The Vikings

Viking History: Norse Raiders, Culture & Mythology

Unearth the Spirit of the North with Histories and Castles.

In the dark centuries when dragon-prowed longships haunted Britain’s shores, the Vikings left an indelible mark on our landscape and soul. They were more than raiders; they were master craftsmen, seafaring pioneers, and keepers of profound spiritual wisdom.

At Histories and Castles, we bridge the gap between ancient sagas and the modern day. From the thunder of Mjölnir to the intricate weaves of Jellinge and Urnes art styles, our collection celebrates a time when history was forged in iron and fire.

Expert Insights: The Viking Age

The Magic of Viking Amulets: Protection and Power

Viking amulets are not merely relics; they are fragments of living heritage. Discover how Thor’s Hammer (Mjölnir) and sacred runes served as vital links between the Norse people and their gods, providing protection in battle and prosperity at home.

Viking Art & Jewellery: Symbols of Status

From the 8th to the 11th century, Norse jewellery was a definitive marker of identity and wealth. Explore the evolution of Viking aesthetics, from the gripping beast motifs of the Oseberg style to the fluid, elegant lines of the Urnes tradition.

Runes and Rituals: The Symbolism of the North

Every etched line in Viking jewellery carried a weight of meaning. Learn how ancient Norsemen used runes and animal motifs to honour their ancestors, invoke the cunning of Odin, and navigate the complex tapestry of fate.

Vikings

The Lost Art of Viking Granulation and Filigree Metalwork Explained
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The Lost Art of Viking Granulation and Filigree Metalwork Explained
The granulated silver beads of the Terslev hoard and the gold filigree crosses of the Hiddensee treasure represent Viking Age metalworking at its most technically demanding. Producing them required years of skill, silver of exceptional purity, and a mastery of temperature control that most modern jewellers would find challenging. This is how it was done.
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How Were Viking Tortoiseshell Brooches Cast by Medieval Metalsmiths?
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How Were Viking Tortoiseshell Brooches Cast by Medieval Metalsmiths?
The oval brooch was the defining item of Viking Age female dress. Worn in pairs at both shoulders, produced by the thousand using the lost-wax casting method, and found wherever Norse women settled from Norway to Russia, these objects are the most archaeologically reliable marker of Norse female cultural identity in the entire Viking Age record.
The Terslev Hoard: The Peak of Viking Age Silver Filigree Pendants
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The Terslev Hoard: The Peak of Viking Age Silver Filigree Pendants
A hoard found in a Danish field in 1911 contains some of the most technically extraordinary silver jewellery ever recovered from the Viking Age. The Terslev pieces, with their granulated spherical beads and Carolingian-influenced disk pendants, represent 10th-century Danish smithing at its absolute peak and the moment when Norse jewellery absorbed the design vocabulary of the Frankish world entirely on its own terms.
Gungnir: Odin's Spear, the Valknut, and What the Weapon Actually Meant
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Gungnir: Odin's Spear, the Valknut, and What the Weapon Actually Meant
Gungnir was not simply Odin's weapon. It was the instrument by which the lord of the slain consecrated war and claimed the dead. This article covers the mythology of Odin's spear, what the Valknut and rune engravings alongside it actually meant, and the historical tradition this pendant carries.
Why Did Vikings Use the Lost-Wax Casting Method for Complex Pendants?
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Why Did Vikings Use the Lost-Wax Casting Method for Complex Pendants?
Lost-wax casting was the Viking Age solution to a specific technical problem: how to produce three-dimensional metal objects of great complexity without the limitations of a reusable mould. Understanding how the process worked transforms how you read the finest Norse jewellery, revealing the layers of skill and decision-making that produced what appears to be a single fluid object.
Close-up overhead view of an intricately cast Norse pendant resting on aged dark leather,
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Yggdrasil: The Norse World Tree, Its Symbols and What They Really Meant
Yggdrasil meant "Odin's Horse" long before it meant "Tree of Life." Its three roots, nine worlds and gnawing serpent told a story not of serene growth but of a cosmos under permanent threat. Combined with the Valknut and Horn Triskele, it formed the most complete symbolic argument in Norse tradition.
The Viking Axe and the Valknut: What the Warrior's Weapon Actually Meant
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The Viking Axe and the Valknut: What the Warrior's Weapon Actually Meant
The Viking axe was not the elite weapon. It was carried by everyone. The Valknut placed at the centre of this blade is Odin's symbol of the warrior dead, appearing in Norse burial contexts from Gotland to the Oseberg ship burial. Two things that belong together, on a single piece.
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Viking Collection

Viking Collection

Viking Collection

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Mjolnir pendant necklace in oxidised 316L stainless steel with raised Valknut and Norse knotwork on hammer face, sculpted skull bail, on wheat chain Thor’s Hammer Valknut Pendant | 316L Stainless Steel Norse Jewellery Jewellery
Mjolnir Necklace | Thor's Hammer Valknut Pendant
£36.95
£36.95
Viking axe Valknut pendant necklace in gold-tone 316L stainless steel with Odin's knot symbol engraved at the centre of the blade, on a 60cm chain Viking Axe Valknut | Warrior Jewellery Jewellery
Viking Axe Valknut | Warrior Jewellery
£29.99 £0.99
£29.99