And even served as the personal bodyguard of the East Roman Emperor in Constantinople, as the Varangian Guard.

Best I've ever seen are from a small tattoo shop in Copenhagen, Denmark. When they bother to show up for a tattoo convention, I figure they get as much attention alone as all the other tattoo artists put together.

Check out their work at http://www.tattoo.dk/

I think we are discovering that many of the ancients were much more advanced than we had been led to believe. Look at the recent series on Chinese technology that has been on the History Channel. I look for truth and beauty wherever I can find it. I am gaining a respect for the ancient wisdom and technology in all cultures that I did not have in my youth.

There is a site in newfoundland where they found a Viking era community and the government has done a good job with it even going so far as to as making a replica of the longhouse they have found. Bernard Cornwell does an amazing historical novel about the Viking/Saxon conflict in britian called The Last Kingdom. He also wrote the Sharpe novels about the life of a brit soldier in the Napoleonic era.
The christians who destroyed the norse faith did everything they could to either
obliterate or co-opt all the traditions. Ironicly some important info about our culture that would have been lost can be extrapolated from those early christians.
Check out the Stave churches for a look at what a late viking era pagan church would have looked like.

That's speculation.

There are 2 theories on the origin of stave churches: either they are an interpretation of Byzantine basilica in wood, or they are derived from pre-christian "hov". This second theory was prevalent until 50 years ago but has since been rejected due to lack of supporting archaeological evidence.

I am an agnostic, however I have studied religions my whole life. My oldest daughter is very interested in her viking heritage through her maternal grandfather.
The youngest seems more involved in the Celtic roots of my family.
If I believed it would probably be more along the lines of the nordic gods.

A krishna friend of mine always claims that I am a non-believing believer. One day we may find out if he is right.

What is interesting is how the different gods evolved over time.
Originally Loki was seen more as a trickster god, however as the Christian religion gained prevelence he was slowly turned into a more satanic figure.

Also look at how Baldur seems to evolve into a more "christ" like figure.

One of the forum names I use is Magniaesir, not technically correct however I do like the sound of it

On a different note my youngest brother had our clan moto tattoed in gaelic around his arm.
He lifts weights and it is done in red outlined in black and it looks very good.

When I asked him why he put it in gaelic when nobody could read it, replied "I know what it means"