Raiders  and  Traders,  Pirates  and  Farmers  –  The  Vikings  colour  our  view  of  the  Middle  Ages  in  a multitude of ways. This course takes a detailed look at the nature and impact of the Viking expansion (ranging West to Scotland, the British Isles, Iceland & Greenland; and East to Russia and Continental Europe) in the period defined rather broadly from c.800-1300 AD. A key focus of the course will be on materials and objects of the Viking Age, which we will explore through artifact studies and experimental archaeology.