Viking Raven

Circa: 1000 A.D.

White field with large black raven. (C1)

The flag of the Vikings (Norseman) form the Scandinavian countries was the first flag of a European country flow in North America.

The Vikings settled in Iceland and Greenland. Around 1000 A.D., Leif the Lucky along with approximately 35 Norsemen explored down the coast of New England as far as Rhode Island. The Vikings spent a winter there. During the next 12 years, they made several journeys to this area, but they did not claim it for their own.

Their emblem, the black Raven, was considered the symbol of good luck. According to legends, Odin, their god of ware, had two ravens who each day flew away from Valhalla (Odin's home in the heavens) to earth and returned at night bringing news of the world below.

The Vikings revered the raven. When they sailed from their native shores, they would release a raven. It would fly in the direction of land and guide the sailors to safety.