The History Channel's popular series Vikings features several female warriors, most notably the shield maiden Lagertha. Every few years, articles appear that claim that female Viking warriors actually existed but are often ignored by historians and archaeologists. Certainly shield maidens and valkyries appear in some medieval Scandinavian literature, but do these stories reflect the reality of the Viking Age or are they the product of Viking-Age male fantasies? Presented as part of the Balticon 2016 Skeptical Thinking Track.
Views expressed are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Capital Area Skeptics.
