The Viking Sagas

Every country has its treasure trove of beloved tales, but one nation has an unrivalled passion for storytelling. For ten centuries Icelanders have been enthralled by a series of homespun stories. They are some of the most wonderful tales ever told. How they came to be written is one of the greatest mysteries of the Dark Ages. A thousand years ago, at the edge of the Arctic Circle, there was an explosion of creativity which remains pretty much unparalleled in history. When the Vikings settled in Iceland one of the first things they did, strangely, was to settle down and begin telling each other tales. These sagas, as they’re known, are some of the greatest stories ever told, captivating audiences ten centuries ago and still entertaining millions of people today. Dr Janina Ramirez discovers these sagas are not just great works of art, they are also priceless historical documents which bring to life the Viking world. Dr Ramirez travels across glaciers and through the lava fields of Iceland to the far north west of the country to find out about one of the most compelling of these stories - the Laxdaela Saga.