I thought I'd welcome new supporters (and do join the party if you haven't already!) with traditional hospitality: breaking bread together amongst fellow Vikings. This was taken at Birka, on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren, Sweden.

From the eighth century Birka was one of the most important places for Viking world trade. It had up to a thousand inhabitants for over two hundred years but then, for some unknown reason, the island was abandoned and now only seven people live there permanently. Birka was put on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1993.