⛵ Vikings in the West What you’re seeing: A documentary-style recreation of Norse seafarers setting out westward from Scandinavia during the Viking Age, roughly AD 793 to 1066. Where did Vikings go in the west? From Scandinavia, Norse activity expanded into the British Isles by the late 8th century, with raids recorded in England in AD 793 and Ireland in AD 795. Norse settlement in Iceland is generally dated to about AD 870 to 930. The first Norse settlements in Greenland were founded around AD 985 to 986. From Greenland, Norse voyagers reached Vinland in coastal North America around AD 1000. How were Viking ships built? Viking ships were built with overlapping wooden planks in clinker-built construction, a method confirmed by archaeological finds such as the Oseberg, Gokstad, and Skuldelev ships. This gave them strength, flexibility, and the ability to cross open water while still navigating rivers and shallow coasts. What is Vinland? Vinland was the Norse name for part of coastal...