Most Vikings were farmers. They grew crops such as barley, oats and rye and kept cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, chickens and horses. In most parts of Scandinavia, people lived in timber houses, but in places where wood was scarce they built with turf or stone instead. Some Vikings worked as fishermen, catching freshwater and sea fish as well as hunting for whales. Salt was a vital commodity, usually bought from travelling merchants. It was used to preserve fish and meat to eat during the long winters, when fresh food was scarce.

Clothes

The clothes of the Vikings were simple and practical, made from woollen or linen cloth, with animal skins to keep warm in the winter. Men wore trousers and a long-sleeved shirt or tunic, while women wore loose-fitting dresses, usually with an apron over the front. In cold weather, both men and women wore cloaks, fastened by a brooch. Shoes were made from leather.

Writing

The Vikings had a system of writing called runes (in Old Norse, "rune" meant "secret knowledge and wisdom"). Runes carved into stone, which lasts longer than wood or bone, were intended to mark boundaries or glorify an ancestor’s bravery in battle. Viking history was generally not written but passed down the generations by word of mouth in verse stories called sagas.