08/12/2023
Vikings used tents for camping both on land and on their ships3 They built large cabin-like tents that could hold a wood-burning stove inside to mimic the hearth of a longhouse Viking camps were not just places to wait out the winter, but also served as command posts, armories, treasuries, granaries, prisons, and safe havens The camps were established in hostile environments, and many used islands, wetlands, and other strategic locations The success of the encampments depended on levels of planning and discipline not commonly associated with Viking activity Beyond the basics of protecting and feeding themselves, Vikings engaged in a wide range of camp-bound activities, with shelters, stables, and workshops being built, ships being mended, and feasting on meat and wine within the confines of their camps A Viking winter campsite from 873-874 in Repton, England, was discovered to have covered a much larger area than was once presumed, and included shipbuilding and weapon workshops
