There are some historical events that continuously fascinate us, no matter what century we’re living in or what geographical location we might inhabit. One such period is the extraordinary rise and expansion of the Vikings through mainland Europe, Asia, and Great Britain.
It seems nothing can diminish our incessant preoccupation with these pagan raiders and traders. The 19th Century was filled with operatic performances introducing the misguided notion that Vikings wore horned helmets. Scotland and York annually host Viking festivals, and streaming services like Amazon and Netflix keep producing Viking-themed exclusive TV shows.
In these retellings, Wales seems to be missing, or at least minimised. It’s true that Wales was not occupied by Vikings in the same way as parts of Ireland, England, and Scotland. However, the south west area of the country does bear tell-tale signs of their presence.
