The Vikings have had a one-sided image for too long. Since their first violent raids in the late 8th century, Norsemen have been considered nothing more than brutal barbarians and marauding savages who thoughtlessly murdered and pillaged the defenseless. Revolutionary new research is about to change their uncivilized reputation. Travel the globe with NOVA for a riveting two-hour special that proves the Vikings were much more accomplished than their vicious stereotype suggests.

True, the Vikings were ruthless in their quest for riches and power. But recently unearthed facts about of the Viking legacy reveal they were canny merchants, expert shipbuilders, superb artisans, and bold colonizers of far-off lands. Watch as modern shipbuilders recreate their marvels of nautical engineering. Search for clues that prove Vikings landed in North America 500 years before Columbus. Rebuild ancient villages, retrace a Viking trading expedition through Russia, and see spectacular Scandinavian artifacts that help introduce a surprising new definition of the Vikings.