Viking ships strike a powerful image of the battle-hardened, invading Norsemen of Scandinavia. With their low sides, tall bow and stern, their silhouette on the water was something to be feared. Viking ships were incredibly well designed for the time, with their wide low hull, they could sail in shallow rivers at high speed. They were also excellent at navigating the high seas too, with huge sails to propel them to foreign lands. These longships, or dragonships as the English called them, were well ahead of their time.