Viking mussels

ELEANOR BARNETT digs into archaeological research to recreate a Viking-cum-AngloSaxon seafood dish from medieval York

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On our food history journey, we've tried numerous dishes based on recipes written down as far back as 2,000 years ago. When it comes to Viking-era cookery, however, we're not so lucky - at that time there was no equivalent of the ancient Roman Apicius, the Victorian domestic goddess Mrs Beeton, or Delia Smith today. To recreate some of the foods that Vikings would have eaten, historians instead have to rely on archaeological remains - animal bones, fruit seeds, grain husks, even faeces - alongside inspiration from later recipes and references in literature.