The Vikings are best known for raiding Europe in their longships, but there is so much more to these mysterious seafarers.
With each new discovery of a Viking burial or hoard of buried treasure, archeologists are slowly piecing together the Viking Age. From how their warriors sailed the seas with their pets to why they might not have been as blond as we think, Live Science's expert writers and editors reveal the latest news, features and articles about Vikings.
Discover more about Vikings
—Who were the Vikings, the warriors who raided Europe and explored the New World?
—Lindisfarne: The 'Holy Island' where Vikings spilled the 'blood of saints'
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Did the Vikings reach Maine?An 11th-century Norse coin found in Maine raises the question of whether the Vikings landed there.
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Viking Age mass grave holds mysterious mix of dismembered human remains and complete skeletons, including a 'giant' who'd had brain surgeryArchaeologists and student excavators uncovered a Viking Age pit full of dismembered remains near Cambridge, England.
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Ash Pendant: The only known depiction of a pregnant Viking womanThe Ash Pendant was discovered in a Viking Age burial mound in Sweden and may have been used by a female shaman.
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1,000-year-old 'king' game piece with a distinctive hairstyle is 'as close as we will ever get to a portrait of a Viking'A unique game piece from Norway that was crafted during the time of Harald Bluetooth may depict a Viking king.
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1,100-year-old Viking hoard reveals raiding wealthy only 'part of the picture' — they traded with the Middle East tooResearchers have found that the Bedale Viking hoard contains silver from Middle Eastern coins, highlighting that the Vikings profited from long-distance trade networks and brought this imported silver with them when they settled in England.
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Hornelund Brooches: Viking age gold ornaments mysteriously buried in Denmark 1,000 years agoTwo brooches from Denmark are unique examples of Viking Age goldwork that includes Christian and Norse designs.
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Viking Age burial of chieftain with 'enormous power' found in Denmark — and he may have served Harald BluetoothArchaeologists were surprised to find 30 Viking Age burials in Denmark, and even more surprised by the extravagant grave goods found within them.
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Viking Age woman was buried with her dog in an elaborate 'boat grave,' excavations revealResearchers think the Viking Age boat burial of a woman and her pooch in Norway dates to between A.D. 900 and 950.
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1,000-year-old Viking Age hoard has a pendant that may be a cross or Thor's hammerA metal detectorist in Germany has unearthed an Early Middle Ages hoard that contains 200 artifacts, including a pendant that may be a cross or an unfinished Thor's hammer.
