ABSTRACT
This introduction to the following chapters seeks to place the volume into a tradition of a diverse Viking Age. This encompasses both diverse scholarly approaches to the period and the multifaceted reality of any period and cultural designation. The Viking Age is not a single entity which can be categorised as a delimited culture, and the dangers of essentialising are perhaps especially apparent with regard to a period of such popularity and indeed emotive pull as the Viking Age. By showcasing research which highlights different approaches, materials and geographical areas, this volume seeks to contribute to a view of the diversity of the Viking Age.
