How accurate is our understanding of Viking and Norse culture?

by WinterSpite7708

Many sources I have read have stated that "very little" is actually known of those called Vikings and all that surrounds ancient Norse culture, as it was very early on that these peoples were active. The idea of the Vikings wearing horned helmets was (and perhaps still is) very prevalent, and strikes a very iconic image in the imagination, yet I have read articles from National Geographic and the like that dispute this very "fact".

I also wonder very much about the accuracy of Norse myths and legends, as I am a practicing witch, and am accustomed to many folks within the community holding these perspectives as their chosen path. I respect this in any case, but I am very curious as to how much we actually gather from historical findings.

I am also very curious to know the actual ancient origins of this I know as mead. Did these ancient peoples keep bees? Was honey not a luxury product? Why is it so closely related to these cultures who supposedly thrived in cold climates?

Why am I consuming "mead" to forget about my "Viking" ex whom had a "warrior's cut"? At six feet tall, could an actual historical Viking even compare in height? How could a Viking even shave the sides of his head?

Please help! I'm curious

C_2000

Most of the things we know about Viking (or Norse) culture is shaky, at best, because it's not a primary source. The first-hand information we have comes from accounts of the people the vikings invaded, who we can all imagine what they thought of the vikings. Later translations of Norse poems and beliefs are WILDLY varied because the translators applied their own biases--that's how we have translations where Loki is both a Jesus figure and a devil figure. There's even some scholars who believe the entire idea of Idunna and her apples is a Christian invention.

The most unbiased sources we have are relatively boring trade records, farming records, and travel records made by people who came in contact with the Norse. That's how we know they traveled all the way to the Byzantine empire, actively traded with Arab traders, and spent most of their time farming. But, because these are so unglamorous, these never really figure into what we think of Vikings.

On top of that, there's also the fact that vikings have been mythologized within european culture for a long time. For CENTURIES, people have been desperately clinging onto the idea of a "viking," which is usually just whatever they WANT vikings to be. Whether that's a great warrior race, amazing opera singers, or just guys who are really good at braiding their hair.

Hell, even calling them Vikings shows a distorted history--"viking" was a job that only a small percentage of people had, and (we assume) it meant the people who go on raids. This is like calling the whole of America "Navy SEALs"

the name "Norse" also literally just means "North," so it's not even much better than calling them Vikings.

So, uh, to actually answer your questions:

Why am I consuming "mead" to forget about my "Viking" ex whom had a "warrior's cut"?

Mead was just one type of alcohol, and it was only drank during certain times of year. They WOULD have had it though, so that's good. it's kinda like drinking blue raspberry svedka to get over an ex, which actually isn't too out there of an idea tbh

the guy was definitely not a "Viking" in historical terms though, because it was a specialized job. And his "warrior's cut" doesn't mean anything because Viking settlements each had (we think) different warrior's cuts

At six feet tall, could an actual historical Viking even compare in height?

Examining Viking skeletons shows that men were on average around 5'6 and women were 5'1. BUT, Arab accounts say that they are "tall as palm trees" so, you know. Either way I'm sure there was, like, one or two 6' Vikings, but most of them were much shorter

How could a Viking even shave the sides of his head?

ngl I wrote this whole reply because I wanted to talk about this one part.

Vikings actually cared a lot about their hair! Almost all skeletons have been found with little combs, tweezers, and other grooming tools. There's even evidence that they bleached their hair with lyme to keep it clean and lice-free when they couldn't wash it

Which is to say that Vikings would have had access to shaving tools and been able to shave the sides of his head. Whether he WOULD do that, I'm not sure.

However, outside of that, I'd say that if you find spiritual peace in any of these interpretations of "viking" lore, then it's okay! Religion and spirituality as it is is only a game of interpretations, with all of them having relatively equal standing on the spiritual plane. For religious purposes, it doesn't really matter what actually happened, what matters is the metaphors and life lessons we take from it

Sources:

Eldar Heide (2008). "Viking, week, and Widsith. A reply to Harald Bjorvand". Centre of Medieval Studies (University of Bergen).

Hans C. Boas (13 May 2014). "Indo-European Lexicon. PIE Etymon and IE Reflexes". Linguistics Research Center. The University of Texas at Austin.

Eldar Heide (2005). "Víking – 'rower shifting'? An etymological contribution" (PDF). Arkiv för Nordisk Filologi.

idk how to cite him but there was a monk in Lindisfarne named Alcuin of York who talked about the viking invasion

Donald A. Bullough, "What has Ingeld to do with Lindisfarne?", Anglo-Saxon England, 22 (1993), 93–125

Derry (2012). A History of Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland

Sawyer, Peter; Sawyer, Professor of Medieval History Peter (1997). The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings. Oxford University Press.

Gareth Lloyd Evans, "Michael Hirst’s Vikings and Old Norse Poetry", Translating Early Medieval Poetry: Transformation, Reception, Interpretation. Edited by Tom Birkett and Kirsty March-Lyons. Boydell and Brewer (2017)

y_sengaku

While there will always be much more to be said for multiple questions OP posted above, I post links to some of FAQ in this subreddit and my previous answers on relevant questions for the time being:

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my "Viking" ex whom had a "warrior's cut"?

This can perhaps require some more explanation, but what I can say for now is the cut is very roughly based on the source from the 11th century Normandy, but it is not necessarily applicable to all the people of Viking Age Scandinavia (ca. 800-ca. 1050).

My previous summarized links in Did Vikings actually wear braids in their hair?