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Helpful Information About the Vikings

Need a little help with the crossword puzzle? Check out this page to learn more about the Vikings and find links to help you conquer the crossword puzzle in no time flat.

Who Were the Vikings?
The Vikings originated from Scandinavia during the years 790 to 1100 AD. They are often thought of as barbaric individuals who traveled the land and seas, raiding vessels and villages in their path. In fact, the term Viking is often used synonymously with pirate.

Longboat

However, this view of the Vikings is only partially correct. The Vikings were responsible for much theft and destruction, but they also made many positive contributions to society. For instance, did you know that some researchers think that the Vikings may have invented the telescope? If the crystal lenses that were found at a Viking site were indeed used for telescopes, the Vikings were 600 years ahead of what was presumed to be the date of that invention. Read the article “Did the Vikings make a telescope?” from BBC News to see what researchers have found.

Dig Up More About the Vikings
To find some more information about the Vikings to help you complete the crossword puzzle, check the following links:

BBC: The Vikings
Navigate through this site to find information about the Viking invasions, their lifestyle, beliefs, and travel. The site includes a glossary of important words.
Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga
From the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, learn everything you ever want to know about the Vikings by exploring the online exhibit and taking an interactive Viking voyage.
NOVA Online: The Vikings
This site from PBS examines a less barbaric image of the Vikings. See, in particular, the Secrets of Norse Ships for help with the crossword puzzle.

Once you're finished with the puzzle, come back and check out some of these activities to learn even more about Vikings.

Write Your Name in Runes
Type in your name or another word to see how it would look in runes, the written symbols used by the Vikings.
BBC: Viking Activities
Play a Viking explorer game, write a message in runes, help Thorkel on a trading voyage, and more.

Runestones

Need Help Using the Crossword Puzzles Tool?

The Crossword Puzzles tool uses Flash Player 8. You can download the latest version for free here.

To enter a word, click on a box anywhere in the word.
You can check your answers using the Check Puzzle button. Letters that are correct will be green; letters that are incorrect will be red.
Make the puzzle bigger and smaller by clicking on the + and – buttons on the screen.
You can grab the puzzle and move it around on the screen. The Center button moves the puzzle back to the middle.
You can turn the sound off and on using the sound icon.
You cannot save your work in the puzzle. Make sure you click the Print button and print your puzzle before you exit.