Here are some of the hobbies that the Vikings enjoyed:
- Woodworking: The Vikings were skilled woodworkers and built everything from ships to houses to furniture. They also carved intricate designs on wood, including jewelry, weapons, and utensils.
- Metalworking: The Vikings were also skilled metalworkers and made everything from weapons and armor to tools, jewelry, and household items. They were particularly known for their ability to forge swords and axes of high quality.
- Leatherworking: The Vikings used leather to make a variety of items, including clothing, shoes, bags, and tents. They also used leather to bind books and manuscripts.
- Textile production: The Vikings were skilled weavers and made everything from clothing and blankets to sails and tapestries. They also used wool to make felt, which was used for insulation and padding.
- Jewelry making: The Vikings loved to wear jewelry, and they made a variety of pieces, including necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings. They used a variety of materials, including gold, silver, bronze, and gemstones.
- Music: The Vikings were a musical people, and they enjoyed singing, playing instruments, and dancing. They played a variety of instruments, including the lyre, the harp, the flute, and the drums.
- Storytelling: The Vikings loved to tell stories, and they had a rich oral tradition. They told stories about their gods and heroes, their history, and their travels.
- Raiding: Raiding was a way of life for the Vikings, and it was considered to be a sport as well as a way to acquire wealth. The Vikings raided a variety of places, including monasteries, churches, and towns, and they often took slaves and livestock.
- Trading: The Vikings were also skilled traders, and they traded a variety of goods, including furs, timber, fish, and slaves. They also traded with the Arabs and the Byzantines, and they brought back exotic goods from the East.