Q&A with William Short, Author of Viking Weapons and Combat Techniques

A special thanks to William Short, author of Viking Weapons and Combat Techniques, for his time in graciously agreeing to answer a few questions:
1) How did you become interested in “Viking” history?
I don’t know. My educational and professional background had a heavy emphasis on technical topics and was very light on history and literature. […]

Review of Viking Weapons and Combat Techniques by William Short

My review of Viking Weapons and Combat Techniques has been published in the latest issue of The Heroic Age.
The Heroic Age is a fully peer-reviewed academic journal, focusing on Northwestern Europe during the early medieval period (from the early 4th through 13th centuries). The journal’s mission is to foster dialogue between all scholars of this […]

More on Runes

From the Copenhagen Post:
A new study of rune stones from Viking times shows that many of the carvings are meaningless
After studying about a thousand inscriptions on ancient rune stones scattered around Scandinavia, a researcher from Uppsala University in Sweden has come to the conclusion that many of the carvings are gibberish.
Read more …

A Stone Says More Than a Thousand Runes

ScienceDaily (May 28, 2010) — “It was not necessary to be literate to be able to access rune carvings in the 11th century. At the same time those who could read were able to glean much more information from a rune stone than merely what was written in runes. This is shown in new research […]

Mel Gibson to direct Viking film

“Mel Gibson will direct and Leonardo DiCaprio will star in an untitled period drama set in the world of Viking culture. William Monahan is writing the script.
Graham King will produce with Gibson and Tim Headington in a co-production between King’s GK Films and Gibson’s Icon Productions. Shooting is expected to begin fall, 2010, meaning that […]

Viking Anchor Discovered on the Isle of Skye

From the BBC:
A crofter has uncovered what is believed to be a Viking anchor while digging a drain on the Isle of Skye.
Graeme Mackenzie, 47, made the find after hiring an excavator to open the drain on rough pastureland 50yds (48m) from his home near Sleat …
… Mr Mackenzie levered it out and was “stunned” […]

Thieves Take Off With Viking Treasure

“Five hundred Viking era silver artifacts have been plundered from a site of archaeological interest on the Baltic island of Gotland.
Two archaeologists employed by Gotland county were dismayed to discover the valuables had vanished when they arrived at a field in Alva in Gotland to follow up on a recent find.”
Read more at The Local.