Even today a Viking longship is the kind of image that arouses fear and respect. In the front you’re faced with the high bows carved into the image of a dragon or other creature, while the sides reveal a row of round shields that don’t exactly foretell peaceful maritime exchange.
During the Viking Age of Scandinavia, which lasted roughly from the end of the 8th century to the middle of the 11th century, Norsemen and Norsewomen used these agile ships to expand from icy lands, islands and fjords they called home in northern Europe to travel and raid as far as Newfoundland to the West, Russia to the east and the Mediterranean Sea in the south. Many Vikings even conquered kingdoms in the British Isles and mainland Europe, marrying into the local populations to create a mixed heritage that remains today in places like Normandy, England and Scotland.
But why were these boats so successful? Through a combination of speed, durability and adaptability to a range of conditions, says one expert.
