Unearthing Scotland's Nordic Troves

Carolingian lidded vessel, part of the trove. - ITV.com

"Found in the Galloway area, of the Dumfries and Galloway region in south-west Scotland in September 2014, the assemblage is believed to be of ninth or tenth century Viking culture. The principal finds in the Viking treasure comprise of a decorative gold bird pin, a silver Carolingian pot, a solid gold ring, and a solid silver cross with gold inlay and enamel decorations, over twenty solid gold and silver ingots and dozens of solid silver arm bands decorated with saltire*-type designs."

Read the full article at Coin Week.

Danes vs. Somali Pirates

All I could think when reading the headline was, "Don't mess with the experts, guys. Danes were a-viking long before you young men got the idea." Story courtesy EagleSpeak:
"The Danish navy captured 16 Somali pirates and freed 12 captives when it intercepted a "mothership" vessel off the Horn of Africa, it said on Thursday.

The Danish warship Absalon, serving in NATO's counter-piracy mission Ocean Shield, stopped the vessel off the east coast of Somalia on Wednesday, boarded it without resistance, arrested the suspected Somali pirates and found the hostages."

The full story may be accessed via Reuters.

Genetic Britain: How Roman, Viking and Anglo-Saxon Genes Make up the UK's DNA

Thanks to Rebecca for finding this:
"The genetic make-up of the British people is a hotly contested subject in academic and political circles. Britain has a tumultuous history that includes Anglo-Saxon, Norman and Roman invasions, but what legacy of these settlers and invaders remains in the DNA of Brits today?" Read the full article at Heritage Key.

How Christianity portrayed Jesus as a warrior to woo the Vikings

"It is one of history’s ironies that the Viking expansion into Europe actually set about the beginning of the end for the Viking religion. As Vikings came into increasing contact with Christians in continental Europe and Britain, their acceptance of Christianity grew – particularly as more and more married Christians. In many cases, however, Vikings converted to Christianity as a way to secure alliances and ensure neighbouring realms would not attack on religious grounds." Read the full article at The Copenhagen Post.

Hiberno-Danish Coins: The Danish Kings of Ireland

Courtesy Medievalists.net: "“It must surprise those who examine the history of Ireland that so little appears known respecting the social position of those Scandinavians who under the common name of Ostmen or of Danes, occupied our principal seaports from the ninth to the twelfth century, and that even local historians are silent respecting the civil and religious institutions, the works and monumental remains of a people, who not only inhabited and ruled over Dublin for more than three hundred years, but who, if not the founders of the city, were unquestionably the cause of its metropolitan supremacy..." The Danes are generally credited with developing Dublin into a major city. The full PDF file may be viewed here.