CHAPTER 1 VIKINGS AT HOME The word Viking has come to be the label applied to the people and culture of Scandinavia during the Viking Age even those who were not marauders Vikings more or less looked much like people of today though perhaps a bit shorter because of poorer nutrition BEAUTY AND FASHION Most cultures have a standard of beauty and Vikings were no different Blonde hair was preferred Men and women used strong soap containing lye to bleach their hair including the men’s beards Ahmad Ibn Fadlan a tenth-century Arab traveler called the Vikings the filthiest of God’s creatures But at least wealthier Vikings were known for their cleanliness Tweezers razors combs and ear-cleaning tools made from animal bones and antlers have been found at excavation sites Viking men wore jackets and pants Women wore dresses Both wore a long cloak fastened at one or both shoulders over their clothes Cloaks fashioned over one shoulder made it easier to car ry and use a weapon Wealthier people wore silver or gold brooch es on their cloaks Shoes were made of calf or goatskin Vikings wore skates or spikes on their feet to cross ice-covered surfaces in winter 10
This image shows an artist’s imagining of Vikings It is an illustration of a story in which they aid an old Irish woman 11
VIKINGS 12 FAMILY TIME Women married young as young as twelve years old but still held some rights more rights than in many other cultures They could inherit property request a divorce and get their dowry back after a divorce Historians generally believe women were not soldiers though some legends relate stories of women warriors called shield maidens Viking society was organized by families and clans Clans lived in villages or towns Several fam ilies often lived together in long wooden houses with thatched roofs Families worked together to accumulate wealth and protect the interests of the clan Chieftains were chosen from pow erful families to rule over the clan Remnants including articles of clothing found in a grave helped historians dress this model of a Viking woman authentically
13 VIKINGS AT HOME THRALLS KARLS JARLS AND THINGS The Vikings had a rigid class system Thralls were of the lowest class They were captured in raids sentenced to slavery through crimes or were working to pay off debts Thralls enjoyed few rights even after they were freed Norse Mythology The tales of the early people of Scandinavia are known as Norse mythology In these myths Valhalla was the heaven for warriors The powerful Norse god Odin ruled over it only allowing warriors who died bravely to go there Valhalla was a vast banquet hall Female spirits called Valkyries watched over battlefields They brought dead heroes to Valhalla It was said that the dead warriors would en joy Valhalla until the end of the world Then they would rise again to fight against evil giants and demons in a final battle called Ragnarök This illustration from a fourteenth-century manuscript dis plays a Swedish king in disguise speaking to the Norse god Odin about the beginning of the world 13
