'Ware the Norsemen Trivia Quiz

Answer: Old Norse

Old Norse is the language of the famous Eddas and sagas. The language has changed little, and speakers of modern Icelandic are able to read the Viking Eddas with little difficulty. The Icelandic capital of Reykjavik can be translated as "smoky bay."

Answer: the Dulcimer

The Lyre was a small harp, the Lur a long horn-shaped instrument, and the Pan Flute a small, flat box with numerous holes. The Dulcimer is a stringed instrument that originated in the ancient Near East. The Vikings made music for a number of occasions, from lulling children to sleep to long-distance communication.

Answer: the futhark

The Vikings had slightly different runes depending on geographic region, but they all called the collection of runes the futhark. The original Germanic Elder-futhark had 24 characters, but later was pared down to 16 by various Viking groups. It is named for the first six characters: Fehu, Uruz, Thurisaz, Ansuz, Raido, and Kauno.

Answer: Varangians

Varangian is an Old Norse term meaning "sharer in an oath". The guards were very well-paid, and Vikings who wanted to become Varangians were expected to pay for their membership. The other names are all "barbaric" tribes who were present in Europe during the same time period as the Vikings (indeed, many "civilized" lands considered the Vikings to be barbarians as well).

Answer: Hnefatafl

While all of the choices represent Viking board games, Hnefatafl was the most common, existing among many different Viking groups. Translated as "King's Table", the goal of hnefatafl was for one player to get the king to safety in a corner, and for his opponent to capture the king. It was considered good etiquette to play two games, so each player had a chance to play both positions.

Answer: ice

Riddles could range from 1 to 100 lines, and sought to describe everday objects and ideas in new and unusual ways. Many of these "ancient" riddles are still known today.

Answer: As an incentive, to encourage others to come

Although many of Greenland's fjords and valleys were hidden under glaciers, rich grassland lay near the shores and Erik hoped that the positive name would inspire other Vikings to venture across the ocean to settle the island. About 3000 Vikings eventually braved the journey to form two settlements that would last about 400 years.

The climate of parts of Greenland was relatively milder in the Middle Ages than later.

Answer: Thor's Hammer

Small replicas of the thunder god's mighty hammer Mjollnir (Crusher or Destroyer), were worn as pendants around the neck. Mjollnir was made by the dwarves Brokk and Eitri, and the story goes as follows: Loki thought it would be a good joke to cut off the golden hair of Thor's wife, Sif. To avoid the wrath of Thor, Loki agreed to replace the hair.

He went to the dwarves, and the Sons of Ivaldi not only made new hair out of gold that would grow from Sif's head, but a magical longship for Frey and a magical spear for Odin. On the way home, Loki met two other dwarves, Brokk and Eitri, and bet them his head that they couldn't make anything finer.

The dwarves set to work, and made a magical golden boar for Frey and a magic ring for Odin, despite Loki's interference.

They also made a magic hammer for Thor, but this time Loki succeeded in distracting them, and the handle was too short. However, the hammer Mjollnir won the bet, as it could hit any object it was thrown at, then return to the hand of the thrower, and Thor treasured it above all others as his weapon of choice. Fortunately for Loki, Brokk couldn't collect on the bet, because it would mean hurting Loki's neck, which was not part of the deal.

Answer: Shovel

Shovel developed from the Old English "scofl", related to "scufan", "to shove". "Skirt" originally had the meaning of our word "shirt" and is thought to have developed its present meaning during the Danelaw in England.

Answer: L'anse au Meduse

In French geographical terms, "une anse" is "a creek or a cove", and "une meduse" is "a jellyfish". Thus, the original name given to the area was "Jellyfish Creek/Cove". "Medaille" means "medal", "medius" is the "middle finger", and "megots" are "cigarette butts".