Viking Runes in Constantinople: The Graffiti of the Varangian Guard
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Viking Runes in Constantinople: The Graffiti of the Varangian Guard The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul (historically Constantinople) is widely known for its grand Byzantine architecture and Islamic heritage. However, hidden among its ancient walls and upper galleries are silent signatures left by the Varangian Guard —the elite Norse and Anglo-Saxon mercenaries who served as the personal bodyguards of the Byzantine emperors. 1. The Runic Inscriptions of Hagia Sophia Scratched into the marble parapets o