Exploring the Viking Age

#25: Einar Selvik is back

In this episode, Einar Selvik (Wardruna) breaks down the ideas behind their latest album “Birna” — and why modern life is fundamentally out of sync with the natural world.We talk about:* Why humans have lost their connection to nature* The deeper meaning behind the bear in mythology and music* How emotion, not logic, shapes our experience of life* Touring, creativity, and the need for stillness* The balance between artistic expression and personal lifeEinar also shares insights into his creative process, performing in places like Pompeii, and how music can reconnect us to something deeper.This is a conversation about nature, creativity, and what it means to be human today.🎧 Listen to Wardruna📺 Watch the documentary “Tracking Birna” on YouTube📸 Follow for more conversations like this

#24: Sailing and Maintaining Viking Longships

What does it actually take to sail and maintain a Viking longship?In this episode of Exploring the Viking Age with Grimfrost, we sit down in the longhouse with our own shipwright and captain, Erik “Tullock.” A trained traditional boat builder who grew up in the harbor, he shares how he went from medieval markets to commanding 17-meter Viking ships.We dive into:• How Scandinavian boatbuilding traditions still mirror Viking Age methods• Why flexibility matters more than brute strength in a wooden hull• Oak vs pine, copper rivets, and selecting timber straight from the forest• The reality of sailing a square sail versus modern rigs• Minimum crew requirements for rowing and sailing• Captain responsibilities, crew coordination, and real risks at sea• Winter maintenance, tar, linseed oil, and preparing ships for launchSubscribe to stay updated! Also available on all platforms where podcasts are found, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and more. Find all the links in our linktree: https://linktr.ee/grimfrost

#23: Cecilia Ljung - How Scandinavia Became Christian

In this episode, we sit down with archaeologist Cecilia Ljung from Uppsala University to explore one of the biggest transformations of the Viking Age: the shift from Norse pagan traditions to Christianity. Through graves, runestones, and early towns, we follow the physical evidence of how belief, ritual, and daily life changed across Scandinavia. Subscribe to stay updated! Also available on all platforms where podcasts are found, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and more. Find all the links in our linktree: https://linktr.ee/grimfrost [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa3FiM2IwbUoyMnRzeUVpMlctRWp0OThMa2hYUXxBQ3Jtc0trbWNXVTVEbFM5ZHIzVDBxLVphaXlESkc5b1J5dDJRamVtc1R2d3NFOWF6S2R2bThESTZUTUlkV1dIb29FUXptYldyOEdoYWxqbE0xUHpfVnQ3RmJRc2lyNFVxM0xVWm16YzJIUENhT3lfUGhJMlJpVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Flinktr.ee%2Fgrimfrost&v=VOBFeY3qm8g]

#22: Tonicha Upham - The Story behind the 13th Warrior

In this episode, we explore one of the most extraordinary eyewitness accounts of the Viking Age, written by the 10th-century Arab traveler Ibn Fadlan. Best known today through the movie "The 13th Warrior", Ibn Fadlan was a real historical figure who encountered Viking merchants along the Volga River in 922 AD.Together with our guest, we break down what Ibn Fadlan actually saw, what he was told, and where later interpretations may have gone too far. We examine the infamous ship cremation funeral, the role of the so-called “Angel of Death,” the question of human sacrifice, and how much of this account reflects Viking-Age Scandinavia versus the culture shaped by trade, migration, and local traditions among the Rus and other Scandinavians encountered in the east.We also discuss how Arabic and Persian sources differ from European ones, why these texts have been underused in Viking studies, and what they reveal about violence, belief, and identity in the Viking world, without romanticizing or sanitizing the past.Subscribe to stay updated! Also available on all platforms where podcasts are found, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and more. Find all the links in our linktree: https://linktr.ee/grimfrost

#21: Anders Kaliff – Heathen Yule

What do fire rituals, the dead returning home, and Odin riding through the night sky have to do with heathen Yule? Do the old ways find their way into our modern day celebrations?In this special midwinter episode, archaeologist and professor Anders Kaliff returns to explore the ancient beliefs that shaped the holiday season long before Christianity arrived in Scandinavia. We talk about the myth of Odin’s Hunt, the symbolism of Yule fires, and why midwinter was such a powerful and spiritual time for people in the Viking Age — and long before that.This episode also dives into Kaliff’s latest book Odens jakt, and the deeper Indo-European roots behind ritual landscapes, ancestor traditions, and the seasonal rhythms that still echo through Christmas today.Subscribe to stay updated! Also available on all platforms where podcasts are found, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and more. Find all the links in our linktree: https://linktr.ee/grimfrost