Theme:
Archaeological theory and methods beyond paradigms
Session format:
Regular session
Content:
In academic discourse and popular perception, current research still inherits and perpetuates many long-held questionable truths about Vikings and the Viking period. In this spirit, we seek to present new interpretations of the 8th-11th centuries AD in Scandinavia, the Baltic, the British Isles, and the North Atlantic that combat many persistent characterisations and interpretations of the evidence of that period known today that – due to lack of review – have vitrified into the likeness of 'fact'. Focusing on the Viking period, the session aims to brush the dust off some old paradigms and critically examine examples of archaeological, historical, and epigraphical 'facts' that on closer examination do not deserve this name. We hope to probe views, tackle puzzles and controversies, re-visit doctrines, debunk old readings, clear up ambiguities, and provide new ideas for those pesky 'factoids' that have far too long obscured our understanding of the Viking world. In particular, this session invites contributions from postgraduate and early career researchers seeking to put old doctrines of the Viking Age to the test, introducing new conceptual, theoretical, and methodological methods and approaches. Together, we aim to challenge vitrified views of the Vikings.
Keywords:
Factoids, Vikings, Fact-checking, Viking Age, Methods, Approaches
Session associated with MERC:
yes
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Session associated with CAA:
no
Session associated with DGUF:
no
Session associated with other:
Main organiser:
Dirk Steinforth (Germany) 1
Co-organisers:
Alix Thoeming (Australia) 2
Affiliations:
1. Independent Researcher
2. The University of Sydney
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