Did Vikings Really Wear Horned Helmets?
Vikings never wore horned helmets! Then why do we think they did? And what did they really wear? Are you ready to learn some fascinating facts about the Vikings?
Transcript
Tzeela: Hi I'm Tzeela and I'm 17
Rina: Hi I'm Rina and I'm 15
Dalia: Hey, I'm Dalia and I'm 11
Penina: I'm Penina and I'm 7
All: And this is Things You Thought You Knew About History!
Tzeela: When you think of Vikings you probably think of men, maybe with long beards but for sure horned helmets
Rina: This isn’t really true but before we discuss their helmets, we need to know who the Vikings were. The Viking Age started in 793 and ended in 1066. Vikings were Scandinavian seafaring warriors who “raided and colonized” land across a large part of Europe.
Dalia: But archeologists haven’t found any evidence of Vikings wearing these helmets and horned helmets aren’t mentioned in writings that talk about Viking raids
Rina: This isn’t so simple because there is the Oseberg Tapestry, a tapestry from a Viking burial ship found in Oseberg, Norway that depicts a Viking ceremony with someone wearing a horned helmet. Most historians don’t think this shows anything about what the Vikings actually wore in battle.
Tzeela: Horned helmets would have been an inconvenience in battle at that time. People primarily fought “close combat” so if someone’s helmet had horns it would be easy for an opponent to grab the horns and take their helmet.
Penina: It makes sense that they didn’t wear them. But then why do we think they did?
Rina The myth seems to come from an 1876 production of an opera by Richard Wagner called The Ring of the Nibelung. It was a set of plays partially based on Norse mythology that included characters in horned helmets.
Tzeela: But there is acutely more to where the myths come from. In 1942, two helmets were found in Veksø, Denmark. These helmets are from the Nordic Bronze Age, specifically from around 1000-750 BCE, almost 2000 years before the Vikings.
Dalia: These helmets may have contributed to the popular image of Vikings wearing horned helmets, but in reality, they are from a totally different time period
Penina: Okay fine so they probably didn’t wear horned helmets. But what did Viking really wear?
Tzeela: We can’t know for sure since finding preserved clothing from the time of the Vikings is extremely rare. What we know is based mostly on written descriptions and pictures in tapestries.
Dalia: Their clothing was usually made from local flax and wool that the women would weave together but the wealthy could have clothes made of imported silk and gold thread. They also wore furs.
Rina The men wore tunics that were long-sleeved and went down to the knee and trousers that we don’t know so much about. One theory is that they were gathered under the knee and worn with socks or leg warmers made of cloth wrapped around the leg, called puttees.
Tzeela: Over that, they wore cloaks that were gathered and fastened with brooches over the shoulder of their dominant arm. They could wear belts or strings around their waist with little purses attached to hold combs, coins, or even games.
Rina Sometimes, they would wear round or pointed hats made of cloth or animal skins. And in battle, they might wear helmets but not with horns.
Dalia: Warriors would also carry weapons such as axes, swords, spears, round shields, and more. However, iron at that time was very expensive so not everyone had the same equipment.
Tzeela: Some even had waterproof clothing that was made out of skin that was softened with beeswax and waterproofed with fish oil.
Rina The woman would wear close-fitting dresses made of coarse material with a strap on each shoulder. They would also wear belts with a leather pouch to carry things. On top of this, they would usually wear cloaks.
Tzeela That’s cool! Now for some trivia let's see how well you know the Vikings!
Dalia: What major event marks the start of the Viking age?
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In 793 was the first recorded Viking attack. It was a raid on a monastery on the northeast coast of England.
Tzeela What battle marks the end of the Viking age?
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The Battle of Stamford Bridge, or the Battle of Hastings right after it.
Rina: Who are the Normans?
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They are the descendants of the Vikings who settled in northern France and some of the natives of the region.
Dalia: What language did most Vikings speak?
They spoke Old Norse.
Penina: Thanks for listening and happy new years!!
BYE