o The men are always are in the battle’s. o Some died abroad so their bodies are not where they lived. o Some men are lucky to live up to the age 20.

 Women could and did play a part in this process of settlement . The woman of the slave-class wears 'old-fashioned clothes' and serves bread that is 'heavy, thick, packed with bran... in the middle of a trencher', with 'broth in a basin'. The woman of the yeoman class wears a cap and a blouse, has a kerchief around her neck and 'brooches at her shoulders', and is busy with her spindle, 'ready for weaving'. The aristocratic woman is just busy preening herself: she wears a blouse of smooth linen, a spreading skirt with a blue bodice, a tall headdress and appropriate jewellery, and has very white skin.  Girls were married at the age of They were then expected to run a household. Let's hope they got some help from the older women in the family!

 The Vikings lived in large family groups.  Children, parents and grandparents lived together. When the eldest son took over the family farm, he became the head of the family and responsible for the well-being of them all. He had to provide the food the family needed.  His wife, the lady of the household, had to see to it that the food lasted during the long, dark winter. She made butter and cheese, dried and smoked meat and fish for storage and she was also expected to know about herbs for making medicine and care for the sick and wounded.  The farm animals were also her responsibility and when her husband went trading, went Viking, or hunting she also ran the farm in his absence.

 In rich families she would have servants and slaves to help her. As a visible sign of her authority and power the lady of the household wore the keys to the food chests at her waist.  The rich Vikings always someone to help them.

Some children died under the age of 7. Some people might live up 20. Sometimes children had to be adopted they were so poor.