At the gates of Valhalla, Odin, the God of War and Death, welcomed thebravest of the slain warriors arriving in flaming longships for their finalbattle. It is a fiery legend still celebrated annually in the Shetland Islands,150 miles north-east of Scotland, where Vikings ruled for 500 years. In the streets of Lerwick, modern-day Norse descendants form vast torchlit processions, before burning a sacrificial longship in a Festival of Firecalled Up Helly Aa!
From the late 8th century, when Viking raiders first appeared, to the endof the 11th century, Scandinavian men and women travelled to many parts of the world, from Newfoundland to Byzantium in a cultural expansion that lasted for 300 years. But tales of terrifying berserkers mayhave been the mere propaganda of contemporary Christian chroniclers. Beyond the blood and brutality of legend, Viking colonists shared their culture and craftsmanship leaving behind an enduring legacy. In Vikings, historian Rodney Castleden, successfully separates the truth from Norsemyth and examines the achievements of the Viking Age â?? the people, their artistry, technological skills and seamanship.