Viking Art

The distillation of a lifetime's study of Viking art by a leading authority, this new account covers all the intricate and beautiful art styles of the so-called 'Viking Age'. It ranges in time from the first major Viking expeditions overseas around ad 800 to the general establishment of Christianity in Scandinavia some 300 years later. An opening chapter gives the historical and geographical background. Thematic chapters then describe and discuss the six main Viking art styles, showing how they emerged from and interacted with one another. Delicate metalwork is contrasted with elaborate wood-carvings and the famous Gotland 'picture-stones', while we move in scale from the Oseberg ship to decorated weapons and fine jewelry. The book's conclusion looks at the art in relation to pagan Viking mythology, the Conversion period and the Norse sagas as well as at its legacy in later times. With striking illustrations of all the different aspects of Viking art and detailed maps, this will become the definitive guide for all those interested in this vibrant art form and in Norse history.