Nordic Mythology Podcast

Why do the Vikings hold a level of global brand recognition unmatched by almost any other ancient culture? Daniel Farrand and in-house archaeologist Max Haggar sit down with Prof. Tom Birkett and Dr. T. Liam Waters from University College Cork to explore NorseMap—a five-year ERC research project tracking 200 years of Viking public reception.

Through their citizen science app, iViking, the team is mapping how Norse imagery is adapted across commercial branding, street art, tourism, and politics. The group explores why people self-police their own accuracy around horned helmets, how 19th-century Viking literature helped forge the American cowboy ethos, why tech startups rebrand Vikings as corporate "disruptors", and how the project navigates the ethics of political misappropriation.

Explore NorseMap: https://www.norsemap.eu/s/main/page/home

Unlock 300+ back-catalogue episodes and bonus Q&As on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nordicmythologypodcast | Handcrafted historical goods: https://www.hornsofodin.com
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Did Viking warriors fight with uncoordinated brute force, or were they practitioners of a refined martial art? Daniel Farrand and in-house archaeologist Max Haggar sit down with historical swordsman and weapon researcher Roland Warzecha (Dimicator) to deconstruct how early medieval combat actually functioned.

​Warzecha explains how Old Norse sagas and archaeological finds treat the sword as an ensouled, living entity rather than a disposable tool. Drawing on decades of experimental combat research, he details why authentic swords featured short grips designed for fine-motor control, how mirror polishing prevented salt-water corrosion on long voyages, and how testing with sharp blades revealed why swords dominate longer weapons like spears. Finally, the trio analyzes the physics of authentic round shields, debunking the cinematic "shield wall" in favor of dynamic single combat.

​Unlock 300+ back-catalogue episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nordicmythologypodcast | Handcrafted historical goods: https://www.hornsofodin.com
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What does it mean to be a "Viking" in 2026? Daniel Farrand and in-house archaeologist Mags Haggar sit down with fitness creator and storyteller Tank Tolman to examine the divide between historical Norse reality and modern warrior culture. Historically, "víking" was a seasonal maritime raid, not an ethnic identity.

Today, however, millions look to Norse archetypes to reclaim discipline and mental resilience. The trio breaks down why toxic, shame-based "alpha" gym culture fails, how the Hávamál champions hospitality and self-control, and why the ancient concept of the drengr—honour, loyalty, and quiet competence—is what modern seekers are actually searching for.

Tank also explains how his gamified tabletop fitness community helps beginners build lifelong physical strength without shame.

Unlock 300+ back-catalogue episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nordicmythologypodcast
Handcrafted historical goods: https://www.hornsofodin.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniel Farrand and archaeologist Mags Havgar sit down with Viking art specialist Luciano Pezzoli (co-founder of Children of Ash) to decode "The Language of Viking Art." Rather than viewing Norse knotwork and animal styles as abstract decoration, Pezzoli reveals how Scandinavian craftsmen operated within a structured linguistic system designed to communicate lineage, mythology, and cultural identity without written text.

​The conversation explores how 6th-century Vendel brooches depict recurring mythological "memes," how the stern carvings of the Oseberg ship encode multi-generational ancestral genealogies leading to a narrative climax, and why Norse artisans embraced composite beasts that defied rigid species boundaries.

​Unlock our full back-catalogue of 300+ episodes and the exclusive extended bonus Q&A with Luciano on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nordicmythologypodcast

Authentic handcrafted historical horns and jewelry: https://www.hornsofodin.com
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Daniel Farrand sits down with Brett Thorn, Keeper of Archaeology at Discover Bucks Museum, to explore their landmark exhibition, The Saxons.

The discussion centers on two extraordinary early medieval burials: the 6th-century "Marlow Warlord"—a solitary, 6ft 4in warrior buried overlooking the Thames with an intact pattern-welded sword, broken spears, and continental bronze feasting cauldrons—and the 7th-century Taplow Princely Burial, Britain’s richest pagan grave before the discovery of Sutton Hoo.

​Thorn explains how sentinel burials marked volatile river borders, how micro-foil waffle stamps gave garnet jewelry its luminous sparkle, and why delicate blown-glass cone beakers dismantle the myth of the crude "Dark Ages."

​Unlock our complete back-catalogue of 300+ episodes and the exclusive bonus Q&A covering the 144-grave Wendover cemetery on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nordicmythologypodcast | Handcrafted historical goods: https://www.hornsofodin.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.