The Vikings Uncovered

For 500 years the Vikings forged an empire through ocean exploration and bloody conquest. They survived harsh climates, pushed the boundaries of human exploration and even discovered America - 500 years before Columbus. How did they achieve such great successes? And why, at the height of their powers, did they suddenly disappear from many of their territories? Historian Dan Snow travels from the east coast of Scotland to Iceland, Greenland and North America to unlock the secrets of the vast Viking Empire. Combining specialist satellite imagery of archaeological sites with the latest DNA and forensic science, he pieces together the fascinating evidence about this fearless civilisation. Secrets of the Vikings reveals these intrepid seafarers to be far more sophisticated, vulnerable and more human than their fearless reputation would have us believe. Part 1 of 2.