40+ Amazing Facts About What Hygiene Was Like For The Vikings

Vikings were quite proud of their hair, which they possessed in plenty. The preferred cut was a reverse mullet, meaning it was longer in the front and shorter at the rear. The Vikings literally combed and brushed their hair every day to keep it looking nice. The majority of people who lived in what is now Europe, such as the Anglo-Saxons, historians believe, did not worry as much about looks as the Vikings did.

Clothing from the Viking age was made of wool and linen, and like Scandinavians today, both men and women were interested in fashion. That does not imply that there were as many clothing alternatives as there are now. However, Vikings routinely cleaned their clothing in rivers and streams and frequently changed their attire. Additionally, they had extra-nice attire for festive and wedding events. Cynically, some claim that the Vikings were conceited. They may have exaggerated, but they did care about how they looked.

Since they believed it to be a sign of immaturity and a lack of masculinity, the Vikings made a huge deal out of a man’s lack of facial hair. It worsens, though. Men were also seen to be less capable if they lacked an excellent beard. As a result, these unfortunate individuals experienced some fairly severe prejudice owing to their absence of a beard, which surely had an impact on their prospects for marriage and employment.

According to literary evidence, the more hair, the better; this ideal of beauty was also applied to Viking women’s hair. In addition to growing their hair long, women were careful to take excellent care of it. But this was more than just the standard; it was required by law. The medieval code of law Grágás again serves as evidence for this. It indicates unequivocally that women were not allowed to have short hair. This was true for Viking women warriors known as Valkyries as well as spouses and mothers.

Both historians and archaeologists continue to strongly disagree on this. However, there is some evidence that at least some Vikings may have had tattoos. When discussing their experiences with Vikings in writings written by medieval businessmen from various regions of the world, some recall seeing their skin covered with “dark-green lines and patterns”.
However, we can’t be certain that these were permanent tattoos; they may have just been painted on as part of a ceremony or to frighten others.

Yes, the Vikings were intelligent enough to figure out how to have hot and cold water taps, just like us, and they also liked taking baths. Regarding the Vikings from Iceland, we at least have one certainty. Due to its location on two divergent tectonic plates, which results in a lot of geothermal activity, which warms up subsurface water, Iceland has a lot of natural hot springs. There is archeological proof of outdoor baths like the ones in the image, where individuals could regulate the temperature of the bathing water using water pipelines that went from distinct hot and cold springs.

There are a few things that have unquestionably altered in Scandinavian civilizations since the Norse age, however, it goes without saying that expectations of men and women in society are continually changing. One of them is that men’s hair used to be washed and trimmed by women.
It’s unknown why precisely if wives were the only ones who performed this service for their husbands, or if it was more of a hairstylist service. However, we are aware that it was a big honor. In some literary stories, women make the commitment that they will be the only ones to wash and trim a certain man’s hair for the rest of their lives.

In terms of food, Vikings really fared better than many people in the Middle Ages. To begin with, they regularly consumed meat (even the poorer Vikings). Many people think the Vikings’ significantly greater height than other peoples was due to their diet’s high protein content.
Despite not being as tall as current Scandinavians, they were nonetheless taller than the majority of people in the globe at the time. They consumed a variety of meats, including goat, elk, and even horse and reindeer. Additionally, the Vikings consumed fruits and vegetables, which probably contributed to their tall and healthy stature.

Overall, it is reasonable to state that women did not enjoy quite as many rights in medieval times as they do in contemporary cultures. But compared to many others, Viking women had a far better life. According to research, they also visited other nations, played a significant role in establishing new towns, and served practically as ambassadors with neighboring societies.
They also possessed a number of significant privileges, including the ability to obtain a divorce (and receive their dowries back if they followed through with it) and the right to own property. Even though weddings were prearranged, women had a voice and had the power to reject a suitor if they truly didn’t want to wed him.

Vikings inhabited big, strong, windowless longhouses like the one in the photo. They had straw roofs and were made of wood. To heat and cook, a large fire was built in the center.
These longhouses would accommodate entire extended families in one large rectangular chamber (which offered little privacy), and as there were no windows, the air within was likely filled with smoke, filth, and other unpleasant odors. All the farm animals and pets would also be jammed in there during the chilly winter. Both people and animals needed to do this to remain warm, but it was probably not enjoyable.

Being so sanitary may have been beneficial for health, but it wasn’t ideal for combat. The foes of the Vikings quickly learned that these hardy men also enjoyed taking baths. Therefore, the Anglo-Saxons made the decision to profit.
They had discovered that the Vikings who had invaded their England often took lengthy baths. As a result, they would hold off on attacking until they were wet. They were largely vulnerable since they lacked clothing and arms.

You hardly ever see a Viking in a painting or a film without one of those enormous, horned helmets. However, historians concur that wearing them is highly implausible for historical Vikings. They would have been extremely inefficient for this war-hardy tribe and would have given them an advantage in close-quarters fighting. So, from where did they originate?
Well, most likely it’s due to Carl Emil Doepler, a 19th-century costume designer. He created the costumes for operas with a Norse theme. He invented the horned helmets, maybe influenced by the garb worn by Germanic priests during rituals, and for some reason, they stayed.

The idea that Vikings were essentially aggressive, cruel pirates is considerably overdone. While they performed their fair share of pillaging, their primary roles were as dealers and astute businesspeople. They traversed the world, sourced Middle Eastern silk and spices, and then traded them for exotic goods like unicorn horns. Yes, Vikings purposefully stole narwhal tusks and passed them off as unicorn horns. There were plenty of wealthy, eager purchasers to con since unicorns were thought to be real, magical animals.

The Vikings had some unique possibilities because of their reputation as tough, competent combatants across the world. As a result, several of them ended up serving as bodyguards for prominent individuals, including national leaders. The Varangian Guard is the most famous example of this. Until the fourteenth century, an elite group of knowledgeable and valiant Vikings guarded the Byzantine emperors for many hundred years. What an interesting fate it would be if we could read the journal of one such bodyguard!

Another example of how Vikings were not as primitive as many people think or as they are represented in movies is the fact that they used spoons and knives to eat rather than forks at the time. Knives appear to have been made of metal, although dining bowls and spoons were often made of wood. They were simultaneously utilized for eating, fighting, and hunting, among other things. Spoons and knives were also kept close by, worn on a chain around the neck, or connected to belts, exactly like the grooming implements.

The fact that Vikings loved to party and were a boisterous lot when they did is something that movies and television productions consistently get right. Norse feasts were enormous festivities with a lot of food, drink, and some hedonistic behavior. However, parties were significant for other reasons besides indulging in food, beer, and women. They were excellent venues for building relationships, fostering social positions, and advancing political objectives.

Runes continue to captivate archaeologists and history buffs today, and their discovery has provided us with crucial knowledge and hints about life in the Middle Ages. It’s ironic that these priceless examples of ancient art and Viking culture were, to them, as commonplace as our shopping lists. Futhark, the runic alphabet, was only the writing system used by literate men and women (far from everyone). Nothing about it was unique or noteworthy.

Using animal sacrifices to get what you want is a recurrent motif in ancient societies, and Vikings were no exception. They would do this in order to gain more health or strength, raise their chances of victory in combat, or even resolve domestic problems. Additionally, before being married, Vikings would perform a blood ceremony in an effort to boost the likelihood that the union would be successful. It was rather extreme: a fertility-related animal would be slain, its blood gathered in a dish, and then sprinkled on the pair getting married.

Even if you believe the winters in Scandinavia are chilly now, they are still mild in comparison to how chilly they were during the Norse era. However, the Vikings rapidly figured out how to take advantage of the fact that the ground was mostly covered in snow and ice throughout the year.  Everyone chose to move rapidly inside and between communities by skiing and skating on the snow and ice. At Viking community excavation sites, hundreds of pine wood skies and animal bone skates have been discovered.

Despite the fact that the Vikings had to endure extremely severe winter temperatures, they had abundant food supplies. Particularly fish was a mainstay. Vikings had access to a variety of fish, including herring, which was a favorite, because of the abundance of lakes, rivers, streams, and even the ocean. The favored method of preparing fish was by salting, curing, and smoking it, much like they did with meat. They could utilize it as nourishment on their maritime voyages since it might survive for months as a result.

We can’t be certain whether this is accurate because it is yet another historical truth that has been challenged by historians. However, there is some evidence that implies the Vikings practiced certain unusual burial customs. Yes, they did typically bury their deceased, as shown by the burials that included human remains and other belongings. However, it appears that other Viking soldiers had a more heroic goodbye. Personal items thought to be required in the hereafter were placed with the body in a small boat, which was then set ablaze.

The fact that the Vikings saw marriage as a crucial relationship does not imply that they were romantically inclined. Marriage was primarily a business transaction, a means of gaining both material and political wealth. The result was that the wedding procedure took a while.
The two households involved utilized legal delegates, the medieval equivalents of attorneys, to negotiate the arrangements. It was merely a fortuitous chance if the young couple in question also happened to fall in love.

Nobody would likely be surprised to discover that Vikings were very strong drinkers. Mead, the forerunner of modern beer, was common. The most well-liked kind was honey mead, which was in fact produced using actual honey. The love of mead is obvious even in Norse mythology; for instance, some of them have goats that produce mead. Many people think that the Vikings are to blame for Scandinavians’ continued preference for beer as their preferred alcoholic beverage.

The Vikings had a gentler side despite how harsh and savage much of their way of life was. They enjoyed telling stories, just like everyone else, and their tales were full of symbolism and imaginative detail. They also had a form of spoken word poetry that was unique to them.
Long tales were memorized by Vikings and then shared around the fire. This was done to entertain people as well as to teach the next generation about the history, religion, and culture of the Vikings.

Even today, whole milk, yogurt, and cheese are basic breakfast foods in Scandinavia, where the diet is still heavily based on dairy products. This dates all the way back to the Vikings, who were expert users of dairy. They raised sheep, goats, and cows and frequently made fermented dairy products, butter, and cheese out of the milk to extend its shelf life. Skyr is one common kind that is still widely consumed in Iceland. It is a soft, viscous yogurt-cheese spread that is fairly sour and high in protein.

We frequently emphasize on the more daring parts of Viking life, such as their global exploration and plundering. But they should also be praised for their excellent agricultural and hunting abilities. It’s not as though they all spent the majority of their time at sea. Everyone was nourished and kept warm thanks to the hard effort of the men, women, and kids back home. Due to the severe weather, they had to be creative, cultivating fruits and vegetables in the summer and canning both food and meats for the winter.