Early Vikings in the Isle of Man: Old Paradigms and New Perspectives

Abstract

There is no doubt that the Isle of Man, in the middle of the Irish Sea, was settled by Vikings, as is demonstrated by a rich archaeological heritage. But the important questions of when the Vikings first reached the Island and when they settled there, whether they conquered Man by force or assimilated peacefully into the local community have not yet been answered satisfactorily. The two different approaches hitherto adopted have reached two different - and mutually exclusive - conclusions. This paper organizes, summarizes, and evaluates their respective arguments and conclusions and presents a third hypothesis on the early Viking Age in the Isle of Man.