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.
