Little-Known Things About Vikings That Weren’t Taught in History Class

While the Vikings enslaved people from everywhere, they preferred thralls from certain places if they were going to keep them. They tended to keep those they captured that were Germanic, Anglo-Saxon, and Slavic. People they captured from elsewhere tended to be sold into slavery in markets in Europe and the Middle East. But as you’ve already seen, a preference for people from certain regions didn’t make the Vikings any less cruel toward slaves.

It wasn’t uncommon for people to undergo trials to determine innocence or guilt back in the day. For example, in Colonial America, if a person came out unscathed or alive after the witch trials, they were considered guilty. However, the Vikings had a different way of going about things. If someone survived “The Ordeal,” then they were declared innocent. The “Ordeal” involved a couple of different trials, but some were more commonly used.

Unfortunately, a preference for having male children over female children is a trend that has been seen throughout history and even relatively recently in some countries. The same was true of the Vikings, who preferred to have male children and, as a result, took better care of the males. This led to more girls dying at a young age than boys, which led to there being a disparity in the ratio of men to women.

While Viking women weren’t exactly equal as we think of it today, they did have a couple of other opportunities that other women of the age didn’t. That is, as long as they weren’t thralls. For example, unlike women from other societies during that time period, Viking women were allowed to divorce, own land, and lead a clan. There is even evidence of some Viking women becoming warriors and taking part in battles.

It’s no surprise that there wasn’t as much equality 1,000 years ago as there is today. But as we just mentioned, there were arguably more opportunities for Viking women than for women from other cultures during that time. Still, that doesn’t mean that things were equal. Women were often punished more severely than men if they committed the same crimes. For example, women that were slaves sometimes had their hands or feet cut off for even minor offenses.

One of the more intriguing Viking practices researchers have uncovered is that they filed their teeth. The practice was pretty painful, so they probably had a good reason for doing it. However, researchers are still debating the reason why and if it was for things like showing off status or purely cosmetic. Many agree that it was most likely used to intimidate and scare enemies on the battlefield (and off).

As one might expect, some of the most extravagant Viking funerals were reserved for high-ranking members of society. Sometimes, this involved placing that person’s body on a longboat with all of their possessions and then setting it on fire while it sailed out to sea. And unfortunately for that person’s slaves, they were sometimes included on the boat with the other possessions. Worst of all, it didn’t matter if they were alive when this happened.

When you think of Vikings, the odds are that you think of tall warriors with bleach-blonde hair. And while that was certainly true of some, others occasionally had to bleach their hair in order to fit in with the beauty standards of the time. Researchers know that some Viking men bleached their hair to align with beauty standards but also to deter lice from making a home in their hair.

The Middle Ages were a really dark time where only the strong survived. This was even truer when it came to the Vikings, whose whole belief system revolved around the idea of a warrior culture and contribution. Because of this, they were known to leave out to die any babies who had deformities. This involved them stripping the baby and leaving it in the forest to starve or die from harsh weather.

The Vikings were no strangers to the use of torture. They would often subject their captured victims to all sorts of different punishments. However, there is one punishment that stands out as especially cruel. It’s so horrific that researchers aren’t even entirely sure the Vikings actually used it. And if they did, it was almost certainly saved for those the Vikings truly despised. It was called the blood eagle.

It goes without saying, but homosexuality wasn’t viewed the same a thousand years ago as it is today. That’s especially true for the Vikings, who would sometimes use these types of relations to assert dominance over another man. The person “on top” would be the one asserting their dominance as the Vikings viewed it. So, the Viking’s view of homosexuality was complicated, and it was very different from how we view it today.

The Vikings were known for their brutality, even during their time, but their use of violence didn’t end when their victims were dead. Because they believed that more extreme acts of violence would allow them to enter Valhalla (a divine place), they would sometimes mutilate the bodies of their victims. They did this to impress their gods and bring shame to their enemies. It probably also added to their reputation as ruthless killers and raiders.

The Vikings were prolific slave traders. And while they usually targeted women and children, male monks were also high on their list for capture. This is because highly educated slaves were sought after in Eastern markets. So, the Vikings would target the monks and take them captive to be sold. But before selling them on the market, they also castrated them.

The Vikings are surrounded by plenty of myths, legends, and sagas. However, there is one legend that has a surprising amount of merit to it and is quite odd. A Viking named Sigurd Eysteinsson, or Sigmund the Mighty, was allegedly done in by a bite from his opponent, who was already deceased and beheaded. The legend goes that Sigmund was riding back with his opponent’s head attached to his saddle when the bite took place.

Most people have heard of Viking berserkers before. They were elite Viking warriors that entered the battle in a frenzied state. Berserkers didn’t wear armor and instead relied on a pure rage that historians describe as a trance to terrify, hack, and slash at their enemies. Unfortunately for other Vikings, these berserkers were so rage-ridden that it wasn’t uncommon for them to start swinging their axes at their own comrades.

While it’s fiercely debated, some researchers believe that the Viking berserker may have taken some kind of drug to enter their legendary state of rage. It would make sense, considering there are stories of them just shrugging off life-threatening wounds in the middle of battle. Just what substance they took is also debated, with some sources saying it was a petal they would rub all over their body and others theorizing that they ingested mushrooms.

While we usually think of Vikings only riding in longships, they also rode horses into battle, although not in large numbers. To determine what horses were the strongest, the Vikings used something called Hestavíg. They would put two horses into an arena and place a mare nearby. The mare would be in heat, which would cause the two male horses to fight one another. The stronger horse would emerge victorious.

We’re not talking about Vikings hunting the Kraken here, but we are saying they hunted things like whales and walruses. The Vikings spent a lot of time out on the open ocean and often ran into different animals. Still, it’s quite impressive that they could hunt creatures as giant as a whale despite lacking modern tools, boats, or weapons. It just goes to show how fearsome and skilled they were at sea.

When you see Vikings depicted in media, they’re often off pillaging and raiding a village somewhere. This includes setting fire to homes and whatever else happens to be in their way. However, it doesn’t often include just how those Vikings created their fire and torches. It turns out that the Vikings had a special method that involved boiling fungi in human urine. The nitrate in the urine apparently allowed the fire to burn longer.

Since the rest of their lives were filled with immeasurable amounts of danger, it would only make sense that the games they played were as well. Some Viking games would occasionally end in the death of one of the participants, whether as the result of anger or just an accident. For example, one Viking game involved holding a person underwater and doing your best not to let them catch air.

Most people have heard of a punishment called tarring and feathering. It involves pouring hot tar onto someone and then covering them in feathers. That might already sound pretty horrible, but the Viking version took this one step further. The Vikings would tar and feather someone and then make them run between two lines of people. The people were then forced to throw bricks at the accused, or else they would be fined.

This one shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise for a people known for being warlike, but the Vikings actually had their own version of a duel. It was called a holmgang and was used when there was a dispute. It saw two participants fight to the death whenever a disagreement arose. Someone could also pick a champion to fight a holmgang for them if there was just no chance of them winning.

Before Christianity became the dominant religion among the Vikings, they would often make sacrifices to their different gods. These sacrifices included animals and, as one might imagine, lots of blood. One saga that follows the story of Haakon the Good states that worshippers collected the blood of many different animals into bowls during a ceremony and then covered all of the temple’s walls in animal blood. They then cut up and ate the meat during a feast.

While it was easy to contract many different diseases during the Middle Ages, the Vikings apparently suffered from parasitic worms a bit more than most. This was because of their affinity for eating raw meat, especially liver and lungs. The issue was so widespread that the Vikings developed a genetic mutation to help deal with it. Unfortunately, that mutation can lead to a higher risk of lung disease for some people today.

While the Louvre is known today as one of the world’s grandest museums, it started out as a military fortification. The palace was originally a castle and fortress built by King Philip II. It was meant to protect the city while the king was away crusading, as Paris had been attacked numerous times by Vikings in the preceding centuries. The siege of 845 led to France paying the Vikings a handsome sum to leave the city.

Being a slave during the age of the Vikings was already very bad. However, it was even worse when you consider how they were treated if their masters were captured and tortured. The slaves of opponents were made to endure the exact same treatment as their masters. So, if someone had their arm or another limb cut off, then the same would happen to that person’s slaves, or thralls as they were called.

While it might seem obvious now, it took a little while for the Vikings to figure out that holmgangs, or Viking duels, are susceptible to abuse. People who were exceptionally strong or skilled would sometimes use a holmgang to take another person’s belongings whenever they wanted. Because of this, Vikings began outlawing the practice around the 11th century. Vikings in Iceland got rid of the practice around 1006, while it was outlawed elsewhere shortly after.

The Vikings had an immense impact on Western culture. So much so that they even heavily influenced the English language. For example, the word “Thursday” is from the old Norse “Thor’s Day.” Another word, “berserk,” means “bear shirt” in old Norse since berserkers would sometimes wear bear skin into battle. Other words include ransack, scathe, slaughter, club, keel, and many others. While those might align with what we think of Vikings, there were also many old Norse words that infiltrated other parts of society.

While modern rodeos are done for sport, Viking rodeos were done as a form of punishment. Before holmgangs were outlawed, the Vikings used their rodeos to punish those who didn’t want to accept a holmgang challenge. They would bring the person to an arena and then bring in a cow. The Vikings would then cover the cow’s tail in grease while also doing the same to the person’s shoes.

When Vikings are depicted in media, they’re often shown as giant, hulking men with big muscles. And while some Vikings of this sort almost definitely existed, it’s thought that most of them were short and lean. The truth is that all over Europe, people were shorter during this period, and the Vikings were no exception. However, it’s thought that they were probably naturally still quite strong from tending the fields.

Needless to say, hygiene wasn’t the same a thousand years ago as it is today. So, because of that and the simple fact that Vikings are often depicted murdering people, one might think they also didn’t take care of their hygiene. However, researchers know now know the opposite to be true. Viking burials have been found with things like combs, tweezers, and other self-care items. It’s also thought that they used soap.

There is no shortage of violence in Viking lore. This next one is pretty disturbing though, especially if the mention of Achilles tendons makes you shutter. There is a saga that follows a Viking warrior named Hrafnkel called Freysgoða. In the sage, it’s said that Hrafnkel and his men were detained while they slept. They were then hanged from their feet, but they weren’t just hanged as you might expect.

The Vikings were known for their travels and long voyages to distant lands, so this next one makes sense. It’s thought that the Vikings were responsible for bringing some of the Medieval world’s worst afflictions to Scandinavia. Their constant raiding led to them bringing back smallpox and leprosy. After raids into Ireland, where leprosy was running rampant during that time, some of the slaves they brought back also brought with them leprosy.

It might seem counter to the image of Vikings as being bloodthirsty warriors, but the Vikings put a lot of emphasis on honor and honesty. This showed in how they structured their laws, many of which have influenced modern law. Apparently, they would also let people off with lighter punishments if they told the truth after a crime was committed. For example, if a murder was committed, the perpetrator would get off with a lighter sentence if they confessed.

It’s no secret that Iceland is almost completely devoid of trees today. Vikings cut down nearly all of the trees in Iceland in order to grow crops and for use as building materials. However, some researchers think that widespread deforestation may be adversely affecting today’s climate. Around 40% of Iceland is considered a desert today, according to The New York Times. The areas receive rain, but the soil is so fragile that it doesn’t hold moisture.

It might be hard to imagine since they’ve been depicted as nothing but bloodthirsty warriors by media and by their own mythology for so long, but researchers believe the majority of Vikings were actually farmers. A quaint little village akin to the Shire might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Vikings, but it turns out that might not be too far from the truth.

Despite sometimes being portrayed as a unified people or only consisting of a couple of clans, Vikings actually consisted of many different people living in Scandinavia. There were also many smaller groups of Vikings living in Scandinavia that often fought one another and others for things like loot and trade. In addition, some later periods saw people travel to Scandinavia from southern Europe and Asia and assimilate into Viking culture.

Luckily, researchers know quite a bit about famous Viking figures from a thousand years ago. This is because the Vikings had a relatively strong tradition of telling sagas. One such saga tells of a man named Erik the Red, who discovered Greenland. His real name was Erik Thorvaldsson, and he was born around the 10th century. However, he was constantly being exiled for his temper and for breaking the law.

While the Vikings certainly had a complex culture that could be both similar to ours and barbaric at the same time, there is no disputing the fact that they played a huge role in the slave trade of the time. The Vikings took many women and children as slaves to be sold to the Byzantines and kingdoms in the Middle East. Researchers now know that the need for slaves was a driving factor in Viking raids.

While there is some debate as to the exact end of the Viking age, many think it began with the death of Harald Hardrada. His entire life reads as it came straight from a fictional epic, but he met his end during a failed invasion of England at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. This was only weeks before the battle of Hastings and the Normans, who themselves were descended from Vikings, the conquest of England.