In this episode, we explore one of the most extraordinary eyewitness accounts of the Viking Age, written by the 10th-century Arab traveler Ibn Fadlan. Best known today through the movie "The 13th Warrior", Ibn Fadlan was a real historical figure who encountered Viking merchants along the Volga River in 922 AD.Together with our guest, we break down what Ibn Fadlan actually saw, what he was told, and where later interpretations may have gone too far. We examine the infamous ship cremation funeral, the role of the so-called “Angel of Death,” the question of human sacrifice, and how much of this account reflects Viking-Age Scandinavia versus the culture shaped by trade, migration, and local traditions among the Rus and other Scandinavians encountered in the east.We also discuss how Arabic and Persian sources differ from European ones, why these texts have been underused in Viking studies, and what they reveal about violence, belief, and identity in the Viking world, without romanticizing or sanitizing the past.Subscribe to stay updated! Also available on all platforms where podcasts are found, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and more. Find all the links in our linktree: https://linktr.ee/grimfrost

What do fire rituals, the dead returning home, and Odin riding through the night sky have to do with heathen Yule? Do the old ways find their way into our modern day celebrations?In this special midwinter episode, archaeologist and professor Anders Kaliff returns to explore the ancient beliefs that shaped the holiday season long before Christianity arrived in Scandinavia. We talk about the myth of Odin’s Hunt, the symbolism of Yule fires, and why midwinter was such a powerful and spiritual time for people in the Viking Age — and long before that.This episode also dives into Kaliff’s latest book Odens jakt, and the deeper Indo-European roots behind ritual landscapes, ancestor traditions, and the seasonal rhythms that still echo through Christmas today.Subscribe to stay updated! Also available on all platforms where podcasts are found, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and more. Find all the links in our linktree: https://linktr.ee/grimfrost

What does it take to preserve one of the most iconic Viking sites in the world — while also keeping it alive and relevant for new generations?

In this episode, we speak with Veronica Björkman, site manager at Birka Vikingastaden, about the balance between archaeology, tourism, and cultural storytelling. We talk about grave finds, the Christian cross at Birka, how modern reconstructions are handled, and how ended up leading one of Sweden’s most historically significant destinations.

We also dive into her role in co-founding the Birka Historical Tattoo Fest, the challenge of interpreting history without distorting it, and what it really means to “experience the Viking Age” today.

Subscribe to stay updated! Also available on all platforms where podcasts are found, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and more. Find all the links in our linktree: https://linktr.ee/grimfrost