During the early Middle Ages, when the Norsemen commenced their campaigns of conquest and exploration throughout much of continental Europe and overseas, they built a wide range of longboats in order to navigate on seas, rivers, oceans, lakes, and channels. These Norse ships are mainly referred to as ‘drakkars’, but depending on the purpose for…
One of the most spectacular sites in Scotland, Edinburgh Castle is known to have been located on the Castle Rock since at least the round of the 12th century, during the time of King David I of Scotland, being as such one of the oldest medieval fortresses in Britain. The site on which the castle…
The Rock of Cashel, a reputed historic site comprising a complex of spectacular Celtic buildings, is one of the most fantastic medieval constructions in Ireland. It is situated in southern Ireland, more specifically in the small town of Cashel, County Tipperary. According to the legend, it is said to have originated in the Devil’s Bit,…
Origins: Who Actually Were The Norsemen? Since ancient times, Scandinavia was the homeland of the Norsemen. The Norsemen (also referred to in many medieval texts as Northmen, ‘Nordmanni’, or ‘Dani’; nowadays broadly known as ‘Vikings’) were a congregation of Germanic tribes that initially lived in Northern Europe, more specifically in the areas corresponding to the…
What some people might not know about Halloween is the fact that it traces its roots from Celtic history. So it is that, initially, the holiday was largely related to the feasts influenced by Celtic harvest festivals in ancient Ireland, especially to the Gaelic Samhain, having thus pagan origins. Subsequently, Samhain was Christianised and became…
Recommended websites
