logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
40m 39s

Warrior Viking Women

History Hit
About this episode

One of the enduring mysteries of the Viking Age is the identity of two people buried in a spectacular blood drenched ship in southern Norway in the autumn of 834. Why the mystery? Because these remains were of women accorded the most lavish Viking burial ever discovered.


Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Heather Pringle to discuss research that reveals how Viking women were warriors, traders, and leaders, and how their lives have been long overlooked by history.


Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega and edited by Ella Blaxill. The producer is Rob Weinberg, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.


Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ https://historyhit.com/subscription


You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Nov 21
Scotland's Stone of Scone
<p>How did a medieval Scottish stone become the centre of a daring heist in the 1950's?</p><p>This is the extraordinary saga of the Stone of Scone, aka the Stone of Destiny, a relic that created the kings of Scotland, is shrouded in myth and legend and was taken by the English.</ ... Show More
1h 1m
Nov 18
How the Wind Blew Up The Middle Ages
<p>From the tactical nautical decisions of the Normans and Vikings to medieval monks' meticulous wind records, medieval civilisations have always harnessed and feared the wind.</p><p>Dr. Eleanor Janega and Simon Winchester explore the intimate relationship medieval people had wit ... Show More
1h 3m
Nov 14
The Birth of the Medieval World
Matt Lewis pays a visit to Gone Medieval's sister podcast The Ancients for a lively debate with Tristan Hughes about the blurred boundary between the ancient and medieval worlds. Can Tristan champion Roman Emperor Justinian as an Ancient? What about Charlemagne? Which period can ... Show More
47m 35s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2024
What Did The Vikings Really Look Like?
<p>Were the Vikings the original trendsetters?</p><br><p>Even when they were raiding the poor monks in Lindsfarne in 793, they were passing on hairstyles that annoyed some of the local elders.</p><br><p>Why did they file their teeth? How often did they bathe? And what influence d ... Show More
40m 4s
Oct 2024
Ordinary Vikings: hidden histories of the Nordic world
We know the Vikings best as brutal, seafaring, pagan raiders – and that’s an important part of their lives and histories. But it’s only one aspect: what about their love lives, experiences of travels, and attitudes to religion? Speaking with James Osborne, Eleanor Barraclough unp ... Show More
37m 40s
Jun 2025
264. Viking Greenland: Mysteries of the Lost Norse Settlers (Ep 2)
How did the Vikings and the Inuit interact in Greenland? When was the last record of Norse settlers in the region? How did climate change affect the decline of Viking settlers in Greenland, and why is their disappearance shrouded in mystery? William and Anita are joined once agai ... Show More
40m 15s
Sep 2020
Inghen Ruaidh, the Birka Grave and Viking Warrior Women
We touch on the mythology behind Viking shield-maidens, what we do know about Viking warrior women and how we need to address bias in archaeology.Dr Fern Riddell discusses the legend of Inghen Ruaidh with Professor Judith Jesch and the Birka female Viking warrior grave with Profe ... Show More
46m 13s
Sep 25
Inanna: Mesopotamian Sex Goddess
Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Kate Lister to take us on a journey through the fascinating history of Innana, an ancient goddess of love, war, fertility, and political power. They delve into her evolution from a humble agricultural deity to one of the most powerful and complex f ... Show More
41m 43s
Oct 13
Voices of Thunder: Radical Women of the 17th Century
In 17th-century England, women weren’t asked what they believed, they were generally told to obey. But amid civil war, revolution, and religious upheaval, a remarkable group of women risked everything to speak out. They preached, prophesied and published their defiance, surviving ... Show More
46m 58s
Aug 2024
Life Lessons From Historical Women
<p>When women's stories aren't being flat-out ignored from the history books, they can often be sidelined.</p><br><p>Well not here! Joining Kate today is the comedian and author of <a href="https://www.welbooks.co.uk/shop/p/life-lessons-from-historical-women-by-eleanor-morton" re ... Show More
35m 48s
Sep 21
The Picts: Rulers of the North
Tristan Hughes journeys up to windswept Scotland to uncover the secrets of the Picts — fierce warriors, skilled artisans, enemies of Rome and rulers of the North.In this special episode of The Ancients - recorded on site at East Lomond hill fort and National Museums Scotland - Tr ... Show More
45m 45s
Nov 7
Who was the Husband Poisoner of Renaissance Italy?
Odourless, tasteless, colourless, lethal. In the mid-17th century, men were dropping like flies in Italy. And this wasn't just the plague - it was the work of the poison Aqua Tofana.So what is Aqua Tofana? And who was its apocryphal purveyor, Giulia Tofana? In this episode we are ... Show More
35m 20s
Oct 2
Origins of Mythology
From Cinderella to Beauty and the Beast, the roots of fairy tales stretch back thousands of years — to the dawn of Indo-European languages and beyond.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by author and journalist Laura Spinney to explore the origins of mytholo ... Show More
47m 45s