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The Vikings were seafaring warriors of almost mythical proportions. They spent their time between the 9th and 11th centuries raiding, conquesting, and colonizing the seas and lands of what we now know as Europe. But most of us don’t know much about them, beyond images of their iconic helmets. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of facts that most people don’t know about the Vikings.
Some Vikings Filed Their Teeth
There are a lot of cosmetic changes humans subject themselves to. Sometimes, it’s tattoos. Other times, it’s piercings. But in the case of the Vikings, it was filing down their teeth, although no one is quite sure why they did it.
It could have just been for looks, but it also could have been a way to seem more powerful and strong as a fighter. Whatever the reason, it wasn’t a practice that all Vikings partook in.
Smelly Wounds Were Death Sentences
Nowadays when we injure ourselves, we rush to a hospital to let professionals who have studied medicine their whole lives take a look at our injuries and figure out how severe they are. The Vikings didn’t exactly have access to our top medical doctors, though.
Instead, they’d give injured fighters a potent-smelling soup and see if the smell leaked out of the injured area. If it did, they decided it wasn’t worth healing and to let that person go. It’s a bit unconventional.
A Unique Source of Fire
Before the lovely invention of electricity, humans relied on fire for warmth, for light, and in the case of the Vikings, for destroying things in their path. But, they didn’t exactly have matches or lighters to help them get a fire going.
They managed to find a unique and effective solution though, in the form of boiling fungi in their own body waste. By letting it sit for days, they could use it to get a fire going and start raiding in no time.
They Loved Trial by Combat
Anyone who has watched Game of Thrones remembers all too well the trial by combat on behalf of Tyrion Lannister, in which the Mountain defeats Oberyn Martell in a very brutal way. Trials by combat were to the death, after all.
The Vikings were a big fan of this method as well. Known as a holmgang, one could use a proxy champion if they were at a physical disadvantage, and the rules varied depending on the fight. Modern-day methods of talking things out are probably a bit more effective.
But Then Things Got Hairy
The problem with trial-by-combat methods is that people take advantage of them, like just about every other thing gets taken advantage of by humans. It turns out the strongest Vikings were using holmgangs to basically steal things from others, whether it was objects or even their partners.
This obviously isn’t what the holmgangs were designed for, so in the early 11th century, they were outlawed. That didn’t stop determined men from fighting things out anyway, but it’s the thought that counts.
Friendly Games Weren’t Always Friendly
Like modern-day humans, the Vikings loved to play games to test their skills and encourage their competitive sides. The violence in even their games went beyond the common hockey fight, though.
An underwater breath-holding contest sounds like a great challenge, right? Well, you might not think so if it came with someone holding your head underwater for as long as possible, especially if they were stronger than you. Not exactly a great way to go.
Wrestling Could Be Rough
They also enjoyed a good bit of wrestling, but if you were suspecting that it was a bit more than rough and tumble, you’d be right. There were various types of wrestling commonly practiced by the Vikings, but one particular match stands out.
They say there was once a wrestling match attended by the king in Norway, and on the field, there was a flat stone set upright. Why, you ask? Why, to break the opponent’s back, of course.
Other Games They Played
But, not everything with the Vikings revolved around violence. They enjoyed some more civilized games too, like the classic tug-o-war or even a game akin to soccer. They even like board games, known as hnefatafl games.
One such game was very similar to modern-day chess, where one of the players was in the middle of the board, trying to protect their king from the other player. So, clearly maneuvering skills were important to them, too!
Survival of the Toughest
Reading about their ways, it may seem like growing up in such an environment would be difficult, and it was. Deformities or weaknesses couldn’t be accepted and often resulted in the intentional loss of the child.
This was accomplished in different ways. Young babies with clear issues would be lost overboard while sailing. Older children would often be left to the elements and suffer from exposure. Children didn’t exactly have it easy back then.
Skewed Male-to-Female Ratio
When you think of the Vikings, you likely think of big burly men with horned helmets and long braided beards. That imagery probably isn’t entirely accurate, but one thing that’s fairly accurate is the obvious missing piece — women.
Women were seen less favorably due to the nature of the Vikings to want people who were seen as strong, so they were generally less likely to survive. Men were also the ones who did the fighting, and that’s mainly what we think of when we think of the Vikings today.
Where the Women Came From
You may be asking yourself an important question — if there were very few women, how exactly did the Vikings reproduce? The answer to that question lies in all of the raiding and conquesting; they may have kidnapped women during their travels.
The Vikings are known for being well-traveled and pillaging areas they raided, and that often included taking some women with them to carry on their bloodlines and care for any children they had.
Beware the Brutal Berserkers
Have you ever heard the phrase “go berserk?” It means to become suddenly angry or even violent, and the term actually has its roots in Viking warriors. Like any modern-day army, not all Viking warriors were the same.
Some Viking clans had warriors known as berserkers, who were so fierce that some would go into battle without even armor. They were strong and brutal, and any battle with them present was likely to be an extra deadly one.
Viking Rage Mode
The God of War video game franchise sees the main character occasionally go into a state called Spartan Rage, where he sees red and brutally demolishes any enemy unfortunate enough to be caught in his path. The berserkers seemed to experience a very similar phenomenon.
There was no video game mechanic stopping friendly fire in the Viking world, though, meaning berserkers were known to attack their own clan mates if they got in their way. What got them so worked up, you ask?
They Were On Something
It’s quite possible the berserkers were functioning off of the pure rage and adrenaline of being in the middle of a battle, but many don’t believe that was the only thing driving them forward.
They may have actually been under the influence of substances that altered their behavior. No one knows what exactly, but they most likely consumed the substances willingly, and it caused a lot of side effects — like shaking, teeth chattering, and even facial swelling.