Images

A view of the mountains on the Juan Fernández Islands off the coast of Chile. Alexander Selkirk (1676-1721) was marooned on the islands from 1704 to 1709. His story inspired Daniel Defoe's Robisnon Crusoe, published in 1719.

Luke Roberts as Woodes Rogers in the TV series Black Sails. Rogers (l. 1679-1732) was a former privateer and navigator who served twice as the governor of the Bahamas. He was charged with stamping out piracy in the area and particularly the...

A painting portraying the Norse goddess of fertility Idunn giving apples to gods. Idunn was a goddess who was a guardian of the fruit (usually given as apples) that kept the gods of Asgard eternally young. For this reason, she was kidnapped...

An illustration portraying the Norse goddess of fertility Idunn being kidnapped by the giant Thiassi. Idunn was a guardian of the fruit (usually given as apples) that kept the gods of Asgard eternally young. Due to its rejuvenating properties...

A painting portraying a Valkyrie taking care of a dying warrior. Valkyries were key figures in various Norse sagas such as Prose Edda, the Heimskringla and the Njáls Saga. They were maidens whose role was to participate in battles and to...

Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie in a modern interpretation of Norse mythology as portrayed in the movie Thor Ragnarok (2017). Valkyries were maidens whose role was to participate in battles and to decide which warriors should die in battle. They...

Tessa Thompson as a Valkyrie in a modern interpretation of Norse mythology as portrayed in the movie Thor Ragnarok (2017). Valkyries were key figures in various Norse sagas such as Prose Edda, the Heimskringla and the Njáls Saga. They were...

A painting titled Valkyrie's Vigil created by the painter Edward Robert Hughes before 1915. Valkyries were key figures in various Norse sagas that were present in Prose Edda, the Heimskringla and the Njáls Saga. They were maidens whose role...

Artist imagination of Valhalla, Odin's hall of fallen warriors (Einherjar). Unlike Hel that was a rather gloomy and dark place, Valhalla was a blissful after-life location. Here souls were looked after by Valkyries who served them mead...

A 1729 oil painting by William Hogarth showing Woodes Rogers (seated), 1679-1732, and his family. Rogers was a former privateer, navigator and writer who was appointed Governor of the Bahamas in 1718. He was instrumental in stamping out piracy...