Interesting facts about the Vikings

1. The Vikings named the days of the week after the god

The Vikings worshiped Norse gods and were part of their daily lives. The days of the week are named after the gods.

The great god Odin, also known as Woden, is the name given to the fourth day and literally means Woden’s Day. Similarly, Tuesdays and Fridays are named after the god of war Tyr and the goddess of marriage Frigg. The most famous is the god Thor, god of thunder and strength, set for the fifth day.

2. Viking warriors don’t wear horned hats like we often see in movies and paintings.

The horn detailing on the hat seems to have been composed according to the trends of the 19th century. It may have been inspired by the creation of ancient Greek and Roman historians of Northern Europe. Scientists explain this misunderstanding because the Vikings were buried with their battle helmets and animal horns used to drink water. When excavating the first Viking tombs, some archaeologists surmise that the horns used to be on their hats and fall.

3. Vikings buried the dead in boats

In Norse religion, it was believed that great warriors would need a ship to reach the afterlife, to Valhalla. So the Vikings were often buried in boats with weapons, food, treasure and whatever else they needed in the afterlife. In some cases, slaves were also accompanied to serve their masters in the afterlife.

4. Vikings used onion soup to diagnose diseases

Wounded Viking warriors returning from battle will eat onion soup along with other spices. After a few minutes, people will smell their wounds. If they can smell onions from inside the wound, it means there are serious abdominal wounds.

5. Vikings don’t tattoo

Tattoos on people are proven to have existed since before the Vikings. Many movies depict Viking warriors with many tattoos on their bodies but in reality there is no physical evidence that they actually have tattoos. Moreover, Vikings pride themselves on their cleanliness, even obsessive about this, they most likely won’t cover their skin with a tattoo that can’t be removed.

6. The important factor for the Vikings to become dangerous were their boats.

Viking boats have a very different working mechanism than in the Middle Ages. They are extremely mobile and can move in seas and rivers without turning the boat to move in the opposite direction and can travel about 28 km/h. Their boats served not only for combat purposes but also for trade.

7. Maybe the Vikings weren’t so violent

We know the Vikings through their ferocity, but they did not write their history in this period (later still there, but with a mythical character), we learn about them through the pages of history of European countries that were destroyed. they capture (the losers) so it will be a little different. Perhaps when they robbed them, they would be a bit brutal (who would invade other countries but not) but maybe not so brutal that they were as bloodthirsty as we thought.