SCAtoday.net - 801 CE to 900 CE

The spiritual life of the Vikings

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:36:32 -0500

Recent discoveries of Viking burial sites have led researchers to rethink previously-held beliefs about the lives of the Norse, especially in regard to their spiritual life.

9th century shipwreck reveals perfectly-preserved porcelain

Wed, 5 Nov 2008 21:14:32 -0500

The remains of a Chinese ship carrying earthenware jars, painted bowls and gold cups dating to the 7th - 10th centuries, has been discovered off the southeast coast of Sumatra. The lavishness of the artifacts leads experts to speculate that the items might have been gifts from the Tang Emperor.

WebPress blog covers Early Medieval Scotland

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 08:18:32 -0400

Senchus: Notes on Early Medieval Scotland is a WordPress blog devoted to articles on early Scottish life and history. It is the ongoing project of Tim Clarkson, an “independent scholar” with a PhD in medieval history.

Mouse migration - Viking style

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 19:05:13 -0400

An article in a Royal Society journal suggests that modern British mice may have "Viking" genetics - or at least may have traveled with the Scandinavian invaders on their journeys of conquest.

Vikings needed women!

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 17:18:17 -0400

New research may show that the Viking raids of the 8th through 11th centuries may have been triggered by a shortage of marriageable women, possibly brought on by the Norsemen themselves.

Russian archaeologists find Khazar capital

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:27:00 -0400

Archaeologists from Astrakhan State University believe they have discovered the long-lost capital of the Khazar kingdom in southern Russia. The Khazars were a semi-nomadic people who converted to Judaism between the 8th and 10th centuries.

Monastery discovery sheds new light on the Picts

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 19:07:55 -0400

Long dismissed as savages who hindered the advancement of civilization in Scotland and the North of England, the Picts are now being seen as a sophisticated culture "capable of great art, learning and the use of complex architectural principles."

How to Make a Viking Spoon

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 18:10:16 -0400

On Instructables, Morfmir shows step-by-step instructions for making a wooden spoon with Viking era reproduction tools (or modern equivalents).

Games played role in the Viking afterlife

Sun, 3 Aug 2008 07:51:20 -0400

A team of Swedish and English archaeologists have excavated a 9th century Viking ship burial which has shed new light on the life and beliefs of the pre-Christian Norse.

Britain Before the Domesday at Pennsic

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:55:28 -0400

Baroness Eithni ingen Talorgain invites Pennsic War attendees to take part in "Britain before the Domesday," a day of activities celebrating early medieval Britain.

9th century Islamic coin found in Oslo

Sun, 6 Jul 2008 18:09:02 -0400

Norwegian archaeologists are abuzz over the discovery of a 9th century Iranian silver dirhem, one of the earliest Middle Eastern coins found in Scandinavia. (photo)

The mystery of the missing skeletons

Sun, 8 Jun 2008 11:44:26 -0400

Dozens of skeletons, thought to be Muslim and dating from the 8th or 9th centuries C.E, have been removed from the site of excavations near the Temple Mount according to the Israel Antiquities Authority who have deemed the incident "a serious mishap."

Levantia

Fri, 6 Jun 2008 11:16:43 -0400

"Levantia is a site for the social history of the Roman Empire and Near East, roughly between the ninth and thirteenth centuries. It explores this especially by means of practical reconstruction and experimentation. It also includes discussion of the issues of historiographic method and representation in public contexts."visit Levantia

1200-year-old Leshan Buddha spared by earthquake

Wed, 4 Jun 2008 17:55:45 -0400

The devastating earthquake in China's southwestern Sichuan Province has spared the world's tallest statue of Buddha. The 71-meter tall Buddha, which is a world heritage site, draws millions of visitors to the province each year.

The Birka Project information online

Sun, 1 Jun 2008 17:25:02 -0400

One of the most impressive archaeological sites for the Viking Age is Birka at Björkö in Lake Mälaren, Sweden. A website describing the site and its artifacts is available online.