All credit to the Independent for updating its readers over the much-reported claim that the Vikings wore Arabic words for 'Allah' and 'Ali' in their burial garments, thus suggesting a strong Islamic influence on Viking culture.
They followed up the story with "a leading expert" in medieval Islamic art and archaeology, who has rubbished the claims saying that there's no Arabic script present at all.
It's a fascinating read and, to my mind, places the Swedish researchers (and the media who reported their claims) firmly in the dock.
The BBC's article on the original story was particularly uncritical of the original claims and overly triumphalist for Islam, but the BBC (unlike the Indie) hasn't yet provided an update.
They followed up the story with "a leading expert" in medieval Islamic art and archaeology, who has rubbished the claims saying that there's no Arabic script present at all.
It's a fascinating read and, to my mind, places the Swedish researchers (and the media who reported their claims) firmly in the dock.
The BBC's article on the original story was particularly uncritical of the original claims and overly triumphalist for Islam, but the BBC (unlike the Indie) hasn't yet provided an update.
