Seafaring: Viking

A detailed Summary of Seafaring: Viking

Seafaring: A Cornerstone of Viking Culture

Technological advances have always played very important roles in the development of cultures. From warfare to agriculture, technology can help shape and mold the way a culture develops. The Viking "longships" were one such advance. The impact of the technology involved in creating these magnificent ships is very apparent in the remnants of Viking culture. Expansion, warfare and poetry were only some of the many facets of Viking life affected by seafaring.

The Vikings were perhaps the most successful of all early explorers. The design of the longships allowed for navigation in the shallow fjords found within Sweden and Norway out to the ocean. From there, the Vikings were able to reach out across the globe. Unlike prior civilizations such as the Greeks, the Vikings used their technology to reach out to other European countries and even into Asia. While the Greeks concentrated their naval efforts in the area of warfare, although there is evidence of far reaching travel in such works as The Odyssey, the Vikings were able to establish profitable trade routes which in turn lead to the establishment of key trade ports such as Hedeby and Ribe. These first trade centers fueled th

Sagas recounted the expansion of the Vikings across the Atlantic. However, evidence of the impact of longships cannot only be found in Scandinavian literature but also in that of later civilizations, including the Romans. Famous poets such as Virgil recounted the splendor and grandeur of the longships in The Aeneid demonstrating the great respect for the Vikings and their mastery of all aspects of seafaring.

500 years later during the peak of European exploration.

Colonization, however, was not one of the major goals of the Vikings. Raiding and pillaging were more common tasks than far reaching global expansion. Both, however, relied on Viking naval prowess. The same design which allowed their ships to be maneuvered and sailed in shallow rivers allowed the Vikings to rapidly land their ships directly onto beaches providing for easy raiding. The Viking became famous for this type of fast and furious attach which made them extremely successful in attacking and difficult to defend against. Settlements and churches near these shallow rivers or near coastal waters were easy targets for Viking raiders as attacks could be made quickly and swiftly without allowing much time for those attacked

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Approximate Word count = 813
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History

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Seafaring: Viking

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