The Scandinavians from the Vendel Period to the Tenth Century

As an ethnographic study of pre-modern Europeans, this book looks at an area usually considered from the perspectives of history, literature, or archeology. It is suitable for readers educated in any of these fields, and covers Scandinavian peoples from the Vendal period to the tenth century. The editor, Judith Jesch, is a professor of Viking studies (U. of Nottingham, UK). The book begins with using archeological evidence to determine dwelling types and settlement patterns, and proceeds to a study of kinship. A variety of evidence, from graveyard DNA to Norse epic poetry, is taken into consideration. Next are sections on law and legal customs, rural economy, urban economy in the second half of the first millennium A.D., and Vikings in the British Isles. A miscellany of special topics are also considered (the book derives from a symposium), from the iconography of wolves and ravens to a historical attempt to make Harald Bluetooth a saint. The editor emphasizes that this book considers Scandinavian cultural change and continuity using materials from before, during, and after the Viking Age, and not simply the Vikings. The editor gives each paper two appendices: a reference bibliography, and a transcribed interview discussing the paper's points of interest or controversy with the author(s). This feature makes the book extremely suitable for student readers and for general readers interested in the relationship between research, opinion, and conclusions in print. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)