2.  There are different explanations for where the word "Viking" came from.  In Old Norse (Viking language), "Vik" meant bay, so a Viking would be someone who kept his boat in a bay.  Also, "vikingr" means pirate, and that pretty much applies! Another idea is that "to go a-viking" means to go exploring, which Vikings did plenty of.

3.  Did you know? A real Viking did not wear horns on his helmet.  The Minnesota Vikings football team mascot does, however.

4.  Vikings enjoyed ice-skating.  They filed bones into sharp blades for ice-skating.

5.  Vikings had democracy -- it started in Thingvellir, Iceland.

6.  The Vikings worshipped many different gods.  The leader of the gods was Odin.  Thor was another important god.  He was the god of thunder, and threw lightning bolts at enemies.

7.  Did you know many days of the week were named after Viking gods?

• Wednesday was named after Odin.  He was the chief god.
• Thursday was named after Thor, the god of Thunder. 
• Friday was named after Freya.  She was the goddess of love and beauty-but she was also a warrior goddess.
• Tuesday is named after Tyr -- the ancient god of war.

8.  Do you know the Vikings came to America before Columbus did? One famous Viking explorer was Leif Eiriksson.  Erik the Red was an explorer who founded a settlement in Greenland.  Hey, that's on the way to America!

9.  The Vikings were excellent shipbuilders.  Their ships were watertight and built for smooth, fast sailing.  They were designed so the ships could come right up on the beach, so the Vikings could jump out and fight right away.

10.  Did you know that many English words have Viking origins? English words from Viking languages are generally simple -- many are about work, family, or farming.  Learn more about Viking words and Viking influence on our society at the online Viking Network.

• Work words: take, get,
• Family words: sister, husband
• Farming words: scrape, skill, egg