the Children of Ash and Elm: A History Vikings

A Times Book of the Year 2020 presents a wide-ranging and fresh assessment of Viking history. Based on archaeology and scholarship, it argues that the Viking expansion began generations before the Lindisfarne raid and traces Scandinavian history further back to reveal how these people came to be who they were. The narrative spans the Viking diaspora—from Vinland on the eastern American seaboard to Constantinople and Uzbekistan, with contacts reaching as far as China—highlighting shifts in society driven by a maritime-war economy. Notable findings include the central role of slavery in Viking life and trade, as well as pirate communities and family migrations that formed part of the Viking armies, especially in England. The author, Neil Price, invites readers inside the Norse mind and spirit-world, examining identity and gender beyond stereotype, and presenting Vikings as descendants of the Children of Ash and Elm. It is a thought-provoking and moving work that challenges long-held assumptions about the past.

The book’s scope combines archaeological discoveries with reinterpretations of Norse culture, offering a nuanced picture of a complex society that navigated both familiarity and strangeness across borders of identity.

Features

• Comprehensive history of the Viking Age and society
• Expands the timeline beyond Lindisfarne and Stamford Bridge
• Covers the Viking diaspora from Vinland to Constantinople
• Highlights slavery, trade, pirate communities and migrations
• Explores the Norse mindset and borders of gender
• Presents Vikings as descendants of Ash and Elm

1. Usage

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