The Vikings were great sailors and war-
riors from Scandinavia (the region com-
prising Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who swept across Europe and the North
Atlantic over 1200 years ago. The Viking
Age lasted from 800 to 1050 A.D.
The Vikings were an adventurous people
who sailed far and wide. Some went as
pirates and marauders who stole treasure
and attacked local people. Although they were basically traders and explor-
ers, they are thought of primarily as raiders. At first, their aim was merely to
plunder. However, as time passed, they settled down and colonized areas
they conquered.
The Vikings were brilliant ship builders. Built of wood and made waterproof
with tar from pine trees, their ships were strong, lightweight and beautifully
shaped to skim quickly through the water. The Viking ship was far superior
to ships and boats used by other peoples at the time. Over time, the Vikings
also developed a wide range of vessels suited for differ-
ent tasks – huge warships, small boats to travel in
shallow waters, trading vessels, and so on.
