Vikings, Pirates and Shipwrecked Princesses ~ with Dr Ragnhild Ljosland

If you love Viking and Scottish history, folk stories and archaeology, this episode is for you! Tonight, Orcadian historian and storyteller Tom Muir and Norwegian scholar Ragnhild Ljosland have a far-reaching conversation covering these things and more:Discovering Orkney through studies; marrying an Orcadian, becoming a scholar, archaeologist and authorGetting to know people who lived thousands of years ago through names, folk tales, runes ...Why didn't the educated classes listen to the old farmers?Setting saga poems to ancient tunes and newAncient conversations in runes in Maeshowe tomb"Pict's hooses" in Orkney and the possible connection with strong home brewThe "half-corpse" hogboonHow names tell the legends of the peopleThe Spanish Armada wrecks, the Jacobites and the Covenentora, and how they figure into the stories of OrkneyOrkney "driftwood" settlers; the relationship to Norse mythology and where we all came fromThe naming story of "Archie Angel", survivor of a shipwreck of the ship ArchangelBeing given a new name by your new communityLocal stories about decendents from kings in disguisePlace names with folk tales attached, like "Cubbie Roo's Burden"Thr Brough of Bigging and the "Armada men's graves"; "the Harray men's graves" and the seven standing stones - anchoring true stories to landscapeThe fin king, and the tale of how Snoosgarth got its name - learn how to distract a sea monster!Orkney tales and Norse mythology similaritiesThe Westness Viking walk in Rousay - when stories and archaeology agreeWhere are the St Olaf stories and the black death stories in Orkney?Time traveling in Orkney with Raggie: Orkney Time TravelLinks:Raggie's paper for Folklore journal, Like Driftwood Taking Root: Folk-Onomastic Origin Legends from the Orkney Islands: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0015587X.2026.2638700Raggie's upcoming book for Orkneyology Press: https://www.orkneyology.com/Ragnhild-Ljosland-Orkneyology-Press.htmlRaggie's website: https://brodgar.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.