The Vikings; Life, Myth, and Art (U)

Viking artifacts discovered across a vast extent from Russia to Greenland and North America bear witness to an artistic legacy that astonishes with its wealth and diversity—and gives life to the popular misconception of the Vikings as a seafaring horde of barbarous plunderers.The Vikings is a richly illustrated introduction to this extraordinary culture, presenting an art of immense sophistication, with artifacts ranging from exquisite gold jewelry to superbly decorated weapons, and vividly incised and painted runestones.This book covers themes that have long preoccupied the popular imagination, including: the restless spirit of the Norsemen and their extraordinary voyages in quest of adventure, booty, conquest, glory—and simply trade; the mighty gods and goddesses such as Odin, Freyja, Thor, and the mischief maker Loki; the mysteries of the afterlife; and the ceremonies and sacrifices that accompanied the burials of the Viking rulers and aristocracy in their magnificent longships.Superb landscape photography adds an enthralling atmosphere of place when juxtaposed with close-up views of art, artifacts, and decorative details. An elegant showcase for the glories of the Viking world, this exploration into the life and art of the legendary adventurers capture the achievements of a lost culture.After studying history at Oxford, Tony Allan was for many years a writer and editor with Time-Life Books, serving as Series Editor of the Time-Life History of the World. He subsequently contributed chapters to the Lost Civilisation series, covering archeological themes, and worked as an author and consultant on Myth and Mankind, a 20-volume study of comparative mythology. His own books include Americans in Paris, a study of American artists and writers in 1920s Paris, and , for younger readers, a re-telling of Edgar Allan Poe stories that was nominated for the 1996 Birmingham Children's Book Award.