By the latter half of the 18th century, while the Icelandic sagas were still used as important historical sources, the Viking Age had again come to be regarded as a barbaric and uncivilised period in the history of the Nordic countries.
I sidste halvdel af 1700-tallet, mens de islandske sagaer stadig blev brugt som vigtige historiske kilder, blev vikingetiden igen genstand for associationer med en barbarisk og uciviliseret periode i Nordens historie.