Stamp set from Royal Mail explores Britain’s Viking legacy

By David Hartwig

On a set of eight stamps issued Feb. 20, Great Britain’s Royal Mail explores the history, impact and legacy of Vikings in Britain and marks 40 years since the opening of the Jorvik Viking Centre in York, England.

“Between the 8th and 11th centuries, the Vikings — seaborne adventurers from Scandinavia — profoundly transformed Britain,” Royal Mail said. “They left a legacy that remains with us to this day.”

Presented in four se-tenant (side-by-side) pairs, the stamps show images of Viking artifacts in the foreground and maps marked with significant archaeological locations in the background.

The artifacts exemplify the types of items housed at the Jorvik Viking Centre, a museum and visitor center with mannequins and life-size dioramas depicting how Vikings lived in the area of York more than 1,000 years ago.

The museum opened in 1984 after archaeologists from the York Archaeological Trust spent the years from 1976 through 1981 unearthing the houses, workshops and backyards of the Viking city of Jorvik.

Below the artifact pictured on each stamp, text provides a brief description and a location.

The stamps in each se-tenant pair have the same service inscription or denomination, indicated under the silhouette of King Charles III in the upper left.

One pair is valued at the first-class rate (currently £1.25), one at £1, one at £2 (the international economy rate for letters up to 100 grams), and one at £2.20 (the international standard rate).

Royal Mail offers all eight stamps in the set in a presentation pack that provides insight into Viking artifacts and sites of significance, along with the story of Jorvik. Thomas Williams, author of Viking Britain: A History, wrote the text of the presentation pack.

The Viking Britain stamps and related products are available online from Royal Mail. Ordering information also is available from Royal Mail, Tallents House, 21 S. Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB, Scotland.

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