said to be the son of Danish king Ragnar Lothbrok.
Those names will be known to fans of the long-running HBO series Vikings, which is set to conclude this year. Glasgow archaeologist Dr Stephen Harrison says that show and others like it help to get people inspired and excited about the history and culture, and to tap into the Vikings own sense of drama. They were fantastic storytellers, he says. The sagas were the pre-TV versions of the shows we watch now.
The Vikings are one of those things that really captures the imagination. It crosses national barriers within these islands and beyond.
More:
https://www.thenational.scot/news/18820327.scots-academic-leads-major-project-may-shed-light-scotlands-vikings/
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"Ivar the Boneless?"