The Vikings were the sea warriors of the Nordic (Scandinavian) region. Their existence has been the inspiration for countless myths, novels, movies and even plays.;
From the 8th to 11th centuries, these fearsome "pirates" conquered villages throughout Europe and headed south to discover new lands. Although there is a lot of information about the Vikings today, you may not know some of the information below.
Vikings women have some rights
Like other civilizations of the time, the Vikings were patriarchal. However, women of this ethnic group still have some rights. Traditionally, only men tattoo clothing brands conducted expeditions and raids at sea. However, some surviving evidence suggests that sometimes women also participated in conquests and even fought alongside men. Vikings women can also own property, get a divorce, and receive a pension.
Vikings don't wear horned hats
Although today Vikings are often depicted with a helmet with horns, there is no actual evidence that they ever used it. In fact, there is no description from the time of the Vikings that mentions this hat. Historians believe that the legend of this horned hat dates back to the 19th century, with Nordic artists adding this hat in their works, possibly to make the Vikings look more ferocious.
Many famous mythical characters created by Vikings
Marvel's series has launched many superheroes, including Thor, Loki and Odin. But did you know that Asgard and its inhabitants are part of Norse mythology? The Vikings believed that gods, goddesses, giants, elves and other creatures were an important part of this world.
Vikings clean above average
Although the Vikings looked dirty, sloppy and smelly, they were actually very proud of their appearance. Excavations at sites where the Vikings lived have found a number of objects such as razors, combs and tweezers made from ivory and bone. On average, Vikings bathed once a week, more than the average European of the time.
The deceased will be buried in the boat
The Vikings depended heavily on their boats. They are also particularly adept at using them to land and withdraw troops to conduct short-term raids. However, their boats weren't just for exploration. In the early days, the Vikings used to perform cremation and those in custom baseball uniforms positions of authority or respect were taken out to sea to be cremated with their boats. However, later on, burial became more popular. Those in high positions will be laid to rest with their boats in a graveyard. It is these tombs that make it possible for us to access the Vikings ships that are preserved to this day.
The Vikings also created today's buzzwords
Many of the buzzwords we use today are of Norse origin. "Ransack" is derived from "rannsaka", which means "find a house". "Slaughter" is derived from "slatra", meaning "butcher", and "blunder" comes from "blundra" meaning "closed eyes". There are also some other words for which we must thank the Vikings such as window, husband, heathen, berserk and knife.