The wounder of the battle-wand with Kvasis-blood can flow freely

The purpose of this blog is to compile my efforts of researching and recreating Viking Age Norway, and to catalog my thoughts more formally, perhaps into the seeds of essays. Who am I? I am a re-enactor and Viking Age enthusiast. I research the Viking Age not only by reading the work of scholars and archeologists, but by doing the crafts and recreating the clothes and objects of the period I study, 10th century Norway. I was introduced to this way of learning history through the SCA, the Society for Creative Anachronism, and remain fairly active ever since I first joined six years ago. I am known in the Society as Eyja Bassadóttir. My kit is not perfect, but I have yet to meet anyone who can claim that, and I'm sure that this blog will help document some of my progression towards a better understanding of 10th century Norse society.

So, what is my background and what are my particular interests? Outside the Society, I have gotten my Bachelor's in Linguistics and minored in both Medieval Studies and History. So you may guess that I have a particular interest in language. I have studied formally both Old Norse and Modern Icelandic and have produced some translation both in and out of Old Norse. I am also a bit of a crafts-junkie. I have become textilist through osmosis of my friends, learning sewing (both machine and hand-work) and nálbinding, with tablet weaving and 'embroidery' projects in the future. I have strung my own jewelry and have some wire-weaving in the works. I also consider myself a musician and poet, and have studied a little bit of Viking Age verse making and the art of playing the lyre (or, harpa). I've also experimented in a few Viking Age re-enactors' recipes, and hopefully will experiment a little more. And I suspect I might dabble in a few more crafts before too long.

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Norðlendingr derives from Norðland 'North-land' and thus literally means 'North-lander'. It follows the same conventions as Ísland - Íslendingr 'Iceland - Icelander'. It seemed a fitting title.

The entry title features some Viking Age poetical devices, including a few kennings:

The wounder of the battle-wand with Kvasis-blood can flow freely

• 'the battle-wand' is a sword
• its 'wounder' is a pen
• 'Kvasis-blood' is poetry
  

Yes, I am referencing that famous non-Norse saying.