Uncover the secrets of Futhark, the ancient runic alphabet that whispers tales of Viking valor, mysticism, and a rich cultural heritage that echoes through Scandinavia today.FutUnraveling the...
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WHAT DOES NORSE HERITAGE MEAN?
Before we go into Norse heritage let’s get a clear definition of what heritage means. According to the Oxford Learners Dictionary, the definition of heritage is “a person’s ethnic or religious background; the countries, cultures, religious groups, etc. that a person’s parents or ancestors come from”. Does this definition apply to Norse heritage then? Well yes and no. Although the terms Viking and Norse are often used interchangeably, there is a noteworthy difference between them. Viking is an identity associated with the aggressive raiding and seafaring of the Scandinavian people. Norse, on the other hand, refers to a much broader cultural heritage regarding pre-Christian Scandinavian civilization.
This includes literature, ritual practices, language, art, and even architecture stretching from 500 BCE up until today with certain surviving Nordic languages. The fundamental distinction between these two identities is that Vikings were warriors whereas Norse is a deep cultural legacy and heritage, shared by the people of Scandinavian descent. So what does the term “Viking heritage” mean? To have true Viking heritage means to have an ancestor who was an actual Viking and part of a Scandinavian raiding family or clan during that time. This usually involves researching one’s history and determining from what lineage a particular ancestor comes to better understand who their ancestors were thousands of years ago.
