Children of Ash and Elm

Outline

Children of Ash and Elm (2020) is a comprehensive history of the Vikings based on the latest archaeological discoveries. Neil Price looks beyond the popular image of raiders to explore how Viking-age people lived, including their families, social structures, trade networks, beliefs, and long-distance journeys. The book offers a vivid, detailed picture of a complex and fascinating culture.

• The popular image of Vikings as raiders is too narrow to describe how Viking-age people actually lived.
• Neil Price builds his history on the latest archaeological discoveries rather than on legend alone.
• Viking-age families and social structures were part of a complex society, not just a warrior band.
• Trade networks and long-distance journeys shaped Viking life as much as raiding did.
• Beliefs and ritual were central to Viking culture, which the book presents as complex and fascinating.

Neil Price is a British archaeologist and professor at Uppsala University in Sweden who specialises in the Viking Age and the archaeology of Scandinavia. He has led excavations and research projects across the northern world for decades. Children of Ash and Elm is his major work for general readers.