Ivory Vikings

Author: Nancy Marie Brown
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 1137279370
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 290

Book Description
In the early 1800's, on a Hebridean beach in Scotland, the sea exposed an ancient treasure cache: 93 chessmen carved from walrus ivory. Norse netsuke, each face individual, each full of quirks, the Lewis Chessmen are probably the most famous chess pieces in the world. Harry played Wizard's Chess with them in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Housed at the British Museum, they are among its most visited and beloved objects. Questions abounded: Who carved them? Where? Nancy Marie Brown's Ivory Vikings explores these mysteries by connecting medieval Icelandic sagas with modern archaeology, art history, forensics, and the history of board games. In the process, Ivory Vikings presents a vivid history of the 400 years when the Vikings ruled the North Atlantic, and the sea-road connected countries and islands we think of as far apart and culturally distinct: Norway and Scotland, Ireland and Iceland, and Greenland and North America. The story of the Lewis chessmen explains the economic lure behind the Viking voyages to the west in the 800s and 900s. And finally, it brings from the shadows an extraordinarily talented woman artist of the twelfth century: Margret the Adroit of Iceland.

Ivory Vikings: The Mystery of the Most Famous Chessmen in the World and the Woman Who Made Them

Author: Nancy Marie Brown
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1466879130
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 290

Book Description
“A fascinating tale of discovery and mystery.” —The Minneapolis Star Tribune In the early 1800's, on a Hebridean beach in Scotland, the sea exposed an ancient treasure cache: 93 chessmen carved from walrus ivory. The Lewis Chessmen are probably the most famous chess pieces in the world. Harry played Wizard's Chess with them in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Housed at the British Museum, they are among its most visited and beloved objects. Questions abounded: Who carved them? Where? Nancy Marie Brown's Ivory Vikings explores these mysteries by connecting medieval Icelandic sagas with modern archaeology, art history, forensics, and the history of board games. In the process, Ivory Vikings presents a vivid history of the 400 years when the Vikings ruled the North Atlantic, and the sea-road connected countries and islands we think of as far apart and culturally distinct: Norway and Scotland, Ireland and Iceland, and Greenland and North America. The story of the Lewis chessmen brings from the shadows an extraordinarily talented woman artist of the twelfth century: Margret the Adroit of Iceland.

The Real Valkyrie

Author: Nancy Marie Brown
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1250200830
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 325

Book Description
In the tradition of Stacy Schiff’s Cleopatra, Brown lays to rest the hoary myth that Viking society was ruled by men and celebrates the dramatic lives of female Viking warriors “Once again, Brown brings Viking history to vivid, unexpected life—and in the process, turns what we thought we knew about Norse culture on its head. Superb.” —Scott Weidensaul, author of New York Times bestselling A World on the Wing "Magnificent. It captured me from the very first page." —Pat Shipman, author of The Invaders In 2017, DNA tests revealed to the collective shock of many scholars that a Viking warrior in a high-status grave in Birka, Sweden was actually a woman. The Real Valkyrie weaves together archaeology, history, and literature to imagine her life and times, showing that Viking women had more power and agency than historians have imagined. Nancy Marie Brown uses science to link the Birka warrior, whom she names Hervor, to Viking trading towns and to their great trade route east to Byzantium and beyond. She imagines her life intersecting with larger-than-life but real women, including Queen Gunnhild Mother-of-Kings, the Viking leader known as The Red Girl, and Queen Olga of Kyiv. Hervor’s short, dramatic life shows that much of what we have taken as truth about women in the Viking Age is based not on data, but on nineteenth-century Victorian biases. Rather than holding the household keys, Viking women in history, law, saga, poetry, and myth carry weapons. These women brag, “As heroes we were widely known—with keen spears we cut blood from bone.” In this compelling narrative Brown brings the world of those valkyries and shield-maids to vivid life.

Song of the Vikings

Author: Nancy Marie Brown
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 1137073713
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 229

Book Description
Much like Greek and Roman mythology, Norse myths are still with us. Famous storytellers from JRR Tolkien to Neil Gaiman have drawn their inspiration from the long-haired, mead-drinking, marauding and pillaging Vikings. Their creator is a thirteenth-century Icelandic chieftain by the name of Snorri Sturluson. Like Homer, Snorri was a bard, writing down and embellishing the folklore and pagan legends of medieval Scandinavia. Unlike Homer, Snorri was a man of the world—a wily political power player, one of the richest men in Iceland who came close to ruling it, and even closer to betraying it... In Song of the Vikings, award-winning author Nancy Marie Brown brings Snorri Sturluson's story to life in a richly textured narrative that draws on newly available sources.

Leisure

Author: Jasmin Biggs
Publisher: An Unexpected Journal
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 299

Book Description
In a fast-paced society that prizes utilitarian productivity, leisure and play can be difficult to enjoy without guilt. Rather than resist this cultural tide, the church often inadvertently baptizes such workaholism, spiritualizes the idolatry of productivity, and participates in the functional desecration of the physical creation that God declared "good." But leisure is not only fun; it is essential for our spiritual health. This issue of An Unexpected Journal explores the theological and philosophical foundations for the sacredness of play, along with lighter reflections on how various sports, hobbies, and leisure activities reveal the goodness and character of God. Contributors “The Curse of Gnosticism and the Cure of Play: Why Leisure is Essential for Spiritual Health” - Jasmin Biggs on the Imago Dei & Its Implications for Play “Leisurely Rambles: Hiking & Birding as Sacred Play” - Annie Nardone on Hiking and Birding “Vortex” (Short Story) - Molly Hopkins on Workaholism “Taylor Swift, T.S. Eliot, and C.S. Lewis: Eras for the Ages” - Seth Myers on Taylor Swift’s Timeless Themes “The Arrow That is Not Aimed: Flow in the Art of Archery and Writing” - Megan Joy Rials on Archery and Writing “Leisure the Basis of Education: Applying the Sabbath Principle to the Classroom” -Alex Markos on Sabbath and Education “Fly Fishing and the Fall” - Jim Swayze on Fly Fishing “Obeying the Rules of the Game” - Zak Schmoll on Power Soccer “Sea Reflections” - Tiffany Kavedzic on God’s Character “Pursuing the Tempest: Why We Chase” - Zachary Biggs on Storm Chasing and Landscape Photography “How My Horse Taught Me to Be a Parent” - Annie Crawford on Horsemanship and Parenting “In The Image of a Playful God: Flourishing Through Playfulness And Connection” - Anna Beresford on Play & Connection “Bones Will Sing: Dance in Spiritual Formation” - Rachel Bruce Johnson on Incarnational Embodiment “Craft and Glory” - Molly Hopkins on Hobbies and Craftsmanship “Forgiveness in the Foam” (poem) - Dwayne Sheridan on Cosplay and Redemption “Take Me Out To The Ballgame: How Baseball Can Restore Our Senses And Our Souls” - Sandra G. Hicks on Baseball “Counterpunching Trials With Joy: Boxing As A Unique Parallel To Christian Sanctification” - Matthew Hill on Boxing “Kings Over Bishops: The Play of Chess in Late Medieval and Early Modern England as a Representation of the Relationship Between the Sacred and the Secular” - James L. Underwood on Chess and History “Bombs, Board Games, and Bede the Venerable: But Mostly Chess” - Seth Myers on Board Games and Chess Fall 2023; Volume 6, Issue 3. 310 pages Illustrator: Virginia de la Lastra

The Far Traveler

Author: Nancy Marie Brown
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780156033978
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 324

Book Description
"Brown's enthusiasm is infectious as she re-teaches us our history."--The Boston Globe Five hundred years before Columbus, a Viking woman named Gudrid sailed off the edge of the known world. She landed in the New World and lived there for three years, giving birth to a baby before sailing home. Or so the Icelandic sagas say. Even after archaeologists found a Viking longhouse in Newfoundland, no one believed that the details of Gudrid's story were true. Then, in 2001, a team of scientists discovered what may have been this pioneering woman's last house, buried under a hay field in Iceland, just where the sagas suggested it could be. Joining scientists experimenting with cutting-edge technology and the latest archaeological techniques, and tracing Gudrid's steps on land and in the sagas, Nancy Marie Brown reconstructs a life that spanned--and expanded--the bounds of the then-known world. She also sheds new light on the society that gave rise to a woman even more extraordinary than legend has painted her and illuminates the reasons for its collapse. "Brown rightly leaves scholarly work to scholars. Instead, her account presents an enthusiastic appreciation of her education in how fieldwork and literature offer insights into the past."--The Seattle Times "[Brown has] a lovely ear for storytelling."--Los Angeles Times Book Review NANCY MARIE BROWN is the author of A Good Horse Has No Color and Mendel in the Kitchen. She lives in Vermont with her husband, the writer Charles Fergus.

The Medieval Iberian Treasury in the Context of Cultural Interchange (Expanded Edition)

Author:
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004424598
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 320

Book Description
The Medieval Iberian Treasury in the Context of Cultural Interchange—expanded beyond the special issue of Medieval Encounters from which it was drawn—centers on the magnificent treasury of San Isidoro de León to address wider questions about the meanings of cross-cultural luxury goods in royal-ecclesiastical settings during the central Middle Ages. Now fully open access and with an updated introduction to ongoing research, an additional chapter, composite bibliographies, and indices, this multidisciplinary volume opens fresh ways into the investigation of medieval objects and textiles through historical, art historical, and technical analyses. Carbon-14 dating, iconography, and social history are among the methods applied to material and textual evidence, together shining new light on the display of rulership in medieval Iberia. Contributors are Ana Cabrera Lafuente, María Judith Feliciano, Julie A. Harris, Jitske Jasperse, Therese Martin, Pamela A. Patton, Ana Rodríguez, and Nancy L. Wicker.

Eirik Raude

Author: Øystein Morten
Publisher: Vigmostad & Bjørke
ISBN: 824195252X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 410

Book Description
Sagaen om Eirik Raude er kort. Den forteller at han flykter fra Norge til Island etter et drap, gifter seg inn i en høvdingfamilie, innleder en liten krig, utforsker et gedigent land mot vest og kaller det Grønland. Så grunnlegger han et nybyggersamfunn på Grønland før landet kristnes mot hans vilje og sønnene utforsker Amerika. På et kvarter har du oversikt over alt vi vet om Eirik Raude. Eller kanskje ikke. For bak sagaenes fortettede formuleringer skjuler det seg et hav av hendelser og sammenhenger som ennå ikke er oppdaget. I denne boken undersøker Øystein Morten hva Eirik Raude egentlig var ute etter på Grønland, og hva som var bakgrunnen for reisene videre vestover til Vinland.Bli med på en oppdagelsesferd til norrøne bosetninger i polare strøk!«Oppsiktsvekkende … man formelig ser for seg hvordan Eirik Raude opplevde Grønland på 980-tallet … både ei lærerik og underholdende bok.»[Terningkast 5 Jan-Erik Smilden, Dagbladet

Rick Steves Iceland

Author: Rick Steves
Publisher: Rick Steves
ISBN: 1641715863
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 624

Book Description
From vast glaciers to steaming volcanic lakes, experience the land of the midnight sun with Rick Steves. Inside Rick Steves Iceland you'll find: Comprehensive coverage for spending a week or more exploring Iceland Rick's strategic advice on how to get the most out of your time and money, with rankings of his must-see favorites Top sights and hidden gems, from the stunning northern lights to hidden hikes and cozy bookstores How to connect with culture: Soak in hidden hot springs, sample smoked fish, and chat with locals in welcoming rural towns Beat the crowds, skip the lines, and avoid tourist traps with Rick's candid, humorous insight The best places to eat, sleep, and relax Self-guided walking tours of lively Reykjavík and incredible museums as well as mile-by-mile scenic driving tours Detailed maps for exploring on the go Useful resources including a packing list, a historical overview, and helpful Icelandic phrases Over 500 bible-thin pages include everything worth seeing without weighing you down Complete, up-to-date information on Reykjavík, the Ring Road, the Reykjanes Peninsula, the Golden Circle, the South Coast, the Westman Islands, West Iceland, the Eastfjords, and more Make the most of every day and every dollar with Rick Steves Iceland. Expanding your trip? Try Rick Steves Scandinavia or Rick Steves Scandinavian & Northern European Cruise Ports.

The Atlantic Walrus

Author: Xénia Keighley
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128174315
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 359

Book Description
The Atlantic Walrus: Multidisciplinary insights into human-animal interactions addresses the key dimensions of long-term human walrus interactions across the Atlantic Arctic and subarctic regions, over the past millennia. This book brings together research from across the social and natural sciences to explore walrus biology, human culture, environmental conditions and their reciprocal effects. Together, 13 chapters of this book reconstruct the early evolution of walruses, walrus biology, the cultural significance and ecological impact of prehistoric and indigenous hunting practices, as well as the effects of commercial hunting and international trade. This book also examines historic and ongoing management strategies and, the importance of new research methodologies in revealing hitherto unknown details of the past, and concludes by discussing the future for Atlantic walruses in the face of climate change and increased human activities in the Arctic. This volume is an ideal resource for those who are seeking to understand an iconic Arctic species and its long and complex relationship with humans. This includes individuals and researchers with a personal or professional connection to walruses or the Arctic, as well as marine biologists, zoologists, conservationists, paleontologists, archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, indigenous communities, natural resource managers and government agencies. Provides succinct overviews of the biology of the Atlantic Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) as well as human cultures within the North Atlantic Arctic and the surrounding region by consolidating research which until now has been scattered across fields and academic publications Editorial team of inter-disciplinary researchers ensuring the breadth, depth and integration of material covered throughout the volume Thirteen chapters, each authored by leading international researchers and experts on the Atlantic Walrus Considers the inter-relatedness and complexity of species biology, ecological change, human culture, and anthropogenic pressures onto the Atlantic Walrus, all while remaining accessible to readers from different disciplines or a more generalist audience Draws upon the latest methods in marine mammal and archaeological research Assesses historical management of the species, while also considering current and future conservation efforts in light of human activities and climate change Text supported by striking and insightful new maps and scientific illustrations, ideal for teaching and outreach