With Nordic tattoos being sort of in style right now it got me thinking. How many of them are something that a Viking or nord would have actually had? Are we westernizing and stylizing them just to make them look cool or are we being at least partially historically accurate? Or did Vikings even have tattoos? I really have no idea. Thank you in advance for any response!
Edit: I’m referring to the Viking age from ~800-1050.
More can always be said but you might like this older thread from /u/Platypuskeeper and /u/textandtrowel!
Is there a source describing the process of skin dying used by the Vikings?
Unfortunately, skin doesn't stay intact over the years that have passed since the Vikings have had their moment in the spotlight.
An Arab traveler, however, did meet some Norse warriors while on a diplomatic mission to current day Russia. He noted:
“I have never seen bodies as nearly perfect as theirs,” he wrote. As tall as palm trees, fair and reddish, they wear neither tunics nor kaftans. Every man wears a cloak with which he covers half of his body, so that one arm is uncovered. They carry axes, swords, dagers and balways have them to hand. They use Frankish swords with broad, ridged blades.”
So yeah, not much use. Later he noted that they had tattoos going from the tips of their fingers towards their necks. Sadly, this may just have been more of a way to call them savages rather than providing an accurate eye-witness report. I don't believe he mentioned how their tattoos looked, though.
But there is hope! A Scythian chieftan was found buried beneath permafrost. His skin and tattoos were still intact. Even though the body predates the arrival of the Vikings by a long time, but it is plausible that the descendants of the Scythians taught the Vikings how to do this.
I think it's safe to say that it isn't very known. The Vikings themselves did not have many literary works (that survived) so I doubt we will ever truly know if they had tattoos and if they were somewhat common.
As for the designs of the tattoos, I'd say they would have had designs and symbols similar to the carvings on their jewelry and bones.
There are some inaccurate symbols, though. A common one is the Vegvisir, known as the compass. This was a symbol in a 17th century Icelandic book on magic.
One that is accurate, though, is the Aegishjalmur, known as the Helm of Awe. If you are considering getting an accurate Viking tattoo, I'd suggest looking at authentic Norse runes and jewelry, as it is likely the tattoos Vikings would've had were in this style.
As a final note, I am just an armchair historian for all intents and purposes. I am a huge history enthusiast for anything prior to the Rennaisance, but not an actual expert. I posted what I personally know about the subject along with some research, but I may be wrong. If I am, experts, please tell me! If I am right, please do so too! It'll give me reassurance that I'm learning and getting information from the right sources.