Viking Traits: How Vikings Actually Looked (Complete Guide) (2024)

FAQs

Viking Traits: How Vikings Actually Looked (Complete Guide)? ›

What did the Vikings look like? Overall, Scandinavians had softer brows and jawlines during the Viking Age

The faces of men and women in the Viking Age were more alike than they are today. The women's faces were more masculine than women's today, with prominent brow ridges. On the other hand, the Viking man's appearance was more feminine than that of men today, with a less prominent jaw and brow ridges.

The average height of Vikings as found by researchers and scholars, varied depending on a number of factors, including their age and gender. Typically, the average male Viking would usually be between 5 foot 7 and 5 foot 9, while the average female would be between 5 foot 1 and 5 foot 3.

Vikings worked long hours, carrying, and using heavy equipment which contributed to the formation of muscles, even from an early age. Another reason for the significant strength of the Vikings was their diet. Vikings were mostly hunters, not gatherers, due to their cold, harsh environment.

There's a good chance Vikings did appear “huge” to the people who met with them, however. One archeological display from the Viking Museum of Oslo shows some large Norsem*n who were believed to weigh around 130 to 140kg.

“From picture sources we know that the Vikings had well-groomed beards and hair. The men had long fringes and short hair on the back of the head," she says, adding that the beard could be short or long, but it was always well-groomed. Further down on the neck, the skin was shaved.

Population Genomics: Insights into Viking Lives

In fact, modern genomic analysis of over 400 Viking DNA samples from 80 different Viking settlements proves conclusively that the “Vikings” were actually an incredibly diverse group of humans that simply shared the same Viking culture and social structure.

Given the average life expectancy of 40-45 in the Viking Age, it was important that early on children could help and carry out the work of an adult.

Clifford Thompson, the world's tallest man and Count Olaf, the Norwegian Viking Giant claimed to be 8 foot, 7 inches tall.

"Thorkell the Tall".

Why were the Vikings so fat? ›

The Vikings needed all the energy that they could get in the form of fat – especially in winter. Meat, fish, vegetables, cereals and milk products were all an important part of their diet. Sweet food was consumed in the form of berries, fruit and honey. In England the Vikings were often described as gluttonous.

Dr Tarrin Wills, from the Centre for Scandinavian Studies, has examined early Icelandic literature and discovered that its authors pinpointed physical characteristics of high testosterone levels – known to cause violent behaviour – creating some of the earliest 'criminal mugshots'.

Although the Vikings were great traders, settlers and explorers, their most famous reputation seems to be their apparent bloodthirsty and insatiable appetite for war. Whilst there is far more to the Vikings than just raiding and pillaging, they did breed some of the most hardened warriors the world has ever known.

A household might consist not only several husband-and-wife couples (with one member of each couple typically related by blood to one member of every other couple) and their children, but also the families of servants and bondsmen. During this time, the typical household size was probably ten to twenty people.

What did the Vikings look like? Overall, Scandinavians had softer brows and jawlines during the Viking Age. Fair hair and complexions were common, but not ubiquitous. Dark hair was common, and red hair had a higher prevalence in Norwegian Vikings compared to the general population of Europe.

The events of 1066 in England effectively marked the end of the Viking Age. By that time, all of the Scandinavian kingdoms were Christian, and what remained of Viking “culture” was being absorbed into the culture of Christian Europe.

Many Vikings used picks to clean the gaps between their teeth, and some historian believes they may have also used fibrous hazel twigs and similar tools as a kind of brush. The Viking skeletons discovered over the decades have usually had relatively strong teeth too.

Vikings were extremely clean and regularly bathed and groomed themselves. They were known to bathe weekly, which was more frequently than most people, particularly Europeans, at the time. Their grooming tools were often made of animal bones and included items such as combs, razors, and ear cleaners.

Vikings were known for their excellent hygiene.

Vikings also bathed at least once a week—much more frequently than other Europeans of their day—and enjoyed dips in natural hot springs.

Through DNA testing, it is possible to effectively trace your potential inner Viking and discover whether it forms part of your genetic makeup or not. However, it's not 100% definitive. There's no exact Nordic or Viking gene that is passed down through the generations.

Which country has the most Viking DNA? ›

The genetic legacy of the Viking Age lives on today with six per cent of people of the UK population predicted to have Viking DNA in their genes compared to 10 per cent in Sweden.

Skeletons show that arthritis of the back, hands and knees plagued ordinary Viking farmers. Many Vikings also suffered from tooth problems. More than a quarter of the population had holes in their teeth. Finds of crania show that most Vikings had several teeth missing.

Scientists have discovered extinct strains of smallpox in the teeth of Viking skeletons – proving for the first time that the killer disease plagued humanity for at least 1400 years. Just as people travelling around the world today quickly spread COVID-19, it is likely Vikings spread smallpox.

The Vikings loved their children, and when they weren't exploring, travelling, farming, raiding or invading faraway shores, they dedicated much of their lives to raising strong children who would do them proud.

We have arguably saved the best for last, considering the fact that Freydis Eiríksdóttir has been included in numerous historical accounts, and is therefore considered the most famous female Viking warrior.

Lief Erikson: the Viking who discovered America

The best-known Viking explorer is, of course, Lief Erikson, the first European to set foot in the Americas, beating Columbus to the continent by over 400 years.

The major Chieftains in the latter clans were Gissur Þorvaldsson and Kolbeinn ungi Arnórsson. These were the most powerful Viking clans in Iceland, forever seeking more power in my country.

Vinland, the land of wild grapes in North America that was visited and named by Leif Eriksson about the year 1000 ce. Its exact location is not known, but it was probably the area surrounding the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in what is now eastern Canada.

Harald Hardrada (Harald III Sigurdsson) is often known as "the last real Viking," and maybe he was what many understood by a real Viking king.

Was Ivar the Boneless real person? ›

It turns out that the physically fragile, yet brutal Vikings character is based on a real-life person. According to Britannica, Ivar the Boneless was a Viking chieftain who lived in Ireland in the 800's.

As it turns out, their food was healthy, fresh, and even a poor Viking ate much better than an English peasant during the Middle Ages.

Were the Vikings strong? Vikings are often portrayed as being strong with big muscles, and that is actually not that far from the truth. The Vikings were more robust and muscular than the average person, and that was for both women and men.

A Viking family would typically eat two meals per day. Dagmal was the morning meal in which the adults would eat leftover stew from the night before with bread and fruit. The children would usually have porridge and dried fruit or, on occasion, buttermilk and bread.

Mexican-Americans had the highest testosterone concentration (versus non-Hispanic white: P=0.08), but did not differ from the other groups on estradiol and SHBG concentrations.

The Viking reputation as bloodthirsty conquerors has endured for more than a millennium but new research shows that some Norsem*n approached the British islands with more than a little trepidation.

We can also begin to infer the physical appearance of ancient Vikings and compare them to Scandinavians today.” The genetic legacy of the Viking Age lives on today with six per cent of people of the UK population predicted to have Viking DNA in their genes compared to 10 per cent in Sweden.

Skeleton studies in Sweden show that about 7 per cent of Viking men were malnourished as children, compared to 37 per cent of women.

Any fight between a Roman force and a Viking force would depend on which one is dictating the terms of the battle. However, the Romans fought and won much more territory than the Vikings, suggesting they may have had an edge. That said, this doesn't entirely mean that the Romans were better than the Vikings militarily.

Warriors who died bravely were believed to go to Valhalla, the Viking heaven. This belief made them fearless opponents. A man had to be ready to follow his chieftain or king into battle or on a raid, and could be called up to fight at any moment.

What age did Vikings get married? ›

In general, Viking marriages took place when men and women were still very young. Virtually every man and woman were expected to be married by the time they reached the age of 20. Girls were often entered into arranged marriages in their early teens.

According to 2021 census estimates, there are approximately 9,365,489 people of Scandinavian ancestry in the United States.

However, some Viking men may have been as tall as 6 feet 4 inches or more. This was considered exceptionally tall at the time and would certainly have been intimidating on the battlefield!

It turns out most Vikings weren't as fair-haired and blue-eyed as legend and pop culture have led people to believe. According to a new study on the DNA of over 400 Viking remains, most Vikings had dark hair and dark eyes. (Sorry, Chris Hemsworth and Travis Fimmel.)

The average height of Vikings as found by researchers and scholars, varied depending on a number of factors, including their age and gender. Typically, the average male Viking would usually be between 5 foot 7 and 5 foot 9, while the average female would be between 5 foot 1 and 5 foot 3.

Dreadlocks were seen as both fashionable and functional by the Vikings. The men who spent much of their time in battle and traveling needed to keep their long hair from getting in the way during their raids. Once the dreads were made, they did not require much maintenance.

The Viking presence in England was finally ended in 1066 when an English army under King Harold defeated the last great Viking king, Harald Hardrada of Norway, at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, near York.

Early research said the exodus was due to many problems, including climate change, a lack of management, economic collapse and social stratification. Temperature change has often been cited as an explanation for the end of the Vikings, so let's take a closer look.

Then, they vanished. Their mysterious disappearance in the 14th century has been linked to everything from plummeting temperatures and poor land management to plague and pirate raids. Now, researchers have discovered an additional factor that might have helped seal the settlers' fate: drought.

Sources and contemporary accounts. The Vikings have left many traces of their settlement which are still visible today. Archaeology provides physical evidence of their conquests, settlement and daily life.

How physically big were the Vikings? ›

The average Viking was 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) shorter than we are today. The skeletons that the archaeologists have found, reveals, that a man was around 172 cm tall (5.6 ft), and a woman had an average height of 158 cm (5,1 ft).

The Vikings have the benefit of nearly 1,000 years of weapons development from the Bronze age Spartans, with stronger weapons, armor and shields, and unlike the Spartans, the Vikings believed in the principle of combined arms.

Did some Vikings have red hair? Contrary to what pop culture has us believe about Vikings, most of them didn't actually fit the prototype of blond hair, blue eyes, and rugged looks. In fact, research suggests that genetic analysis of this Norse tribe found that a majority of Vikings had red hair.

Yes, and no. Through DNA testing, it is possible to effectively trace your potential inner Viking and discover whether it forms part of your genetic makeup or not. However, it's not 100% definitive. There's no exact Nordic or Viking gene that is passed down through the generations.

Around 930,000 descendents of warrior race exist today - despite the Norse warriors' British rule ending more than 900 years ago.

The Viking DNA

The DNA test shows that there is a strong Viking heritage on few countries in Europe from England, Ireland, and Iceland to Greenland. Samples of the DNA suggest links to Viking heritage. In Finland and Estonia, there are links for Swedish Viking heritage.

It turns out most Vikings weren't as fair-haired and blue-eyed as legend and pop culture have led people to believe. According to a new study on the DNA of over 400 Viking remains, most Vikings had dark hair and dark eyes.

Any fight between a Roman force and a Viking force would depend on which one is dictating the terms of the battle. However, the Romans fought and won much more territory than the Vikings, suggesting they may have had an edge. That said, this doesn't entirely mean that the Romans were better than the Vikings militarily.

So to sum up, while the Vikings lack in weapons, armor and discipline they excel in ferocity, size, and ambush tactics in a raid battle. This gives them the advantage in any raid or surprise battle against the Romans.

The differences would be that Vikings would be specialized in fighting off ships and samurai off horses, so to level the playing ground we set both as infantry. But from here on, nearly all differences will favour the viking. Taller & stronger = viking.

Where does red hair and blue eyes come from? ›

“Red hair and blue eyes are both recessive traits which means a person needs to inherit both of the genes for red hair and blue eyes, from both parents. In contrast, brown hair and brown eyes are dominant traits, which is why they are much more prevalent.”

Red hair and green eye genes are simply not as common in populations as other hair and eye colors. One study found that the red hair-green eyes genetic combination is one of the rarest, at -0.14 correlation.