NEW TOPIC! "Great Books for the SCA Tradition"

[Gunnora Hallakarva]

Siobhan asked about what books we considered essential basic SCA reading.

I'd like to suggest a few.

First, I'd start with William Manchester's "A World Lit Only By Fire" (
Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1992) This is an excellent introduction to the
period we embrace, written for a popular audience, so it's also easy to
read.  One of the hardest things for us to do is to actually get a glimpse
of the medieval world view.  It is almost impossible for us today to grasp
what it was like to live in the dark, surrounded by forests that were black
"mirk-woods",and the sheer terror people lived with at the back of their
minds all the time.  There were literally wolves at the door, disease was an
Act of God, and most people were powerless to affect any change in their
lives.  Counterbalancing this was a beleif in the supernatural and in
religion that was incredibly intense, and not often attainable by those with
a modern Western scientific education today.  Manchester provides a good
place to start getting a feel for the life of medieval people.

My next book on the "required reading list" is the Bible.  Yep.  I really
did just say that.  Why?  Because so much of medieval life revolved around
Catholicism and Christianity.  The stories of the Bible were part of almost
everyone's daily lives, they contributed to their dramas such as the passion
plays, the literature and scholastic thought all hinged upon it... I suggest
that if you haven't actually read the Book cover to cover, say, since 20
years ago, it's a great idea to sit down and read it as LITERATURE.  It's
amazing how much stuiff is there that I had forgotten, and I was a bible
scholar growing up.  

In the same vein, get any good edition of the Lives of the Saints.  Again,
these stories strongly influenced so much of the belief of the period.

Another I would recommend is obscure and I suspect most have never seen it,
yet I find that Norbert Elias's "The History of Manners" (New york:
Pantheon.  1978) did more for my understanding of medieval feasting
conditions than any SCA feast I've ever been to!  It is the little things
like period etiquette that make the persona of a Lion of Ansteorra
believable.  I suspect that most folks would be astounded at what types of
etiquette suggestions were being made in period... and if there's an
etiquette book telling folks not to do "X", then "X" is what a bunch of
people are doing with gusto. If you get a chance to look at Elias's book, do so!

Next, as general introductory SCA reading, I'd recommend Joseph and Frances
Gies's books, "Life in a Medieval Castle" (New York: Harper & Row, 1974) and
"Life in a Medieval City" (New York: Harper, 1969).  Again, in order to
place oneself in persona, youhave to know something of the world and home in
which that persona lived.  The Gies's books give a great introduction that
is written for a popular audience, so you don't have to hold advanced
degrees to read these books.  Both are very useful, but also very
entertaining reading.

The last book on my starter list is Georges Duby's "A History of Private
Life: II. Revelations of the Medieval World"  (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ
Press, 1988).  This book cost me an arm and a leg, but it is extremely
worthwhile.  Again, the information about medieval people's daily lives and
belief systems is what you will find in this book, and I think this
information is what really makes a persona believable, and enjoyable for
one's self and others.  Since Duby's work is translated into English, I was
really surprised to find that it was actually quite readable.

This is just the list of very basic stuff, which I think applies pretty much
to us all, whether you are a Viking trader at Hedeby or a lady in waiting in
Queen Elizabeth's court.  Of course, I have another list of stuff that would
be Reading List Number Two if you want to have a Viking persona:


READING LIST #2 FOR VIKINGS

This bibliography is by no means a complete or exhaustive listing of the
sources available on the Viking Age peoples. I have included only books
which I have personally read, and I have mostly limited this list to books
in English. The vast body of research in the field of Scandinavian studies
exists in German, Swedish, and Icelandic, and is inacessible to those who do
not possess fluency in those languages. However, this listing should more
than serve to whet the scholastic appetite of those interested in medieval
and Viking Scandinavia.

I. Culture

Almgren, Bertil, et. al. The Viking. New York: Crescent. 1975.
	[This is often referred to as "the ugly Viking book" due to its line
drawings depicting some of the ugliest, most wrinkled Vikings you'll ever
see. Do not let this dissuade you, however, for this book also contains the
best illustrations of Viking costume, tools, daily life, and warfare that
you'll ever see as well. An excellent source.]

Baran, Barok. "The Horned Viking Helmet: Fact or Fiction?" Tournaments
Illuminated 67 (Summer 1983): 28-30.
	[Explanation of why there were no horns on Viking helmets, and why the
popular misconception that there were such helmets exists.]

Bo, Olav. "Holmganga and Einvigi: Scandinavian Forms of the Duel." Medieval
Scandinavia 2 (1969): 132-148.
	[Good discussion on the types of duels and rules governing them. There are
seven other very good articles concerning this subject that I know about, so
please contact me if you need more detailed source information. I am
presently working on an article for Tournaments Illuminated discussing the
subject fully.]

Byock, Jesse. Medieval Iceland: Society, Sagas and Power. Berkeley:
University of California Press. 1988.
	[A discussion of Icelandic social structure, acquisition/loss of wealth and
power, and the complex interrelationships of Icelandic politics and law. An
excellent source, which really helps make the sagas more understandable.]

Conquergood, Dwight. "Boasting in Anglo-Saxon England: Performance and the
Heroic Ethos." Literature in Performance. 1 (1991): 24-35.
	[Essential to the personna of any Germanic warrior is the ability to boast.
Until Christianity was adopted, with its ideas about pride being a sin, it
was considered not just acceptable, but even desirable to advertise one's
abilities and make known what heroic deeds one would soon attempt. This
article discusses the form of the boast, and gives excellent examples from
period literature.]

Ellis-Davidson, Hilda Roderick. "Insults and Riddles in the Edda Poems."
Edda: A Collection of Essays. eds. Robert J. Glendinning and Haraldur
Bessason. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press. 1983. 25-46.
	[An excellent article that can help you add real Viking character to your
personna conversations.]

Foote, Peter and David M. Wilson. The Viking Achievement. London: Sidgewick
and Jackson. 1970
	[An authoritative and readable work on the culture of the Vikings, drawn
from the best historical and archaeological source materials. The last I
heard, this book was out of print, but so far it has been present in every
university library that I've visited.]

Hastrup, Kirsten. Culture and History in Medieval Iceland: An
Anthropological Analysis of Structure and Change. Oxford: Clarendon. 1985.
	[This is a fantastic source for personna development, as it really covers
the Viking world-view in depth, discussing conceptions of time, space, kin
groups, social/political structure, and the social vs the wild.]

Mauss, Marcel. The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic
Societies. New York: W.W. Norton. 1967.
	[Includes a chapter on "Pledge and Gift in Germanic Societies" - a very
useful look at the Viking/Germanic custom of hospitality and generosity.]

Roesdahl, Else. The Vikings. Harmondsworth: Penguin. 1987.
	[Written by a Danish archaeologist, traces the activities of the Vikings in
Europe and assesses the significance of those traces. Also provides
excellent discussion of the sources and their relative merits.]

Simpson, Jacqueline. Everyday Life in the Viking Age. New York: Dorset. 1967.
	[A very readable work on the culture of the Vikings, provided with many
nice line-drawn illustrations. Provides a good general introduction to life
in the Viking Age. Lacks footnotes and consistent identification of its
sources.]

Williams, Mary Wilhelmine. Social Scandinavia in the Viking Age. 1920. New
York: Kraus Reprint Co. 1971.
	[A comprehensive work on the culture of the Vikings, however much of the
data is drawn from the sagas, as this work was written at a time when
historians assumed that the sagas were in fact accurate sources of
historical information. Excellent as an overview of Viking practices and
customs, so long as the reader keeps in mind the fact that all information
should be cross-verified with another source, such as The Viking
Achievement, above.]

Wilson, David M., ed. The Northern World. New York: Harry N. Abrams. 1980.
	[A collection of essays by various scholars, covering Scandinavian
mythology, the continental Germanic tribes, the Anglo-Saxons in England, the
Celts, the Scandinavians at home, Viking raids, the Northern Slavs, and
Romanticism and Revival in the modern day.]

II. History and Archaeology

Bronstead, Johannes. The Vikings. Harmondsworth: Penguin. 1960.
	[Written by a noted art historian and archaeologist, discusses the history
and archaeology of the Vikings.]

Farrell, R.T., ed. The Vikings. London: Philmore. 1982.
	[A collection of scholarly articles, ranging from history, art history and
archaeology to literature to the Vikings in North America. Pretty dry reading.]

Gelsinger, Bruce E. Icelandic Enterprise: Commerce and Economy in the Middle
Ages. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press. 1981.
	[A thorough discussion of Iceland's economy, resources, trade and trading
partners. Covers many related topics, such as ships and navigation, as well.
Excellent source.]

Graham-Campbell, James. The Viking World. New York: Ticknor & Fields. 1980.
	[A study of the history and archaeology of the Vikings by a noted
specialist in Celtic and Viking archaeology. Contains wonderful photographs
of artifacts, plus copious diagrams and illustrations.]

Hall, Richard. The Viking Dig: the Excavations at York. London: The Bodley
Head. 1984.
	[The chronicle of the archaeological excavation of the Viking remains at
York. Provides insight into the process of discovering and reconstructing
the history and culture of the Vikings.]

Jones, Gwyn. A History of the Vikings. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1968.
	[A very readable history of the Scandinavian peoples.]

La Fay, Howard. The Vikings. Washington D.C.:National Geographic Society. 1972.
	[Much like an extended National Geographic magazine article, this book
focuses not only on the history of the Vikings, but also on their modern day
descendants. Particularly notable for its many photographs of the landscapes
of Scandinavia.]

Magnusson, Magnus. Viking Expansion Westwards. London: The Bodley Head. 1973.
	[Explores the Viking colonization of England, Scotland, Man, Ireland, the
Faroes, Iceland, Greenland and Vinland. Includes discussion of the reasons
for this outward migration of Scandinavian peoples.]

Magnusson, Magnus. Vikings! New York: E. P. Dutton. 1980.
	[An overview/introduction to Viking history, meant as a companion to
Magnusson's PBS-TV series of the same name. Very worth while.]

Sawyer, P. H. Kings and Vikings: Scandinavia and Europe, A.D. 700-1100. New
York: Methuen. 1982.
	[Discusses the Viking expansion westwards, including raids and piracy
affecting Western Europe, with an assessment of the consequences, good and
bad, that this activity had on both the Vikings and their victims. A very
dry historical work.]

Wilson, David M. The Vikings and their Origins. London: Thames and Hudson. 1970.
	[Written by the Director of the British Museum, this book is mainly a work
of archaeology. There is some discussion of history, but the best and
greatest part of this book are its photographs and color plates showing some
of the most beautiful of the extant Viking artifacts.]

IIIa. Literature
Here are listed first some aids to locating and understanding Viking literature.

Byock, Jesse. Feud in the Icelandic Saga. Berkeley: University of California
Press. 1982.
	[Byock carefully explains the system and patterns of feuds in the sagas.
One Icelandic scholar has explained the sagas as stories of "farmers at
fisticuffs", which Byock proves to be more than apt. Really aids in
understanding the sagas.]

Fry, Donald K. Norse Sagas Translated into English: A Bibliography. New
York: AMS Press. 1980.
	[An indispensible guide to the student of Viking Scandinavia who cannot
read Old Norse.  Fry lists all translations of each saga that has been
translated into English, and comments on the translation in some instances.]

Gordon, E. V. An Introduction to Old Norse. 2nd. ed. Oxford: Clarendon. 1986.
	[Listed for the bold at heart who wish to learn to read the sagas in the
original. Gordon gives a short discussion of the prose and poetry of the
North, a short grammar, and selections from Old Norse literature, arranged
in order of difficulty. Also includes a glossary of words used in the readings.]

Zoega, Geir T. A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic. Oxford:Clarendon. 1910.
	[For the bold at heart, but also for those who want to know what a precise
term means. This particular dictionary does not include an
English-into-Icelandic section, so it is of limited use only in constructing
names, etc. The Cleasby-Vigfusson dictionary of Old Icelandic is the "next
step up" and is the Old Icelandic equivalent of the Webster's Unabridged,
and one may have to locate a library that has it in order to do more than
simple translations as afforded by Zoega's dictionary.]

IIIb. Literature, Laws and Chronicles in Translation

Allen, W. E. D., trans. The Poet and the Spae-Wife: An Attempt to
Reconstruct Al-Ghazal's Embassy to the Vikings. Dublin: Allen Figgis & Co. 1960.
	[A translation of the Arabic text describing al-Ghazal's visit to Turgeis,
ruler of the Vikings in Ireland ca. 845. This account dates to the early
1200's.]

Dennis, Andrew, Peter Foote and Richard Perkins, trans. Laws of Early
Iceland: Gragas. Vol. I. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press. 1980.
	[Until this translation was made available, the only was to get any idea of
Icelandic law was by gleaning short, individual passages quoted in various
works. This volume contains the Christian Laws, Assembly Procedures,
Treatment of Homicide, Weregild Ring List, the Lawspeaker's Section and the
Law Council Section. Volume II (not yet available) will include Truce and
Peace Speeches, Inheritance, Incapable Person's Section, Betrothal and
General Family Law, Land-claims, General Commercial Law, Stolen Goods and
Theft, Duties of Communes, and Miscellaneous Provisions regarding poetry,
biting dogs, bulls and tame bears, value of silver, prices, relations with
Norway, legal procedure etc. Very useful, contains notes and explanations as
well as an excellent translation.]

Fell, Christine, trans. Egil's Saga. London: J.M. Dent & Sons. 1975.
	[The story of the most memorable character in Viking literature, the
farmer/rune-magician/warrior/skald, Egil Skallagrimsson. Fell's translation
is superior to the Penguin edition listed below, but is not as generally
available. Contains outstandingly excellent notes, and particularly accurate
translations of Egil's poetry, with explanation of the kennings.]

Hollander, Lee M., trans. The Poetic Edda. Austin: University of Texas
Press. 1962.
	[A good introduction to the Elder or Poetic Edda. The translation sometimes
suffers in its accuracy due to Hollander's effort to maintain the poetic
qualities of the original. The Poetic Edda is the basis for much of our
surviving knowledge of Norse myth and legend.]

Hollander, Lee M. trans. The Skalds: A Selection of their Poems with
Introduction and Notes. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 1945.
	[Translation of a selection of the surviving skaldic poetry with
discussions of style and language, as well as some bibliographical data on
the various poets.]

Jones, Gwyn, trans. The Norse Atlantic Saga. 2cnd ed. New York: Oxford
University Press. 1986.
	[Contains a history of the Norse colonization and exploration of Greenland
and Vinland, with translations of The Book of the Icelanders (Islendigabok),
The Book of Settlements (Landnamabok), The Greenlanders' Saga
(Groenlendingasaga), the Saga of Eirik the Red (Eiriks saga rauda),
Karlsefni's Voyage to Vinland (from Hauksbok), and the Story of Einar
Sokkason (Groenlindingathattur).]

Jones, Gwyn, trans. The Vatnsdaler's Saga. New York:Princeton University
Press. 1944.
	[The story of the men of Waterdale. Written by a Christian ca. 1270, this
saga is much concerned with witchcraft and magic, and with the old pagan
religion. Very entertaining reading.]

Magnusson, Magnus and Hermann Palsson, trans. Laxdaela Saga. Harmondsworth:
Penguin. 1969.
	[Like all the Penguin editions of the sagas currently in print, this
translation is rendered by two outstanding experts in the field of Old Norse
literature. Contains useful introduction, notes, glossary of names, and
genealogies.]

Magnusson, Magnus and Hermann Palsson, trans. Njal's Saga. Harmondsworth:
Penguin. 1960.
	[The Saga of Burnt Njal has long been considered to be the greatest work of
Icelandic literature, and with good justification, one of the greatest
literary works in the world.]

Magnusson, Magnus and Hermann Palsson, trans. The Vinland Sagas: The Norse
Discovery of America. Harmondsworth: Penguin. 1965.
	[Contains Groenlindingasaga and Eiriks saga rauda: the stories of Eirik the
Red and his son, Leif the Lucky.]

McGrew, Julia H. and R. George Thomas, trans. Sturlunga Saga. 2 vols. New
York: Twayne. 1970 and 1974.
	[Sturlunga Saga is a collection of tales written during the decade
immediately following the events described in its pages, making this the
only saga which is a reliable source for historical information. Useful for
insights into Icelandic culture and history in the early Christian period.]

Morris, William and Eirikr Magnusson, trans. The Story of the Volsungs and
Niblungs. 1870; Totowa, NJ: Cooper Square. 1980.
	[A reprint of a Victorian translation. There are more current translations
of Volsungasaga available.]

Palsson, Hermann and Paul Edwards, trans. Egil's Saga. Harmondsworth:
Penguin. 1976.
	[The story of the most memorable character in Viking literature, the
farmer/rune-magician/warrior/skald, Egil Skallagrimsson.]

Palsson, Hermann and Paul Edwards, trans. Eyrbyggja Saga. Buffalo:
University of Toronto Press. 1973.
	[Eyrbyggja saga contains the most supernatural/mythological elements of any
existing saga. This makes it a fun saga to read: there are ghoulies and
ghosties and long-leggedy beasties aplenty.] 

Palsson, Hermann and Paul Edwards, trans. Seven Viking Romances.
Harmondsworth: Penguin. 1985.
	[A collection of fourtheenth-century stories of heroic adventure set in the
legendary world of the Viking Age, composed for the purpose of
entertainment, and patterned after tales from classical myth, French
Romance. etc.]

Smyser, H. M., trans. "Ibn-Fadlan's Account of the Rus with Some Commentary
and Some Allusions to Beowulf." Franciplegius: Medieval and Linguistic
Studies in Honor of Francis Peabody Magoun Jr. eds. Jess B. Bessinger and
Robert P. Creed. New York: University Press. 1965. 92-119.
	[A translation of the Arabic text describing ibn-Fadlan's journey among the
Rus or Russian Vikings ca. 921. This account dates to the early 1200's.]

Sturluson, Snorri. Heimskringla: Or the Lives of the Norse Kings. 1932; New
York: Dover. 1990.
	[Snorri's history of the Norwegian kings, beginning with the Odin, ancestor
of Norwegian kings in Ynglingasaga through the rule of Magnus Erlingson,
ending in 1184.]

Sturluson, Snorri. The Prose Edda. trans. Jean I. Young. Berkeley:
University of California Press. 1954.
	[A survey of early northern mythology intended as a guide for poets,
written by the thirteenth-century chieftain and scholar, Snorri Sturluson.
This translation does not contain the greater part of Snorri's text, which
was devoted to the skaldic meters. A later translation by Anthony Faulkes,
which I have not yet examined, is supposed to contain a translation of the
complete work.]

IVa. Mythology and Religion

Branston, Brian. Gods and Heroes from Viking Mythology. New York: Schocken.
1982.
	[Brian Branston has written other well-received books on Viking and
Anglo-Saxon mythology, and his retelling of the myths reflects that
background. The lavish, full-color illustrations and pen-and-ink work by
artist Giovanni Caselli are lovely, however they convey the flavor and not
the substance of Viking Art, as his source materials seem to have been
German Romantic painters and Wagnerian set-builders.] 

Crossley-Holland, Kevin. The Norse Myths. New York: Pantheon. 1980.
	[Crossley-Holland has collected and consolidated the various sources of
Norse mythology, then produced clear and concise re-tellings of those myths
for this book. Norse myth can be very difficult to grasp when reading the
scattered pieces in the Eddas, but this book provides easily understandible
stories. The introduction, notes and glossary make this book even more
attractive as a source.]

Dumezil, Georges. Gods of the Ancient Northmen. Berkeley: University of
California Press. 1973.
	[This work is in translation, and as a result the language is sometimes a
bit difficult to follow. Provides a thoughtful, in-depth analysis of the
powers and relationships of the Norse gods.]

Ellis-Davidson, Hilda Roderick. Gods and Myths of Northern Europe.
Harmondsworth: Penguin. 1964.
	[An excellent general work on the myth and religion of the pagan Vikings.
More detailed analyses are available in Dr. Ellis-Davidson's other, numerous
works.]

Ellis-Davidson, Hilda Roderick. Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe: Early
Scandinavian and Celtic Religions. Syracuse: University Press. 1988.
	[An excellent study of early religion, comparing Viking and Celtic belief
systems and practices.]

Ellis-Davidson, Hilda Roderick. Scandinavian Mythology. New York: Paul
Hamlyn. 1969.
	[An excellent survey of Norse myth and religion, covering the Bronze Age
predecessors of the Viking deities, the cult of Odin, Thor/Tyr, the Vanir
and Aesir, cosmology and the coming of Christianity.]

Grant, John. An Introduction to Viking Mythology. London: Quintet. 1990.
	[This is exactly what the title says: an introduction. Most useful to the
beginner for its encyclopedic listing of the various gods, goddesses and
other figures from Norse mythology.]

IVb. Modern Reconstructions of Pagan Norse Religion
I have included this section as an aid to further personna development. One
does have to take some care in using these works, as "New Age" publishers do
not generally require high standards of authority or historicity in the
manuscripts they accept for publishing.

Aswynn, Freya. Leaves of Yggsdrasil: A Synthesis of Runes, Gods, Magic,
Feminine Mysteries and Folklore. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn. 1990.
	[An interesting and thoughtful book on runic magic written from a feminine
perspective. While not always as historically informed as she could be,
Aswynn has created a useful, informative source for the rune-worker.]

Blum, Ralph. The Book of Runes. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1982.
	[This was the first mass-market book on the runes. The original edition
came with an attatched set of ceramic rune-tiles. While the rune-tiles may
be useful, the book itself is not, as Blum has used the I-Ching to determine
the "meanings" of the individual runes, totally ignoring all tradition and
scholarship. Not very useful.]

Blum, Ralph. The Book of Rune Cards. New York: St Martin's Press. 1989.
	[This Blum effort comes with a deck of paste-board "rune-cards" with
tarot-like illustrations. Blum continues with his I-Ching inspired meanings,
while adding North American Indian and Taoist traditions as well. Not very
useful.]

Conway, D. J. Norse Magic. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn. 1990.
	[A really bad book purporting to be "Norse Religion". This is actually a
book of Wiccan ritual, in which the names of the deities have had their
Norse equivalents substituted, sometimes incorrectly. An exercise is shoddy
research, containing gross inaccuracies. Conway also commits plagarism,
stealing her illustrations from Kevin Crossley-Holland's Norse Myths. Not
very useful.]

Fitch, Ed. The Rites of Odin. St Paul, MN: Llewellyn. 1990.
	[This book is useful only for the really nice illustrations of Thor, Loki,
Freyja, and Sif (pp. 5-13). Particularly laughable are the use of Dungeons
and Dragons "runes" for the various gods, and the attribution of a Bronze
Age women's outfit as "Viking summer wear". Fitch is a well-known Wiccan,
and as the introduction warns the reader, this book is really "Nordicized
Wicca". Not very useful.]

Gundarsson, Kveldulfr. Teutonic Magic: the Magical and Spiritual Practices
of the Germanic Peoples. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn. 1990.
	[This book is primarily concerned with the magical and divinatory uses of
runes, but also provides some information on cosmology, religion, and
mythology. Gundarsson is also a historian, currently engaged in doctoral
work at Cambridge University, so his books tend to have more of a historical
grounding than others in this genre.]

Pennick, Nigel. Practical Magic in the Northern Tradition. N.p.:Aquarian
Press. 1989.
	[Combines folklore and folk practice from the Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic
peoples. Very useful in personna development as it gives calendaric
information, discusses perceptions of space and time, herb-lore, ceremonies,
superstitions.]

Pennick, Nigel. Runic Astrology. N.p.:Aquarian Press. 1990.
	[A strange conglomeration of runes, tarot, and the zodiac. Not useful at all.]

Thorsson, Edred. FUTHARK: A Handbook of Rune Magic. York Beach, ME: Samuel
Weiser. 1984.
	[One of the better books concerning the magical use of the runes. While
Thorsson sometimes goes out a bit into "left field", relying on
interpretative work done by German scholars on the eve of W.W. II, largely
his scholarship is sound.]

Thorsson, Edred. Runelore: A Handbook of Esoteric Runology. York Beach, ME:
Samuel Weiser. 1987.
	[Discusses the history of the runes in the Viking Age and medieval period,
but also discusses the Nazi revival of runelore, the Qabbala and runes,
tarot and runes, numerology and runes, etc. Very strange, but useful to the
serious student of the magical uses of the runes.]

Tyson, Donald. Rune Magic. St. Paul, MN: Llewelyn. 1988.
	[Another good source for runic magic. Tyson comes from a background of
ceremonial magic, and imports some of that tradition to his "rune rituals".
Especially noteworthy is the historical information in the eary chapters.]

V. Women's Studies

Clover, Carol J. "The Politics of Scarcity: Notes on the Sex Ratio in Early
Scandinavia." Scandinavian Studies 60 (1988): 147-188.
	[An interesting and insightful article, hypothesizes that women were
extremely scarce in Viking Scandinavia (particularly Iceland) due to several
factors, including higher rate of mortality due to childbirth and
preferential exposure of female infants. If Clover is correct, her
explanation completely reconciles the apparent gap between women's status as
reflected in the laws versus women's status as shown in the sagas.]

Fell, Christine. "Viking Women in Britain." Women in Anglo-Saxon England.
Bloomington: Indiana University Press. 1984. 129-147.
	[Included as a chapter in Fell's excellent book on women in Anglo-Saxon
England. Provides a brief summary of the status and historical position of
women in the areas of England settled by the Vikings.]

Frank, Roberta. "Marriage in Twelfth- and Thirteenth-Century Iceland."
Viator 4 (1973): 473-484.
	[Discusses the marriage laws of Gragas as well as the portrait of marriage
presented by the sagas. An excellent paper on women and marriage in medieval
Iceland.]

Jacobsen, Grethe. "The Position of Women in Scandinavia During the Viking
Period." (MA Thesis, University of Wisconsin, 1978.)
	[Presents a comprehensive look at Viking women as reflected in law and
literature, with separate discussions of conditions in Iceland, Norway,
Denmark and Sweden. An excellent source, and surprisingly, quite readable.]

Jacobsen, Grethe. "Sexual Irregularities in Medieval Scandinavia." Sexual
Practices and the Medieval Church. eds. Vern L. Bullough and James Brundage.
Buffalo: Prometheus Books. 1982. 72-85.
	[A survey of the attitudes of medieval Scandinavians toward non-marital
sex, with good discussions of how those attitudes reflect the role of women
in Scandinavian society.]

Jochens, Jenny M. "The Church and Sexuality in Medieval Iceland." Journal of
Medieval History 6 (1980): 377-392.
	[Particularly focused on the concept of clerical marriages, also provides
insights into the status of women and non-marital sex.]

Jochens, Jenny M. "The Medieval Icelandic Heroine: Fact or Fiction?" Viator
17 (1986): 35-50.
	[A revealing examination of the "Germanic-Nordic model of strong,
independent womanhood" via a comparison of the heroines of the sagas and
evidence drawn from Scandinavian law codes, with special attention to women
and marriage.]

Strand, Birgit. "Women in Gesta Danorum." Saxo Grammaticus: A Medieval
Author Between Norse and Latin Culture. ed. Karsten Friis-Jensen.
Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press. 1981. 135-167.
	[A comparison of parallel portrayals of women in Saxo's Gesta Danorum and
those in the works of Snorri Sturluson. Contains a good discussion of the
perception of women by Christian authors of widely differing backgrounds:
really points up the differences between medieval Scandinavia and the rest
of Europe.]

VI. Names for Vikings
Along with the sources listed below, the best location for finding period
Viking names is in the sagas. All of the Penguin Books editions of the sagas
listed above have lists of their characters located at the end of the book.

Hale, Christopher S. "Modern Icelandic Personal Bynames." Scandinavian
Studies 53 (1981): 397-404.
	[Discussion of the Nordic nickname, usename, or byname. Not only gives the
grammatical rules for the proper formation of nicknames in Icleandic, also
lists several that could be used by S.C.A. Vikings.]

McGrew, Julia H. and R. George Thomas, trans. Sturlunga Saga. 2 vols. New
York: Twayne. 1970 and 1974.
	[There is a "Glossary of Nicknames" at the end of both volumes, giving not
only the Old Norse forms but also the English translations. This could be
very helpful in selecting a name, and documenting it for the heralds.]

Woolf, Henry Bosley. The Old Germanic Principles of Name-Giving. Baltimore:
Johns Hopkins Press. 1939.
	[Let the heralds confound you no more. Woolf lists literally hundreds of
Germanic names, with the rules for name-giving, from the Anglo-Saxon
kingdoms in Britain, Old English non-royal families, the Scandinavians,
Merovingians, Goths, Langobards, Burgundians and others. Yes, "Bubba" really
is a documentable, period, Germanic name. For that matter, so is "Bozo".
Highly recommended.]


VII. Arts and Crafts
Aside from the sources listed below, those interested in Viking arts and
crafts should check the various large "coffee table" books concerning the
Vikings. These tend to have large, full-color photographs of Viking
artifacts, which can aid the craftsman as a guide to style, or encourage one
to reconstruct a pictured item.

Hald, Margrethe. Primitive Shoes: An Archaeological-Ethnological Study Based
upon Shoe Finds from the Jutland Peninsula. Archaeological-Historical Series
I:13. Copenhagen: National Museum of Denmark. 1972.
	[A very long title for a very good book. Hald discusses every shoe from the
Viking Age or earlier that has ever been dug up in Denmark. Most of the
shoes have not only photographs, but line drawings of what the shoe would
look like if it were laid out flat (a massive help in attempting to make
your own shoes). Hald also discusses (with pictures) similar shoes dug up
elsewhere in Scandinavia, plus more modern examples of similar shoes from
the various Scandinavian and Celtic countries, the Baltic area, and the
Faroe Islands.]

Hoffmann, Marta. The Warp-Weighted Loom:Studies in the History and
Technology of an Ancient Implement. Oslo: Univeritetsforlaget. 1964.
	[A complete discussion of the Viking weaving process, including the parts
of the loom, warping, and weaving. Modern Faroese and Lapp women who are
still using the same loom were used as the basis of this study, and their
technique is carefully explained both in the text and via numerous
photographs describing the weaving process. Also discusses period weaves and
fibers.]

Kashammar, Marta. Skapa Med Halm. Halmstad, Sweden. Bokforlaget Spektra. 1985.
	[This book is indeed written in Swedish.  I have included it in this list
as it uses a minimum of text combined with copious clear diagrams and
photographs to illustrate the Scandinavian art of "Crafting with Straw" (the
literal translation of the title). Covers straw hats, baskets, Yule
ornaments, etc. Most university libraries have a Swedish-English dictionary,
which will help you deciper the text where necessary. I've found it easy and
useful to work from.]

Kormaksdottir, Brynhildr. "Danzleikar: or, Egill Shakes a Leg." Tournaments
Illuminated 64 (1982):13-15.
	[Dancing for Vikings and medieval Scandinavians, includes choreography, and
also words and music for "Ormen Lange", "Dvergemoy", and "Olafr Liljuros".
Several folks in Bjornsborg also have a copy of Mistress Brynhildr's handout
from the class she taught at the S.C.A.'s Tenth Year Celebration in 1986 at
the Renaissance Faire site near Houston.] 

Newall, Venetia. An Egg at Easter. Boston: Routledge and Kegan Paul. 1971.
	[While this book's primary focus is on the folklore of the decorated egg,
it also covers the history of the decorated egg, as well as techniques for
decorating. There are lots of good color photos as well, to help you create
your own traditional eggs in the long-time Germanic custom at Easter.]

Nylen, Anna-Maja. Swedish Handicraft. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. 1977.
	[While this book concentrates on handicraft in Sweden from the Renaissance
to the present, many techniques have been used unchanged since the Viking
Age, making this volume's copious color illustrations a godsend for workers
in weaving, sprang, woodcrafts, horn and bone crafts etc. Excellent source
for craftsmen.]

Rice, Patty C. Amber: the Golden Gem of the Ages. 2nd. ed. New York: The
Kosciuszko Foundation. 1987.
	[As amber was particularly associated with the Scandinavian peoples, this
is an excellent book to have. Discusses the history of amber, its mythology,
plus everything one needs to know when purchasing amber, including
discriminating between true amber and its imitations.]

Wilson, David M. and Ole Klindt-Jensen. Viking Art. 2nd ed. Boston: George
Allen & Unwin. 1980.
	[Not only includes a discussion of the art-history of the Vikings, but also
includes 69 line drawings and 80 photographic plates showing details of
Viking design. A must for any craftsman, from calligrapher to jeweller to
leatherworker, etc.]

VIII. Vikings in the East: Rus and Varangians

Ellis-Davidson, Hilda Roderick. The Viking Road to Byzantium. London: George
Allen & Unwin. 1976.
	[Like all of Dr. Ellis-Davidson's works, this is a complete, scholarly and
yet supremely readable book. Covers eastern trade, the Rus, the Varangians,
as well as discussing ideas brought back to Scandinavian by Viking
travellers to the east.]

Jordan, Robert P. "When the Rus Invaded Russia: The Viking Trail East."
National Geographic 167 (1985): 278-317.
	[Popular discussion of the history of the Rus.]

Volkoff, Vladimir. Vladimir the Russian Viking. Woodstock, NY: Overlook
Press. 1984.
	[A bibliography of Saint Vladimir the Baptiser, ruler of the Viking Rus ca.
960 - 1015.]


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::GUNNORA::

Gunnora Hallakarva
Herskerinde
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