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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Today's vikingism: 'Viking Day', a 2020 Peppa Pig episode, featuring horned helmets, dragon heads, boat hijackings, viking shanties, and a raided food stall ⚔️🥪 Full(ish) episode here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dFF...

Peppa, Granny and others in 'viking' garb on their stolen vessel, presumably on their way to loot and plundering.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Some more candid thoughts from the Great Viking Survey:

A response from the Great Viking Survey (2025), in which the surveyee answers whether or not they admire vikings: 'It's just a job from a different culture. It would be like admiring an ancient Egyptian accountant'.

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Christian Cooijmans @ccooijmans.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Viking scholars attempting to counter misinformation about vikings:

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Some more wisdom from the Great Viking Survey dataset:

An anonymous response from the Great Viking Survey (conducted in 2025), reading: 'Look [like] a viking, smell like a viking and walk like a viking. Then I am probably a viking.'

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Some more wisdom from the Great Viking Survey dataset:

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Christian Cooijmans @ccooijmans.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

When, during the World Cup, you feel the urge to contest a viking heritage by claiming other Scandinavian groups - hang on - 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠, it may be time to go outside for a bit.

Two paragraphs from a Guardian article:

'Swedish historians have highlighted a glaring historical inaccuracy: it was eastern Vikings, mainly from modern-day Sweden, who were famous for river and coastal rowing, while western Vikings, from Norway, were the great transatlantic sailors.

So the Norwegians are celebrating their football team's performances by imitating Swedish Vikings, Stockholm pundits argue. Be that as it may, the chant has won over many Norwegians, who have posted countless videos of themselves rowing.'

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Steffen Hope @hopesteffen.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Yet another brilliant case of vikingisms from the world of comic books.

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Liverpool University Press @livunipress.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

New in Viking Europe | Viking Connections is the latest volume in the new series, a milestone publication from the most important and prestigious academic conference on the Viking Age. Find out more here ⬇️ www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10....

Promotional graphic from Liverpool University Press for the book Viking Connections: Proceedings of the Nineteenth Viking Congress. On a black background with red Viking-style knotwork borders, large white-colored text reads: “Thirty-two papers encompassing the most recent research on the Viking Age.” At right is the book cover, showing the title above a black-and-white photograph of a carved Viking runestone. “Viking Europe” appears in red text at the bottom.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Many congratulations to our friends at the Museum of Danish America for a successful first month of Vikingmania! We were very happy to contribute survey data and videos to the exhibition. In Elk Horn, IA until Apr 2027; on tour afterwards! www.danishmuseum.org/exhibition/v... 📸 Adam Bierstedt/MoDA

A group of visitors being shown around the Vikingmania! exhibition by curator Adam Bierstedt. A large red sign with the exhibition title is on the left side of the photograph.

A display at the Vikingmania! exhibition, containing information and objects related to the Kensington Runestone.

Displays at the Vikingmania! exhibition, containing information and objects related to vikings as entertainment.

A display at the Vikingmania! exhibition, with two visitors viewing a recorded video of Dr Christian Cooijmans talking about viking identity in the United States.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Today's vikingism: this composite photograph of Norway's national football team dressed as pop-culture vikings ⚽ 📸 David Yarrow

A photograph of the Norwegian national football team dressed up as pop-culture vikings on a beach, with the Nærøyfjord composited in as background, and the same viking ship pasted in three times at different angles and distances.

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Christian Cooijmans @ccooijmans.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

I recently came across this IG video by Dan Snow, talking about the viking attack on Zutphen. While it's always good to see more attention drawn to this particular part of the viking world, this is an example of this history being unhelpfully sensationalised out of proportion. 🧵 1/7

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Christian Cooijmans @ccooijmans.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Addendum: A few years ago, I wrote a small opinion piece about the casual sensationalism with which vikings are characterised in media and academia. The trend sadly continues unabated today: archive.is/uDR0j 🧵 end.

An article headline reading: 'Beyond hostility and hypermasculinity: why we need to think differently about the vikings'

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Today's vikingism: this 9m tall mural in Lindsborg, Kansas. Realised by Cal and Allena McNichols, it is one of several viking-themed murals in the town, whose nickname is 'Little Sweden' due to its Nordic heritage.

A large, colourful and stylised mural of a viking with horned helmet on the side of a rectangular building with a grassy patch and road in front.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

We appreciate the radical honesty in some of our Great Viking Survey answers: GVS: 'Can you explain what you thought about your museum visit?' Participants: 'To be honest, I have no idea if it was good information' 'it made me hate vikings more' 'I was there for the food which was great'

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Christian Cooijmans @ccooijmans.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

The new viking game about the 845 siege of Paris is looking great!

A monochrome pixelated viking ship. Underneath is the text 'you have died of dysentery.'

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Could Gibb's rendering even just have been based on the original find drawing, rather than the object itself?

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Mystery solved? The decoration is exceedingly similar to the animal head terminals on the horse harness bows from Møllemosegård and Søllested, with some apparent creative liberties taken by the artist. Many thanks to @trixranderson.bsky.social!

A drawing of a 10th century animal head terminal from the Møllemosegård harnass mount. From 'Two 10th-century animal head terminals - a lost harness bow?' by Anne Pedersen, in Studien zur Archáologie des Ostseeraumes von der Eisenzeit zum Mittelalter. Festschrift Michael Müller-Wille (ed. A. Wesse), pp. 538.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Thanks! And yes, seems very likely! The Møllemosegård one is even more similar in terms of dental work:

Møllemosegård Horse Harness Bow – Jonas Lau Markussen – Nationalmuseet – CC BY-SA 05

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Today's vikingism: this image of a 'Norse Decoration' by William Gibb († 1929), listed as the prow ornament of a viking ship. Unclear which (mock-)historical figurehead, if any, this is based on. Any guesses? (National Galleries of Scotland, D 4068)

An image of an alleged viking ship prow ornament, featuring a wooden creature's head with mouth open, painted in red and gold with decorative banding. The writing around the image reads 'Norse Decoration', and 'Drawn by W[illia]m Gibb'

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Thrilled to have made it out to sunny Cardiff for 'Viking and Wales: Past and Present' at the Norwegian Church Arts Centre. The exhibition, on until 17 May, incorporates some of the early UK results from our Great Viking Survey!

The facade of the Norwegian Church Arts Centre, with Cardiff Bay in the background, including the Senedd and Pierhead Building, as well as the Giant Wheel.

Numerous visitors and reenactors at a viking encampment outside the Norwegian Church Arts Centre in Cardiff during a sunny day.

A wall panel with information about the Great Viking Survey and its UK results.

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Christian Cooijmans @ccooijmans.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Lovely to see that my chapter in the upcoming Viking Congress volume is already available for download (OA), courtesy of @livunipress.bsky.social. It considers the role of viking camps as distinct social spaces, being both safe havens and homes. www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10....

The front cover of 'Viking Connections: Proceedings of the Nineteenth Viking Congress', edited by David Griffiths, Nancy Edwards, Fiona Edmonds, and Clare Downham. The cover features an image of the late Viking-Age Maen Achwyfan cross in northern Wales.

A screenshotted page of an academic chapter, titled 'A Place of Contact and Contradiction: the socially constructed space(s) of viking encampment', by Christian Cooijmans.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Today's vikingism: the replica of the 12th-century Gol Stave Church, built at the Norwegian pavilion of Epcot Center in Walt Disney World, Florida.

A replica stave church with a viking statue in front

Viking statue in front of replica stave church (photo by Michael Gray)

Interior gallery space in the stave church at Epcot

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 12/04/2026

Today's vikingism: the Up Helly Aa galley sheds of Shetland. Found in communities across the islands, they act as centres of operations for 'squads' as they prepare for local celebrations of the fire festival, including the construction of a galley that is set aflame as part of the festivities.

A sign for the galley shed of Uyeasound (est. 1911), featuring a stylised rendering of a viking ship (based on Gotlandic picture stone examples).

A sign for the galley shed in Scalloway, featuring a viking ship with red and white sails.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 12/04/2026

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Today's vikingism: a pen drawing of a scene from Snorri's Saga of St. Olaf, depicting the titular figure's first voyage with his foster-father Hrani. Halfdan Egedius (1899). Oslo, Nasjonalmuseet, NG.K&H.B.06256.

A detailed pen drawing of a scene from a saga, featuring two men looking out from a viking ship in rough seas, with other ships in the distance.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

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Andrew Curry @andrewcurry.com · 12/03/2026

"The exhibit is dedicated to explaining why the Vikings are still so cool." I feel a summer road trip to Elk Horn may be called for.

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Christian Cooijmans @ccooijmans.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Petition to once again - properly and correctly - refer to late Scandinavian prehistory as 'the Fabulous Age'.

An extract from Paul C. Sinding's 1858 volume 'History of Scandinavia', which reads: 'The history, therefore, of Scandinavia, through the first eight centuries after Christ, until King Gorm the Old, is properly and correctly called 'the Fabulous Age'

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

We're excited to go and see 'Vikings and Wales: Past & Present' at the Norwegian Church Arts Centre in Cardiff next month. Some of the findings from our Great Viking Survey have helped shape the exhibition and will also be on display!

fixr.co

VIkings and Wales: Past & Present tickets on Thursday 2 Apr | Norwegian Church Arts Centre | FIXR

Buy tickets to VIkings and Wales: Past & Present on Thursday 2 Apr at Norwegian Church Cardiff | FIXR

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Justine Breton @bretonjustine.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

#medievalism at its finest 👌

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Christian Cooijmans @ccooijmans.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

One of our survey respondents characterised present-day popular viking outfits as 'lawn chair armour', and there is frankly no better description out there.

Three characters from the 'Vikings' TV series, wearing a variety of impractical-looking dark leather outfits with various gridded elements, arbitrary straps, and decorative panelling.

Three dark leather lawn chairs made of interwoven leather and gridded panelling.

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Christian Cooijmans @ccooijmans.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Following the earlier Oseberg and Gokstad ship relocations, the Tune ship, snug in its steel rig, has started its journey into the new Museum of the Viking Age (@uio.no) today. Over the course of three days, it will travel a total of 130 metres at a top speed of c. 24 cm per minute.

The Tune ship in its steel rig, suspended from a rail, about to enter the new building of the Museum of the Viking Age.

Photo: Museum of the Viking Age, University of Oslo

Interior shot of the steel rig containing the Tune ship

Photo: Museum of the Viking Age, University of Oslo

The Tune ship in its steel rig, suspended from a rail, slowly making its way towards the new museum building.

Photo: Museum of the Viking Age, University of Oslo

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Some Friday wisdom from our Great Viking Survey dataset:

A short white text formatted like an inspirational quote against a black background. The text reads 'A Viking is an occupation like being a zookeeper but obviously totally different in every way'. It is attributed as 'anonymous, from the Great Viking Survey (2025)'.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

A model of the iconic Viking Cinema will be built on 9-10 Feb at the Big Largs LEGO Build, in Largs Library. Learn about the architecture and construction of this Art Deco building, with plans, drawings, and images Free but booking required: ow.ly/Tb6s50Y64Bo

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Today's vikingism: the former Viking Cinema in Largs, Scotland, which first opened in 1939. Awash in art-deco viking decor, complete with viking ship out front, it could host up to 1,300 viewers. The cinema closed in 1973, with the building demolished a decade later.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Today's vikingism: the 2024 seinen manga 弱虫ロロ (Yowamushi Rollo aka 'Weakling Rollo'), reimaging the foundational Scandinavian ruler of the Duchy of Normandy as a soft-natured, cowardly figure.

The Japanese cover for an issue of Yowamushi Rollo, featuring the title character hugging a sheep aboard a viking ship.

Pages from Yowamushi Rollo #1, featuring Paris under attack by vikings in 885. The defenders are anxiously swapping rumours of a viking named Rollo, known for his exceptional brutality.

Pages from Yowamushi Rollo #1, featuring the titular character telling fellow vikings to be careful and act with moderation.

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Simon Coupland @scoupland.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Tomorrow - livestream of a #Viking evening at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden, with talks in Dutch but then at 20:00 UK time in English! rijksmuseum-van-oudheden.webinargeek.com/vikingverhal...

rijksmuseum-van-oudheden.webinargeek.com

22 januari: Vikingverhalen

Tijdens de eerste editie van Vikingverhalen nemen vier internationaal gerenommeerde wetenschappers ons mee in boeiende verhalen over oud en nieuw onderzoek naar de Vikingtijd. Het gaat deze avond over...

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Today's vikingism: the various team badges for NASA's 1976 Viking Mars lander missions. 🚀🌕

Various badges for the teams (e.g. surface sampler, imaging, biology, meteorology) of NASA's 1975 Viking Mars mission, featuring a wide range of cartoon vikings with horned helmets.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Today's vikingism: the various team badges for NASA's 1976 Viking Mars lander missions. 🚀🌕

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Today's vikingism: illustrations from Edmond Neukomm's 'Les dompteurs de la mer' (1897, published in English as 'Tamers of the Sea'), offering an archaic and heavily romanticised imagining of the viking presence in North America.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

Today's vikingism: this colourful sculpture of an especially jolly cartoon viking, outside a bar in Santiago's Bellavista neighbourhood, Chile.

A (presumably) fiberglass sculpture of a stereotypical viking - including bushy red beard and horned helmer - holding a mug of beer next to his face.

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Christian Cooijmans @ccooijmans.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

This afternoon! Come along, or tune in online, to hear about a deeply peculiar late medieval imagining of a local viking past!

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

This Thor's day, as we're working our way through the vast ocean of data produced by the Great Viking Survey, we can already share that the number of variant spellings so far encountered for the word 'Mjölnir' is 58.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

Today's vikingism: the statue Landnemar ('Settlers'), overlooking the city of Akureyri, Iceland. Sculpted by Jónas Jakobsson (1956), it represents Thorunn hyrna and her husband Helgi magri, who, according to Landnámabók, were the first to settle the area during the late ninth century.

A bronze statue of two figures, a woman and a man, on a concrete plinth in a snow-covered field overlooking a cityscape (with a distant mountain in the background). An abstract bronze representation of a viking ship is seen at the base of the plinth.

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Making a Warrior @makingawarrior.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

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