Vikings have been one of the most interesting warrior communities in history. Thanks to the HBO series Vikings, there are millions of people that are curious to find out more about Viking culture, outfits, weapons, and way of living.
Their fierce nature, fighting spirit, and unique culture have been the center of talk for many years now.
It is commonly believed that Vikings were always violent, crazy, and bloodthirsty. However, there’s a lot more to the history and culture of this amazing warrior community.
There is much evidence from the Scandinavian sagas and accounts from other witnesses revealing more facts about the Vikings history.
So let us together find out some of the most interesting facts about the Vikings.
An Introduction to Vikings Community
Vikings were a warrior community that ended a millennium ago but its stories are still live. Vikings were known to be from Scandinavia and parts of Northern Europe.
They were often referred to as the Normans, Danes, or Northmen. Although the Vikings have been seen traveling across many parts of Europe, however, most of their raids were conducted on Western and Northern Britain and Ireland.
In addition to this, they also invaded what we call Russia today, Poland, northern Germany, and France.
Top 20 Facts about the Vikings
While shows like Vikings have depicted certain aspects related to Vikings, there are still many interesting facts about vikings history that are not known to everyone.
For all those Vikings fans, who want to find out more about this warrior society, here are the top 20 facts about the Vikings.
1. Vikings Originated From Scandinavia
Vikings were Scandinavians. It was said that Viking’s ancestors originated from both Denmark and Norway.
The Vikings migrated to the British Isles in the 8th century AD and later spread to other parts of Europe. Vikings were very proud people who loved talking about themselves in the form of Icelandic songs.
2. They Were Very Proud
Vikings were very proud people, and they loved to live in large communities with their kinsmen. Their pride is often seen by most historians and art theorists as one of the important factors that made them so successful.
3. Their Helmets Did Not Have Horns
Vikings did not wear horns on their helmets except for helmets used on occasions and ceremonies. They occasionally used armored headgear made of wood or leather instead of horns on their helmets. In fact, there is some evidence that suggests that they did not wear helmets at all.
4. Vikings Liked Living Clean, Not Dirty
As seen in the TV series, Vikings are often associated with their love for a dirtier life. However, Viking people really liked living clean.
Someone spending weeks and months sailing boats are expected to be filthy. However, the archaeological findings show that Vikings maintained a certain level of hygiene and liked living clean.
5. Their Ships Were Named After The Sign Of The Carpenters
Vikings’ ships were named after the sign of the carpenters, and they also believed that it would make their ships very strong and sturdy enough to sail through any difficult situation in the sea.
6. Not All Vikings Were Raiders
The HBO series Vikings paint a very favorable picture of the Vikings based on the historical evidence available.
However, most of what we see in this series is not true. Vikings were also known to be farmers who were good potters and warriors, but they did not raid others’ villages for food or belongings.
The raid was only limited to coastal and inland settlements.
7. Einarr Was The First Viking God
The TV series Vikings often depict Einarr as a war god, but he was stated to be the first sailor god in several sources.
He is said to have been associated with sailing beyond any limits, and becoming a deity like Thor or Odin gets him plenty of respect by Vikings.
8. Most Viking Men Were Farmers
Vikings were known to be farmers as well as warriors. Most of them settled down in small communities and maintained land or farms.
They joined together and built farms that produced goods for trade or sold them in other places.
9. The Habit Of Eating Two Times A Day
Vikings were known for their amazing ability to digest food. They had a habit of eating two times a day.
The first meal was usually taken in the morning and was known as dagmar. The second one, nattmal was taken in the evening after finishing their daily job.
10. Viking Women Were Prized For Their Beauty
Viking women were highly prized for their beauty in addition to being hard-working and intelligent at the same time.
It was said that a woman who can spin, weave and make clothes are good enough to be a wife. Viking women were known to take part in feasts and had their own seats during gatherings.
11. Honey Was Their Only Sweetener
Viking people were very fond of honey, and it was their only source of sweetener. In addition, they used honey for medicinal purposes and for making a Viking special strong alcoholic drink called mead.
12. Vikings Had Their Own Gods
Vikings were known to worship many gods such as Thor, Odin, Freya, and Tyr. They also practice human sacrifice, which is believed that they thought that they are becoming a God by offering such sacrifices.
13. The Art Of Building Ships
Vikings were very good at building ships. An important skill that they have is the art of building ships. Using wood and stone, they built ships that were sturdy enough to sail across the ocean and stormy seas.
14. Kept Record Of Their Stories As Sagas
As the Vikings were very proud people, they loved to talk about themselves and their families in the form of songs.
As a result, they kept a record of their stories as Sagas. Many of these Sagas have been preserved and are still read by several historians and researchers around the world.
15. Loved Adventures
Vikings loved adventure and surprises, which is why they went on raids without any hesitation. However, this did not mean that they were always reckless or foolish. It was their nature to get excited about the unexpected, even on the battlefield.
16. They Also Kept Slaves
Vikings kept slaves. Some of their slaves were captured in raids, and some may have been bought from other regions.
On the other hand, some slaves were those who were prisoners of war. However, they loved their slaves and offered them a good life.
17. They Loved Drinking Alcohol
Drinking alcohol was like drinking water for Viking men. They did not like drinking weak alcoholic beverages but instead preferred alcohol that was high in alcohol content.
Vikings had their own special recipe for making strong alcohol. One of the Vikings special was mead, which was made from honey.
18. They Loved Telling Stories
Vikings were famous for their art of storytelling. They loved to talk about themselves and their families in the form of songs, sagas, and songs. When they encountered others while on a raid, they would tell them stories of their ships and warriors.
19. Viking Age Ended With Herald’s Death
The Viking age ended in the year 1066 with the death of Herald. They were beaten by the Normans, who invaded England and took over their land.
The end of the Viking age is also marked by numerous changes in places like Iceland and Greenland, where their main settlements were built.
20. Viking Wasn’t A Single Community
The Viking community was divided into hundreds of small tribes led by different leaders. Scandinavia was also divided among many small tribes and groups.
While they were all similar in some sense, there was no sense of unity or collectivity among the different tribes of Vikings.
Also Read : Viking Hairstyles For Women Ideas In 2022
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the true history of the Vikings?
The Vikings were fearless and strong people who hailed from different parts of Europe. They conquered land after land in many parts of the world, especially Europe.
2. What were Vikings famous for?
The Vikings were known to be skilled warriors and hunters. They used their skills to conquer land after land in different parts of Europe. In addition, they also had a good reputation in battle.
3. What was a female Viking called?
A female Viking was called a Valkyrie, who was said to be the only woman in Valhalla. In other words, the Vikings believed that she belonged to the warrior club with men, and they did not believe in having women as warriors.
Final Words
These are the top 20 facts related to one of the most unique and interesting warrior communities, Vikings.
The origin of the Vikings is still a matter of debate among historians and researchers. However, most historians suggest that Vikings were descendants of people from Scandinavia who settled down in several places in Europe.
Also Read : Did Female Nordic Vikings Wear Makeup?
