The Viking Age Trivia Quiz

Answer: Finland

Sweden, Denmark and Norway are considered the Viking homelands. Finland had Viking settlements as did Iceland, the British Isles, Greenland and France.

Answer: hack silver

Hack silver was pieces of silver jewelry or silver bars. The weight of the pieces was determined and the amount of silver needed as payment for goods or services was "hacked" off.

Answer: all of these

Vikings usually established temporary trading settlements in Russia, though the ones in Kiev and Novgorod were more permanent. The Vikings used the Russian rivers to navigate through the country. They would portage their boats around rough water.

Answer: grave goods

Grave goods were a deceased Viking's best or favorite things. The items found in Viking grave sites give a glimpse of their daily life. Cooking utensils, furniture, gold and silver and even long boats have been excavated from Viking Age graves.

Answer: missionaries

Vikings were renowned as daring explorers, crafty traders and talented craftsmen. Spreading religion was not a top priority. They traveled and traded as far east as Constantinople and Jerusalem. They built longboats capable of sailing across the Atlantic in search of new lands. They created intricate jewelry of great beauty.

Answer: Thor's hammer

Thor's hammer, called Mjöllnir, was carried by Thor as he rode through the heavens making lightning and thunder. He used his hammer to battle giants and monsters. Thor was a favorite god of the Viking people. With the advent of Christianity in the Viking homelands the hammer was sometimes worn as a counter point to the square crosses worn at the time.

Answer: iron

Viking weapons were forged of iron. They were often decorated with inlays of copper, silver and brass. Highly decorated weapons often indicated the wealth of the owner.

Answer: ship rope

Walrus skins were used to make ship rope. The walrus was skinned in a continuous spiral beginning at the tail. Walrus were also prized for their ivory tusks. These were used for trading and also for carving.

Answer: a woman

Only women wore paired oval-shaped brooches. These are sometimes referred to as tortoise brooches due to their shape. Brooches were use as clothing fasteners. The Viking woman attached the brooches at her shoulder to hold her clothing together.

Answer: all of these

During the Viking Age it was possible for a person to turn themselves over and became a thrall. Most thralls were captured or purchased prisoners. The child born of a women thrall was a thrall by birth. Thralls could be given freedom by their owner or even purchase their own freedom.