Vikings - facts and fallacies
One Nation
The Vikings were not the representatives of the people, it was a motley group of soldiers, travelers and traders under the direction of the leader. During the Viking Age Scandinavia was not divided into large states (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), and consisted of many areas under the supervision of such groups. In general, the Norse word "Viking" is not tied to any location, and means a person participating in the march to the sea.
Wild and dirty
Many feature films and cartoons, the Vikings are shown dirty and wild men and women, but in fact, they care about their appearance. Combs, tweezers, razors - the most frequent findings during excavations of Viking settlement. We found the remains of soap, which the Vikings made their own. In England, the Vikings, on the contrary, considered Neat because bathed once a week (Saturday). In Scandinavian languages is still Saturday the word means "bath day", even though it themselves descendants of the Vikings did not think.
Large blondes
The Vikings are also shown in cinematographic massive, with long blond hair. Interestingly, analysis of historical records and data excavation has shown that the average growth of blond was about 170 centimeters, which is very little, even by ancient standards. With blond hair more interesting situation - they are considered ideal from the Vikings, but not all had light hair. To correct this misunderstanding use special whitening soap. Even the Vikings were hospitable people, and a lot of foreigners pouring into the Viking tribes, so that among them were Italians, Spaniards, Portuguese, French and even Russian. It is understood that all of them had different weight and growth characteristics and color of hair.
The Vikings drank from skull
The source of this legend - the product of a certain Ole Worm "Reuner seu Danica literatura antiquissima" in 1636, where he wrote that Danish warriors drank from the "curved skulls." Upon further translation into Latin of the phrases have only the word "skulls". In addition, during the excavation still has not found a single cup made from the skull.
Rough weapons
Another feature of the cinematic Vikings - gross mismanagement use of weapons like batons and axes, or even its absence. In fact, the Vikings were good gunsmith, and using forged composite technology (the same used in the manufacture of Damascus blades), they were able to make a very strong and sharp weapons. According to the folklore of the Vikings, to check the severity of the sword, he fell into a running creek, and through it indulged hair. If your hair is cut, the sword was considered to be sharp.
Scandinavia - Motherland
The Vikings appeared in Scandinavia, but eventually settled around the world, reaching North Africa, Russia, and even North America. There are several theories to explain the causes of the expansion, the most logical of them associated with the depletion of land resources and the increase in the population of Scandinavia, which is why it was necessary to look for new places to live. Another reason - the proceeds from the exhaustion of trade between Western Europe and Asia after the fall of the Roman Empire in the V century, after which the Vikings had to look for new "fish" places.
Hated by all
As a consequence of previous errors appeared the opinion that the Vikings were unwelcome everywhere, outcasts, their supposedly hated everything. In reality, they are not only hated (as well as any other nation), but also respected. The French king Charles III, known as Charles just gave the Vikings the land in what is now Normandy, and married his daughter to one of the leaders of the Viking Rollo. These "domesticated" Vikings later repeatedly defended the French territory from encroachment of other Vikings. In Constantinople, Vikings respected for their strength and courage, so that by the Byzantine emperor was put in a special Varangian guard composed of Swedish Vikings.
The bloodthirsty and cruel
Viking attacks were bloodthirsty and brutal, if not to think about others. While other methods of waging war was not - all were bloodthirsty and cruel - the French and the British, and other nations. For example, a contemporary of the Vikings, King Charles the Great virtually destroyed the people of the Avars (the ancient union of tribes who lived on the Volga River and on the shores of the Caspian Sea), and at Verdun beheaded nearly 5000 residents of Saxony. Vikings can not be called the most blood-thirsty, they had another "chip" - the complete destruction of all connected with an alien religion (monasteries, churches), including the ministers of these religions. It's so scared of others, that the residents of the villages, barely seen on the horizon mast Viking ships, fled without a fight.
Solid robbery
A very small part of the Vikings were warriors, and the rest were engaged in agriculture, crafts and animal husbandry. For marine expeditions robbery was one of the "bonuses", which refused one, not only the Vikings. Most Vikings lived peacefully in the lands of what is now Iceland and Greenland, and were regarded as sophisticated traders who had dealings with the representatives of different nations and countries.
Horned helmets
This is probably the biggest misconception. Still not found evidence of archaeological or written, that the Vikings wore helmets with horns. All found helmets have horns and their design does not provide for such excesses. Most likely, this error kept the early Christians who believed the Vikings accomplices of the devil, so they were supposed to intimidate wearing horns on his helmet. Norwegian Thor the god on his helmet had wings, which at a certain percentage of fantasy can be taken by the horns.
One Nation
The Vikings were not the representatives of the people, it was a motley group of soldiers, travelers and traders under the direction of the leader. During the Viking Age Scandinavia was not divided into large states (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), and consisted of many areas under the supervision of such groups. In general, the Norse word "Viking" is not tied to any location, and means a person participating in the march to the sea.
Wild and dirty
Many feature films and cartoons, the Vikings are shown dirty and wild men and women, but in fact, they care about their appearance. Combs, tweezers, razors - the most frequent findings during excavations of Viking settlement. We found the remains of soap, which the Vikings made their own. In England, the Vikings, on the contrary, considered Neat because bathed once a week (Saturday). In Scandinavian languages is still Saturday the word means "bath day", even though it themselves descendants of the Vikings did not think.
Large blondes
The Vikings are also shown in cinematographic massive, with long blond hair. Interestingly, analysis of historical records and data excavation has shown that the average growth of blond was about 170 centimeters, which is very little, even by ancient standards. With blond hair more interesting situation - they are considered ideal from the Vikings, but not all had light hair. To correct this misunderstanding use special whitening soap. Even the Vikings were hospitable people, and a lot of foreigners pouring into the Viking tribes, so that among them were Italians, Spaniards, Portuguese, French and even Russian. It is understood that all of them had different weight and growth characteristics and color of hair.
The Vikings drank from skull
The source of this legend - the product of a certain Ole Worm "Reuner seu Danica literatura antiquissima" in 1636, where he wrote that Danish warriors drank from the "curved skulls." Upon further translation into Latin of the phrases have only the word "skulls". In addition, during the excavation still has not found a single cup made from the skull.
Rough weapons
Another feature of the cinematic Vikings - gross mismanagement use of weapons like batons and axes, or even its absence. In fact, the Vikings were good gunsmith, and using forged composite technology (the same used in the manufacture of Damascus blades), they were able to make a very strong and sharp weapons. According to the folklore of the Vikings, to check the severity of the sword, he fell into a running creek, and through it indulged hair. If your hair is cut, the sword was considered to be sharp.
Scandinavia - Motherland
The Vikings appeared in Scandinavia, but eventually settled around the world, reaching North Africa, Russia, and even North America. There are several theories to explain the causes of the expansion, the most logical of them associated with the depletion of land resources and the increase in the population of Scandinavia, which is why it was necessary to look for new places to live. Another reason - the proceeds from the exhaustion of trade between Western Europe and Asia after the fall of the Roman Empire in the V century, after which the Vikings had to look for new "fish" places.
Hated by all
As a consequence of previous errors appeared the opinion that the Vikings were unwelcome everywhere, outcasts, their supposedly hated everything. In reality, they are not only hated (as well as any other nation), but also respected. The French king Charles III, known as Charles just gave the Vikings the land in what is now Normandy, and married his daughter to one of the leaders of the Viking Rollo. These "domesticated" Vikings later repeatedly defended the French territory from encroachment of other Vikings. In Constantinople, Vikings respected for their strength and courage, so that by the Byzantine emperor was put in a special Varangian guard composed of Swedish Vikings.
The bloodthirsty and cruel
Viking attacks were bloodthirsty and brutal, if not to think about others. While other methods of waging war was not - all were bloodthirsty and cruel - the French and the British, and other nations. For example, a contemporary of the Vikings, King Charles the Great virtually destroyed the people of the Avars (the ancient union of tribes who lived on the Volga River and on the shores of the Caspian Sea), and at Verdun beheaded nearly 5000 residents of Saxony. Vikings can not be called the most blood-thirsty, they had another "chip" - the complete destruction of all connected with an alien religion (monasteries, churches), including the ministers of these religions. It's so scared of others, that the residents of the villages, barely seen on the horizon mast Viking ships, fled without a fight.
Solid robbery
A very small part of the Vikings were warriors, and the rest were engaged in agriculture, crafts and animal husbandry. For marine expeditions robbery was one of the "bonuses", which refused one, not only the Vikings. Most Vikings lived peacefully in the lands of what is now Iceland and Greenland, and were regarded as sophisticated traders who had dealings with the representatives of different nations and countries.
Horned helmets
This is probably the biggest misconception. Still not found evidence of archaeological or written, that the Vikings wore helmets with horns. All found helmets have horns and their design does not provide for such excesses. Most likely, this error kept the early Christians who believed the Vikings accomplices of the devil, so they were supposed to intimidate wearing horns on his helmet. Norwegian Thor the god on his helmet had wings, which at a certain percentage of fantasy can be taken by the horns.
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