Dr. William Short og Reynir A. Óskarson flytja fyrirlestur um nýja bók sína Men of Terror eða Ógnvalda, sem er afrakstur rannsókna þeirra undanfarin ár um bardagatækni víkinga. Bandarísku samtökin Hurstwic, hafa rannsakað hina ýmsu þætti bardagalistar þessa tímabils í meira en 20 ár og er bókin afrakstur þeirrar vinnu. Fjallað verður um niðurstöðurnar og hinarathyglisvrðu (stundum stórfurðulegu) rannsóknaraðferðir þeirra og það umhverfi sem gat af sér þessa ógnvalda.

Dr. William R. Short and Reynir A. Óskarson of Hurstwic will present a lecture on their scientific study of the combative methods of Vikings. The Hurstwic organization, based in the United States, has been doing this research for more than 20 years, and now their research results are put together in a book form. In the lecture, we will talk about our unique and occasionally bizarre research methods, and the surprising outcomes that are described in the book.

Though the focus of the book is on Viking combat, the book offers something more important: an insight into Viking society that has not been seen before. Their society revolved around violence, as can be seen in the literary sources both domestic and foreign, their runestones, their law codes (such as Grágás), their pictorial art, their myths, their grave goods and burial practices, and even in their house architecture and ship design.

Despite this background of violence, it was also a society where offering help to those in need, such as offering hospitality to travelers, was an obligation. This strange combination of violence and compassion created a strange society. It would be difficult to understand Viking society unless one understands Viking combat.

Our book, Men of Terror: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Viking Combat, takes its name from a Viking-age runestone in Denmark, raised to the memory of Fraði, who is called the first among Vikings and a man of terror. What did Fraði do to give him this title and to cause him to be memorialized? In our book, we put a human face on men like Fraði and provide insights into his society that lived with such violence.

More information about the book can be found here:
http://www.hurstwic.com/shop/books/men_of_terror/index.htm
https://www.westholmepublishing.com/…/men-of-terror-short/