For 300 years, from the ninth to the eleventh centuries, the power of the Vikings dominated Western Europe. Their voyaging extended westwards to America and as far south as the Mediterranean and North Africa. As well as being warriors and accomplished seamen, they were jewellers, sculptors and poets of great skill and originality: the forts, town sites, ships, burial mounds, carved stones, place names, sagas, art and artefacts they left behind continue to substantiate their legendary exploits. This revised and updated edition is based on recent archeological research with an important chapter on ships, shipwrights and seamen from Sean McGrail.

Previous edition: 2001.