Life in the Viking Great Army Raiders, Traders, and Settlers

The Viking Great Army that landed in East Anglia in late 865 had a lasting impact on English society, culture, politics, and economy.

The Viking Great Army landed in East Anglia in late 865 and over the following fifteen years it fought numerous battles in all four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, made and broke peace treaties, and deposed or killed at least three Anglo-Saxon kings, replacing them with its own appointees. It had a major impact on English society, initiating extensive transformations in Anglo-Saxon society, culture, economy, and political organisation. Previous Viking armies had raided only in the summer months, but the Great Army was a constant presence over this period, overwintering at various locations in northern and eastern England.

This presence changed the political, economic, and social landscape of England forever, but historical sources say very little about it. Now, new archaeological evidence has revealed the location of two of its camps, and at least fifty other places it visited. This book describes life in the tents and towns that the Viking Great Army inhabited: the treasure, tools, and weapons found in the camps and what they reveal about how the groups that made up the Army lived and the activities that took place, including the processing and trading of loot, the minting of coins, and the manufacture of jewellery. What emerges is evidence of a rich and diverse community whose impact on England can be traced to the present day.

Dawn Hadley, Professor of Medieval Archaeology, University of York,Julian Richards, Professor of Archaeology, University of York

Dawn M. Hadley is Professor of Medieval Archaeology at the University of York, and a member of the Centre for Medieval Studies. She joined York in 2018 after over 20 years in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Sheffield. She was previously British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of History at the University of Birmingham. Her research interests include early medieval England, the impact of the Vikings, gender, childhood, and funerary archaeology.

Julian D. Richards is Professor of Archaeology at the University of York, and a member of the Centre for Medieval Studies. He was founding Director of both the Archaeology Data Service, and the e-journal Internet Archaeology, established in 1996. In his archaeological research Julian focusses on Viking Age England. He has directed excavations of settlements at Cottam, Cowlam, Burdale, and Wharram Percy, and of the only Viking cremation cemetery in the British Isles at Heath Wood, Ingleby. He and Dawn Hadley co-directed the “Tents to Towns” project, investigating the winter camp of the Viking Great Army at Torksey.

Part I: Introduction1. The Great Army in Context2. The Great Army on the MovePart II: Life in the Camps3. Spoils of War and Peace4. Wearing and Processing5. Metal-working and Minting6. Provisioning the ArmyPart III: Legacy and Impact7. Beyond the Camps8. The Great Army and the Ceramic Revolution9. The Legacy of the Great ArmyBibliography