How Much Do You Know About the Vikings?

While commonly depicted as seafaring savages, the Vikings were actually very conscious of their personal hygiene. During excavations of Viking settlements, archaeologists have found tweezers, razors, combs, and ear cleaners made from common materials of the time, such as animal bones and antlers. Vikings also bathed at least once a week in hot springs, which is much more often than other Europeans at the time.

By the end of the 9th century, Vikings had settled across large swathes of northern and eastern England. These regions were said to be under “Danelaw,” meaning they were subject to Danish laws and customs. This made a large portion of England separate from Anglo-Saxon rule. Danish involvement in England continued into the 10th and 11th centuries when a series of Viking leaders ruled the nation.

Many words in the English language have their roots in Old Norse, including ransack (from “rannsaka,” meaning “to search a house”), yule (from “jol,” a pagan winter festival), and husband (from the Norse “hús,” meaning “house,” and “bóndi,” meaning “occupier”). “Alcohol” is derived from the Arabic “al-kuhul” or “al-kohl.”

Historians see the death of Viking leader Harald Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066 as the end of the Viking Age. His defeat by Harold Godwinson saw Viking forces roundly beaten and driven out of Britain. The subsequent Norman invasion of England just a few weeks later by William the Conqueror discouraged any future Viking incursions.

The Vikings were great explorers and evidence suggests they were the first Europeans to discover North America. Viking hero Leif Eriksson was said to have led the expedition which made land at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, where they set up a temporary settlement. The Vikings named the new land “Vinland” (meaning “wine land”) but they never formed any permanent settlements there.

Strong leadership was a key element of Viking success. Harald Bluetooth began his reign ca. 958 CE, and was notable for uniting Denmark and Norway; for this reason his name was used a millennium later to describe the wireless technology which “unites” cell phones. Sven Forkbeard was Bluetooth’s son, and the first Viking king of England, and Cnut was king of England, Denmark, and Norway.

The first recorded Viking raid occurred in 793 CE, when they attacked the remote monastery of Lindisfarne, off the coast of Northumberland in northeast Britain. It was a huge shock to Christian Europe to have a sacred space plundered by pagan warriors. The attack marked the beginning of the Viking Age which saw numerous monasteries around the British, Irish, and French coasts ransacked.

Leif Erikson arrived in the New World around 1000 CE, nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus. He was the son of the notorious Erik the Red, founder of Greenland. Leif Erikson landed near modern-day Newfoundland, calling it Vinland, where he built a temporary settlement and stayed for the winter. After his winter stay, he sailed back to Greenland and never returned again.

In English, four of the days of the week are named after Germanic (Norse) gods. Tuesday is named for Tyr, the god of war, and Wednesday is named after Odin, or Woden, the god of wisdom. Thursday is named after Thor, one of the most popular gods, who could always be found with his powerful hammer. Friday was derived from Frigga, who was the wife of Odin and represented love and beauty.

Despite depictions of rowdy Viking clans celebrating their latest plunder in horned helmets, experts have found no evidence that they ever dressed this way. The stereotype began with Viking costumes in a 19th-century German opera, which could have been inspired by ancient Germanic priests who wore horned helmets in ceremonies. Real Viking helmets were simple iron helmets with nose and eye protection.

Scandinavians started skiing at least 6,000 years ago. While primitive, the skis were an efficient way to get around their snow-covered villages. The Vikings worshipped Ullr, the god of skiing and bowhunting. Archaeologists believe there are runes depicting Ullr on skis while using his bow, but he is one of the oldest gods in the Norse religion, and much of his history has been lost.

One of the main drivers of Viking success was their seafaring skills. They used many types of boats, but their most successful was the longship. These long, narrow wooden ships were not only fast but also strong and adaptable – they could navigate rivers and oceans, and also land on a beach. Longships had one large sail and rowing positions along the length of the ship.

In 982 CE, flame-haired Erik the Red left Iceland, sailed 900 nautical miles and made land on a new island. He established a number of settlements there and named the island “Greenland” in the hope that it would encourage more people to come and farm the land there. It worked and in 986 CE, Erik the Red organized an expedition that resulted in two settlements: East and West. There were about 280 farms on these settlements, which suggests the weather in Greenland was much warmer than it is today.

While women weren’t treated as equals in Viking culture, they did have more rights than most women of their time. Many Viking women assumed traditional gender roles and took care of the house and children, but they were allowed to own property and request a divorce. Others, however, became warriors and battled alongside Viking men. Stories of these fierce shieldmaidens, known as “Valkyries,” are common in Old Norse legends.

The Vikings worshipped many gods, now referred to as the Norse gods. They appeared in Viking sagas and had many human characteristics. Odin was the supreme god, and his son was Thor, the god of war and fertility, who created thunder and lightning. Loki lived among the gods because of a blood brother tie with Odin, but could not be trusted. He was known for his schemes, including shapeshifting, cheating, and lying.

“Berserkers” were known to fight violently with a trance-like fury, all while wearing bearskins. Historians believe that they fought this way, at least partially, due to being impaired by drugs or alcohol. The English word “berserk,” meaning wild or frenzied, comes from these champion warriors.

The Vikings carved their stories and history into giant stones using "runes," their writing system. Typically, these runestones were memorials with the story of the deceased engraved on them. Sweden is home to over 2,500 of these stones, and many more are scattered throughout Scandinavia and other regions where Vikings visited.

The Vikings did not call themselves by that name; they had their own tribal identifiers. They were referred to by other cultures as “Norse,” “Norsemen" (Northmen), or “Danes.” The word “vikingr” comes from an Old Norse word relating to raiding or pirating. While the most famous Vikings were known to be destructive pirates, the majority were regular farmers, fishermen, craftsmen, and traders.

The Vikings were known for their impressive ships, which carried them to foreign lands and also served as their final resting place. Important Vikings, such as chieftains, were given funerals on the water. They were put on a ship with their belongings, and the ship was then set out to sea and lit on fire. The common Viking funeral occurred on land: The deceased were still placed inside a boat, but the vessel was buried underground.

Between the 9th century and 11th century, large numbers of Scandinavians left their homeland to find riches overseas. Known as Vikings, these chieftain-led tribes often raided and even settled in other nations’ lands. Much of the European continent was raided by Vikings, who became the first permanent settlers of modern-day Iceland.