The Viking age is not long, 273 years. Beginning in 793 when Norse Vikings attacked Lindisfarne in England, until the year 1066 when Haraldur Harðráði lost the battle of Hastings on the northern side of the English Channel in 1066. Danish Vikings mostly attacked England, Holland/Belgium and Germany. Swedes mostly went east to Finland, Russia, and all the way to Mikligarður (Istanbul). They founded Kiev (Kyiv), the current capital of Ukraine. Meanwhile the Norwegians harassed the Scots & Irish and took over the South Islands, Orkney and Shetland Islands, and of course found the Faroe Islands and Iceland. The first Norwegian family moved here from Norway to Reykjavík in 874. Greenland and North America were discovered 126 years later, around the year one thousand, by Eiríkur Rauði and Leifur Heppni, his son. Icelandic Times / Land & Saga jumped a thousand years back in time at the Viking Festival, which has been held annually in Hafnarfjörður for the past 34 years. A celebration that has no equivalent in the republic, which has its 79th birthday, this year on June 17. Here are the moods from the Viking Festival in Hafnarfjörður. Enjoy.
Photographs & text: Páll Stefánsson
Iceland 16/06/2023 : A7RIV : FE 1.2/50mm GM
