Post by karl on Mar 26, 2015 21:20:39 GMT -7
The following is a google version of modern thinking mixed with historic knowledge. But as written, some things are left out, not with intent, but by ignorance or more politely, lack of knowledge.
One point: Danish {Dansk} flew the banner of the Raven upon their ships or long boats. These were very streamlined vessels both of sail and manual rowing. They were very sea worthy and designed to flow over the seas in the stead of plowing as modern vessels will. The bow head, was not just a fixture, but to scare off the sea demons that would harm the vessel.
The ownership of these vessels were built only by those of wealth and power. To pay for such a vessel, was often the promise of repayment through booty brought back. In as well as to the crew, were to receive a share of booty and prizes captured and brought back to be sold.
These ships were for the most part, built in and around the forest of suitable timber for the required type and grade of lumber obtained from suitable trees of the area. To begin with, a ship wrights skill was obtained by payment for his services. Then once a suitable location was found for the construction generally near a water way such as a river or sea way. Then back away into the forest for cover from prying eyes, a very large excavation was dug out in the dry land. Then construction of the vessel was begin. Once the vessel hull was completed, a ditch was then dug from the construction pit, to the water way. The ditch and construction pit was then flooded, the vessel hull then floated out to the sea way for final fitting.
If the village would be safe from pillage, then the vessel could be built on dry land and with use of gentle logs as bearings. A cradle riding upon the bearing logs, would protect the vessel into and floated for final fitting.
Until the advent of the crude compass, sea navigation was by previous experience of others to each distenation. Then by memory to relate by time measured in days, time of year for wind direction, sea currants and land marks.
The mention of Norway/Sweden and Denmark is a bit not quite correct, for the land now called Norway, was actually Sweden. But for sake of understanding, Norway is named as such.
But to the following:
1. Vikings didn’t wear horned helmets.
Forget almost every Viking warrior costume you’ve ever seen. Sure, the pugnacious Norsemen probably sported headgear, but that whole horn-festooned helmet look? Depictions dating from the Viking age don’t show it, and the only authentic Viking helmet ever discovered is decidedly horn-free. Painters seem to have fabricated the trend during the 19th century, perhaps inspired by descriptions of northern Europeans by ancient Greek and Roman chroniclers. Long before the Vikings’ time, Norse and Germanic priests did indeed wear horned helmets for ceremonial purposes.
2. Vikings were known for their excellent hygiene.
Between rowing boats and decapitating enemies, Viking men must have stunk to high Valhalla, right? Quite the opposite. Excavations of Viking sites have turned up tweezers, razors, combs and ear cleaners made from animal bones and antlers. Vikings also bathed at least once a week—much more frequently than other Europeans of their day—and enjoyed dips in natural hot springs.
3. Vikings used a unique liquid to start fires.
Clean freaks though they were, the Vikings had no qualms about harnessing the power of one human waste product. They would collect a fungus called touchwood from tree bark and boil it for several days in urine before pounding it into something akin to felt. The sodium nitrate found in urine would allow the material to smolder rather than burn, so Vikings could take fire with them on the go.
4. Vikings buried their dead in boats.
There’s no denying Vikings loved their boats—so much that it was a great honor to be interred in one. In the Norse religion, valiant warriors entered festive and glorious realms after death, and it was thought that the vessels that served them well in life would help them reach their final destinations. Distinguished raiders and prominent women were often laid to rest in ships, surrounded by weapons, valuable goods and sometimes even sacrificed slaves.
5. Vikings were active in the slave trade.
Many Vikings got rich off human trafficking. They would capture and enslave women and young men while pillaging Anglo-Saxon, Celtic and Slavic settlements. These “thralls,” as they were known, were then sold in giant slave markets across Europe and the Middle East.
6. Viking women enjoyed some basic rights.
Viking girls got hitched as young as 12 and had to mind the household while their husbands sailed off on adventures. Still, they had more freedom than other women of their era. As long as they weren’t thralls, Viking women could inherit property, request a divorce and reclaim their dowries if their marriages ended.
7. Viking men spent most of their time farming.
This may come as a disappointment, but most Viking men brandished scythes, not swords. True, some were callous pirates who only stepped off their boats to burn villages, but the vast majority peacefully sowed barley, rye and oats—at least for part of the year. They also raised cattle, goats, pigs and sheep on their small farms, which typically yielded just enough food to support a family.
8. Vikings skied for fun.
Scandinavians developed primitive skis at least 6,000 years ago, though ancient Russians may have invented them even earlier. By the Viking Age, Norsemen regarded skiing as an efficient way to get around and a popular form of recreation. They even worshipped a god of skiing, Ullr.
9. Viking gentlemen preferred being blond.
To conform to their culture’s beauty ideals, brunette Vikings—usually men—would use a strong soap with a high lye content to bleach their hair. In some regions, beards were lightened as well. It’s likely these treatments also helped Vikings with a problem far more prickly and rampant than mousy manes: head lice.
10. Vikings were never part of a unified group.
Vikings didn’t recognize fellow Vikings. In fact, they probably didn’t even call themselves Vikings: The term simply referred to all Scandinavians who took part in overseas expeditions. During the Viking Age, the land that now makes up Denmark, Norway and Sweden was a patchwork of chieftain-led tribes that often fought against each other—when they weren’t busy wreaking havoc on foreign shores, that is.
Presenter
Karl
One point: Danish {Dansk} flew the banner of the Raven upon their ships or long boats. These were very streamlined vessels both of sail and manual rowing. They were very sea worthy and designed to flow over the seas in the stead of plowing as modern vessels will. The bow head, was not just a fixture, but to scare off the sea demons that would harm the vessel.
The ownership of these vessels were built only by those of wealth and power. To pay for such a vessel, was often the promise of repayment through booty brought back. In as well as to the crew, were to receive a share of booty and prizes captured and brought back to be sold.
These ships were for the most part, built in and around the forest of suitable timber for the required type and grade of lumber obtained from suitable trees of the area. To begin with, a ship wrights skill was obtained by payment for his services. Then once a suitable location was found for the construction generally near a water way such as a river or sea way. Then back away into the forest for cover from prying eyes, a very large excavation was dug out in the dry land. Then construction of the vessel was begin. Once the vessel hull was completed, a ditch was then dug from the construction pit, to the water way. The ditch and construction pit was then flooded, the vessel hull then floated out to the sea way for final fitting.
If the village would be safe from pillage, then the vessel could be built on dry land and with use of gentle logs as bearings. A cradle riding upon the bearing logs, would protect the vessel into and floated for final fitting.
Until the advent of the crude compass, sea navigation was by previous experience of others to each distenation. Then by memory to relate by time measured in days, time of year for wind direction, sea currants and land marks.
The mention of Norway/Sweden and Denmark is a bit not quite correct, for the land now called Norway, was actually Sweden. But for sake of understanding, Norway is named as such.
But to the following:
1. Vikings didn’t wear horned helmets.
Forget almost every Viking warrior costume you’ve ever seen. Sure, the pugnacious Norsemen probably sported headgear, but that whole horn-festooned helmet look? Depictions dating from the Viking age don’t show it, and the only authentic Viking helmet ever discovered is decidedly horn-free. Painters seem to have fabricated the trend during the 19th century, perhaps inspired by descriptions of northern Europeans by ancient Greek and Roman chroniclers. Long before the Vikings’ time, Norse and Germanic priests did indeed wear horned helmets for ceremonial purposes.
2. Vikings were known for their excellent hygiene.
Between rowing boats and decapitating enemies, Viking men must have stunk to high Valhalla, right? Quite the opposite. Excavations of Viking sites have turned up tweezers, razors, combs and ear cleaners made from animal bones and antlers. Vikings also bathed at least once a week—much more frequently than other Europeans of their day—and enjoyed dips in natural hot springs.
3. Vikings used a unique liquid to start fires.
Clean freaks though they were, the Vikings had no qualms about harnessing the power of one human waste product. They would collect a fungus called touchwood from tree bark and boil it for several days in urine before pounding it into something akin to felt. The sodium nitrate found in urine would allow the material to smolder rather than burn, so Vikings could take fire with them on the go.
4. Vikings buried their dead in boats.
There’s no denying Vikings loved their boats—so much that it was a great honor to be interred in one. In the Norse religion, valiant warriors entered festive and glorious realms after death, and it was thought that the vessels that served them well in life would help them reach their final destinations. Distinguished raiders and prominent women were often laid to rest in ships, surrounded by weapons, valuable goods and sometimes even sacrificed slaves.
5. Vikings were active in the slave trade.
Many Vikings got rich off human trafficking. They would capture and enslave women and young men while pillaging Anglo-Saxon, Celtic and Slavic settlements. These “thralls,” as they were known, were then sold in giant slave markets across Europe and the Middle East.
6. Viking women enjoyed some basic rights.
Viking girls got hitched as young as 12 and had to mind the household while their husbands sailed off on adventures. Still, they had more freedom than other women of their era. As long as they weren’t thralls, Viking women could inherit property, request a divorce and reclaim their dowries if their marriages ended.
7. Viking men spent most of their time farming.
This may come as a disappointment, but most Viking men brandished scythes, not swords. True, some were callous pirates who only stepped off their boats to burn villages, but the vast majority peacefully sowed barley, rye and oats—at least for part of the year. They also raised cattle, goats, pigs and sheep on their small farms, which typically yielded just enough food to support a family.
8. Vikings skied for fun.
Scandinavians developed primitive skis at least 6,000 years ago, though ancient Russians may have invented them even earlier. By the Viking Age, Norsemen regarded skiing as an efficient way to get around and a popular form of recreation. They even worshipped a god of skiing, Ullr.
9. Viking gentlemen preferred being blond.
To conform to their culture’s beauty ideals, brunette Vikings—usually men—would use a strong soap with a high lye content to bleach their hair. In some regions, beards were lightened as well. It’s likely these treatments also helped Vikings with a problem far more prickly and rampant than mousy manes: head lice.
10. Vikings were never part of a unified group.
Vikings didn’t recognize fellow Vikings. In fact, they probably didn’t even call themselves Vikings: The term simply referred to all Scandinavians who took part in overseas expeditions. During the Viking Age, the land that now makes up Denmark, Norway and Sweden was a patchwork of chieftain-led tribes that often fought against each other—when they weren’t busy wreaking havoc on foreign shores, that is.
Presenter
Karl
Karl the Great has spoken to us about the habits of the ancient lineage.
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The Great Creator
