Brutal Facts About The Vikings Most People Don’t Know About

It's been a long time since the Vikings were around, raiding villages and ending lives. A thousand years ago, they were at their peak, but now they're simply another addition to the history books. Just because they're in the past, though, that doesn't mean we know everything about them.

There are plenty of Viking facts that people aren't aware of or have misremembered. Things get lost in translation over such a long period of time, so it's maybe no surprise that part of our understanding of these people isn't wholly accurate. Luckily, history can clear up some of the confusion.

The Vikings could create fire with fungi boiled in their liquid body waste

Electricity was a long way from being invented when the Vikings roamed the Earth. The only source of light they knew other than the sun was fire. This stuff had the benefit of keeping them warm on top of illuminating the surrounding land at night. It was also useful for causing destruction during one of their raids.

While it can sometimes take time to get a fire going, the Vikings apparently had an effective way of starting things up quickly. They had unique firestarters, which apparently contained fungi boiled in their own liquid body waste. They would reportedly leave this soaking for days before using it to bring fire to whatever they wished.

Male relations weren't uncommon, but it was all asserting dominance and humiliating others

Nowadays, relations between men are viewed very differently from how they were in the past. Although there's still a long way to go toward true equality - especially in certain parts of the world - things are different from how they used to be. That includes during Viking times, when male relations were usually considered an act of power.

This sort of intercourse apparently wasn't uncommon a thousand years ago. However, it generally wasn't consensual, with the receiver in the pair being humiliated. Evidently, this sort of activity wasn't considered an indicator of a person's orientation like it is now. For the man on top, it was simply an act of domination to prove who was in charge.

A soup made of onions, leeks, and herbs could supposedly identify a fatal wound

As interesting as it would be to see what life was like during Viking times, there's a lot that we'd miss about the modern world. That includes access to efficient healthcare, something that was definitely lacking a thousand years ago. One of the most unusual Viking facts revolves around what they would do to examine wounds and judge their severity.

Apparently, it was common for wounded warriors to receive a soup made from onions, leeks, and herbs. Upon consuming it, the healer would smell the injury. If they could pick up the fragrance through the wound, they apparently judged it to be fatal and left the Viking to pass away. They reportedly weren't willing to waste time on lost causes.

Vikings would apparently file their teeth, although it's unclear why

We're very familiar with filing nails, but teeth? We can't say it's a practice that we're too familiar with, nor is it something that we'd ever want to try. It sounds like quite a painful activity to partake in, but according to forgotten Viking secrets, that didn't stop people from doing it over a thousand years ago.

It's unclear precisely why some Vikings decided to file their teeth. Theories suggest that it might have been "to show their status as a great fighter" or simply for cosmetic purposes. Either way, it's believed that they may have adopted it from the US, as this practice was apparently also witnessed here during this historical era.

Holmgangs were the Vikings' way of resolving disputes between people

What's the best way to resolve a dispute? We'd suggest talking it out, but we're not sure that the Vikings were particularly fond of sitting down and having a civilized discussion. They were more hands-on, which is why they had formal duels known as holmgangs. Whatever problem it was that someone wished to settle, this was apparently the solution.

Holmgangs were typically fought within days of issuing the challenge, with the rules often varying and set out before the fight. Usually, it wasn't over until someone passed away. Combatants were apparently free to use a proxy champion if they were at too much of a physical disadvantage, as failing to take part in any form was considered a forfeit.

Holmgangs were eventually outlawed because of people abusing the system

For a while, the Vikings reportedly had a good thing going with these holmgangs. Unfortunately, it apparently wasn't long before people started to abuse the system. Vikings of exceptional strength would challenge people to holmgangs in order to get their hands on whatever they could. This might have been the rights to someone's property, land, or even partners.

Eventually, the realization set in that holmgangs weren't as ideal for settling disputes as people might have thought. So, the practice was apparently outlawed in the early 11th century. They were reportedly forbidden in Iceland from 1006 and in Norway eight years later. Of course, this didn't necessarily stop the men from brutally fighting with those who'd wronged them.

It wasn't unheard of for Viking games to finish with fatalities

It's perhaps no surprise that the Vikings opted to use violence to resolve any conflicts. This was seemingly a regular part of their lives back then, including in the games they played. While we know that modern games can sometimes lead to fighting, they don't typically result in the loss of life. Things were very different for the Vikings, though.

One of their games apparently involved holding people underwater for as long as they could. If the person doing this was significantly stronger than their competitor, it was likely that only one of them would finish the game alive. These sorts of fatalities supposedly weren't uncommon, so it was up to the men to decide if it was worth competing.

The Vikings also enjoyed games akin to wrestling, tug-of-war, and food fights

It seems that the Vikings enjoyed quite a wide variety of games all those years ago. Another way they liked to let off steam, potentially for the final time, was by wrestling. A notable difference between wrestling back then and what it's like nowadays is that the former would involve a flat stone where people could break their back.

There were also games akin to tug-of-war and soccer, as well as those enjoyed after eating a meal. The Viking equivalent of a food fight apparently saw people throwing bones from their dinner at one another. The goal of this was apparently to harm others, with the injuries sometimes being pretty serious. One person allegedly once lost an eye.

Hnefatafl games were the Viking equivalent of chess that was less violent than other games

Thankfully, not every game that the Vikings played resulted in people's eyes falling out of their sockets. According to forgotten Viking facts, some of the less brutal activities these people enjoyed were known as hnefatafl games. These were strategic board games that could potentially be considered the Viking version of chess, although there were evidently differences.

There were several variants of hnefatafl games, one of which being tablut. Even within this game, there were differences regarding how the board was set up. However, the rules generally seemed to be the same. One side was based in the center with a king piece in the middle. They were outnumbered by their opponent, who wished to capture him.

The Vikings weren't above ending their children's lives

The love that a parent has for their child is supposed to be unconditional. Unfortunately, it seems as though the Vikings didn't get the memo about this. Rather than valuing the lives of their children, they only seemed to embrace their kids if they were perfect. Any sort of deformity or weakness would result in a child losing their life.

In some cases, this apparently meant the kid being left outside, where exposure would soon end their suffering. Other times, it reportedly meant being thrown overboard while traveling across the water. The former was allegedly common with newborns who immediately had noticeable problems, while the latter was for older kids who presumably weren't pulling their weight.

There were fewer Viking females because of the preference for males

Of course, the Vikings had a somewhat skewed sense of what made someone weak and not worth keeping around. This usually veered in favor of the males, who had to do less to impress their parents than females. As a result, more girls tragically passed away at a young age than boys, which significantly impacted the male-to-female ratio.

When people think about Vikings nowadays, they tend to think more about the men than the women. That's partly down to the fact that the men were primarily the ones who fought, which is what everyone often associates with Vikings. However, it's likely also because there were far fewer women around during these historic times.

The skewed male-to-female ratio may have influenced the Vikings to start kidnapping women

Of course, while there might have been fewer Viking women, that doesn't mean settlements were virtually male-only zones. The men wouldn't have been able to bring new offspring into the world if they didn't have women around at all. Unfortunately, it seems that their solution to this problem involved kidnapping women from other parts of the world.

Vikings would raid areas in Europe and bring some of the women home with them to act as wives, girlfriends, or simply hosts for their offspring. While these men might have been known for their pillaging, that supposedly wasn't what always motivated them to visit these other places. Instead, it was the women that they needed in their settlements.

Berserkers were the most brutal of all Viking warriors

Viking warriors were incredibly fierce men who often showed no mercy on the battlefield. However, forgotten Viking facts show that not all of these warriors were the same. Some were much stronger and more ruthless than others, and they were known as berserkers. These brutal warriors seemingly had no fear, even allegedly entering battle without armor at times.

The more berserkers that a clan had fighting for them, the likelier they were to succeed in any sort of conflict. Of course, greater berserker numbers also meant that the battle was likely to be incredibly brutal, sometimes more so than necessary. In the midst of the fighting, though, there was no calming these men down.

The ferocity of berserkers may have been influenced by certain substances

Berserkers weren't simply Viking men with anger issues. It's believed that their brutality might have been the result of consuming certain substances. Whenever one of them went into berserker mode, they experienced a bunch of symptoms that culminated in their incredible rage and unbelievable strength. This included shivering, chills, swelling of the face, and chattering of the teeth.

Evidently, these men felt that it was all worth it, especially as they allegedly consumed these substances willingly. Some say that the berserker effect was caused by rubbing henbane petals on the skin, while others suggest it might have been the result of epilepsy. Whatever was responsible for their ferocity, it usually helped the Vikings to achieve their goals.

Berserkers apparently couldn't distinguish between friends or foes in their frenzied state

While having berserkers on their side may have benefitted Viking clans, it wasn't without its problems. It seems that when these men were in their worked-up state, all they saw was red. They were supposedly unable to distinguish between friend and foe until the effects wore off, meaning they were capable of making some grave errors on the battlefield.

The Viking men who fought alongside berserkers were probably best off steering clear of their comrades until the battle was over. Otherwise, there was a chance of friendly fire bringing their lives to a swift end. It seems that the Vikings were sometimes too brutal for their own good. Then again, they probably enjoyed the thrill of risking their lives.

Reindeer armor was sometimes worn as protection in place of chainmail

Viking battles were typically close combat affairs. These men didn't have access to certain weapons, primarily using blades to take down their enemies. Given that they fought at such close range, having strong armor was essential for them. You might assume this meant a lot of chainmail, but it seems some of them had an alternative material to protect themselves.

Their choice of armor was allegedly reindeer hides. It's not necessarily unusual to think someone would wear something like this as clothing, especially during the Viking era. We can't say it would be our go-to material for armor, though. However, it could apparently be more effective than chainmail sometimes, so plenty of warriors allegedly utilized it in battle.

Swords weren't used in battle often because they were more for ceremonial purposes

The Vikings weren't short of weapons to use in battle. These were primarily blades or blunt weapons that they could wield in one hand while holding a shield in the other. Some men used heavier weapons that required two hands to handle, while others opted for bows and arrows. However, the latter weren't common because using these was considered dishonorable.

From the sounds of it, the Vikings seemed to use anything and everything they could get their hands on. However, there was one weapon they reportedly didn't use that often - swords. Why? Apparently, it's because these were typically reserved for ceremonial purposes. A spear or a knife was allegedly far more common to see on the battlefield.

Vikings didn't necessarily drink from skulls as many people assume

The picture that people tend to conjure up of Vikings is men who were ruthless and barbaric. However, while they certainly engaged in fierce battles and didn't necessarily shy away from brutally hurting others, they weren't always that savage. There's one detail about them that people often misremember, and it's to do with what they drank from.

One of the Viking facts that people don't realize is false is that the men would turn the skulls of their victims into drinking vessels. Instead, they would apparently drink from hollowed-out tusks like that of a walrus. The misunderstanding is apparently the result of people translating a passage from one of their sagas wrong.

Vikings didn't wear helmets with horns on them like many believe

There are plenty of facts about Vikings that aren't as accurate as people might have first thought. Another misunderstanding about these ancient people relates to what they wore on their heads. The men often donned helmets when going into battle to better protect themselves from enemy attacks. However, this headgear looked noticeably different from what people think.

If asked to describe these helmets, most people would probably include one specific feature - the horns on either side. It turns out, though, that Viking helmets didn't actually have horns. These were apparently a creation of 19th-century painters. In reality, their helmets were basically the same as everything else seen in Europe at the time.

Viking longships were capable of traveling 125 miles in a day

One of the best-known facts about Vikings is that they were seafaring people. They did a lot of traveling by boat to pillage other areas and terrify those they came into contact with. The longships they would use to do this are very recognizable nowadays, thanks to their shape and the carvings that decorated the bow.

However, these aren't the only thing notable about such vessels. Apparently, these longships were also capable of traveling 125 miles in a day. That's an incredible feat and meant that they were better suited to traveling long distances than other civilizations at the time. So, it was easier for Vikings to attack people and pillage those who lived further afield.

Seafaring animals like whales and walruses were supposedly no match for Vikings

Considering how far a longship could travel in a day, it's perhaps no surprise that Vikings spent so much time on the water. Of course, they weren't the only ones out there. The Vikings will likely have encountered plenty of seafaring animals during their travels, many of which won't have been as easy to take down as a human.

Luckily, it seems that the Vikings were more than capable of holding their own against the likes of whales and walruses. It's unclear how many of these animals they successfully hunted, but they were apparently prepared whenever one showed their face. They would then make use of the various animal parts, such as a walrus' tusk, back at their settlements.

It's possible that naturally occurring crystals in Scandinavia helped the Vikings with navigation

Nowadays, finding your way around is incredibly simple. As long as you have a connection, you can track where you are and work out a route on your smartphone in seconds. Unsurprisingly, Vikings didn't have that option 1,000 years ago. However, they apparently still managed to find their way around without too much difficulty.

While it's not entirely clear how they managed this, it's believed that they used rocks to help guide their way. Thorhild Ramskou, a Danish archaeologist, suggested that these rocks were naturally occurring crystals in Scandinavia, which "polarized and depolarized the light." It's possible that these are the "sun stones" mentioned in Viking sagas that were used for navigational purposes.

Hestavíg was used to identify the strongest horses best suited for breeding

Cars weren't a thing in Viking times. In fact, they were still many centuries away. In place of these vehicles, the Vikings relied on horses, which proved useful in both traveling long distances and attacking enemies with speed. Of course, some horses were more useful than others, and the Vikings apparently used Hestavíg to determine which was which.

This was a brutal fight between two stallions, of which only one would typically survive. It would usually occur in a ringed arena where a mare in heat would be present or nearby. Her scent would apparently compel the horses to fight over her, with the winner being deemed the horse best suited for breeding new livestock.

Vikings weren't a unified group of people, but rather many small collections of them

People naturally think of the Vikings as a unified group of people because that's how they're often referred to. However, a look into some little-known Viking facts reveals that this actually wasn't the case. Rather than being a unified race or nationality, the Vikings were formed of many small groups whose origins were all around the globe.

Most of them came from somewhere in Europe, particularly areas like Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Being from all parts of the world, they didn't necessarily see other groups to be the same as them. It's only now that they're a part of history and we can see the similarities between them that we group them all together as one.

Some Vikings reportedly worked as bodyguards for Byzantine Emperors

It's easy to think of Vikings as living solely in Scandinavia and only ever doing things to benefit themselves. However, this apparently wasn't the case with all Vikings. It turns out that some of them allegedly ended up as bodyguards for Byzantine Emperors. They were apparently primary members of the Varangian Guard, which was formed in the 9th century.

One of the most famous Vikings, Harald Hardrada, was reportedly involved with the Varangian Guard during the 1030s and 1040s. He fought in over a dozen battles in places like Jerusalem, Sicily, Turkey, and Bulgaria. Hardrada and his fellow Vikings were apparently preferable to these emperors because of their allegiance and abilities on the battlefield.

The Louvre was reportedly built as a fortress to defend against Viking raids

One of the biggest tourist attractions in Paris is the Louvre. It was first built in the 12th century and now stands as one of the world's largest museums with plenty of impressive art to admire. What relevance does this have to the Vikings? Well, it turns out that the Louvre apparently wasn't initially built to be a museum.

Instead, it was allegedly intended to be a fortress that would protect the city from the Vikings. Paris was certainly no stranger to raids from these people, with an attack in 845 being particularly notable. Apparently, 120 ships arrived in the city looking to claim a ton of silver and gold. They reportedly wanted 5,670 pounds of it.

Vikings would allegedly blackmail countries, asking for payment in return for peace

It seems that Paris wasn't the only place that Vikings raided in search of such payment. Supposedly, it became commonplace for the Vikings to expect precious metals from places like England and France to stop them from attacking. They would allegedly receive huge sums of silver simply so they would keep the peace while invading.

Unfortunately, as most people know, giving in to blackmail usually doesn't do any good. The Vikings realized that these places were willing to pay, so they reportedly kept coming back asking for more. If the payment was denied, they supposedly started attacking until their demands were met. We'd say it's probably a good thing that they're not around anymore.

Plenty of common words used today were influenced by the Vikings

It's probably no surprise to anyone that some of the words we use today originate from the Vikings. However, are you aware of just how much of our vocabulary they've influenced? Some of today's common words which reportedly came from this era include give, take, sale, egg, sister, husband, flat, ugly, lake, raise, and odd.

Who knows what sort of words we'd use in place of those if it hadn't been for the Vikings? Even one of the days in the week originates from this period. Thursday is basically Thor's day, a reference to the Norse god Thor, who was particularly popular when the Vikings were around. This was long before Marvel came along.

Viking women supposedly weren't as bad off as you might expect

Women's rights are something that we're still having to fight for to this day. With that in mind, you might assume that equality was an entirely foreign concept back when the Vikings were around. However, that wasn't necessarily the case. While women might not have been better off than they are now, they did have some rights.

At the very least, Viking women reportedly had more rights than those who were living in Christian Europe. This apparently included the ability to divorce and get remarried, own property, and be the head of a familial clan. Some of them became warriors too. So, while it wasn't perfect, it seems that things could have been a lot worse.

Hygiene was apparently better among Vikings than people may think

There's plenty that we're grateful for in the modern day, good hygiene being one of them. Things have improved significantly over the years, making you wonder just how bad things must have been when the Vikings were alive. As it turns out, though, things weren't that bad at all. According to one Viking fact, their hygiene was reasonable.

Supposedly, they bathed quite often, reportedly doing so more than other Europeans of this era. They also had plenty of grooming tools to keep themselves in good condition, including lots of combs and tweezers. Although we expect things are still significantly better nowadays, it's good to know that Vikings were much cleaner than people give them credit for.

The Vikings were active slave traders who primarily stole women and children

There's been plenty of talk more recently about Vikings not being as ruthless as the stereotypes claim. However, that doesn't mean they were necessarily nice people. Although they allegedly boasted more equality than some civilizations, they did also reportedly deal in slave trading. In fact, they were supposedly quite active in this regard, thanks to their travels.

Apparently, they would primarily kidnap women and children to then sell in markets throughout Europe and the Middle East. While they did sometimes kidnap men, too, there usually wasn't as much of a demand for them. What's more, not everyone they kidnapped was sold, with some people being kept as slaves for the Vikings instead.

Women received more savage punishments than men for the same crimes

If someone was kept as a slave by the Vikings, they were expected to impress at all times. Letting their master down would have significant consequences, especially if they were women. Apparently, female slaves were typically punished more severely for minor infractions. This could reportedly include having their hands and feet cut off or being branded on their face.

It wasn't simply the slaves who faced more severe punishments either. There was once a law that apparently stipulated that a woman who committed adultery had to lose her nose and ears. If a man were to commit the same crime, he'd merely be chastised. The significant difference in punishments suggests that maybe equality wasn't that great after all.

The Vikings tended to keep Slavic, Germanic, and anglo-Saxon people as slaves

Given that their longships could travel great distances, Vikings were able to capture people from all sorts of places. However, when it came to their slaves - who were apparently referred to as thralls - it seems they may have had a type. The men, women, and children they kept for themselves were reportedly either Slavic, Germanic, or anglo-Saxon.

That's not to say that they wouldn't pass up the opportunity to capture other people during their raids. However, these weren't typically kept as thralls, instead being taken to those markets in Europe and the Middle East and traded away. We're not sure whether those who got to stay with the Vikings were better off or not.

Male monks were kidnapped by Vikings and had their private parts removed

It's one of the established Viking facts that women and children were typically the priority when it came to kidnapping. However, men were taken too, especially if they were literate monks. This might seem like quite a niche type of person to look out for, but there was a good reason the Vikings took such people as slaves.

Apparently, the eastern markets were in need of young, educated slaves, and these men proved perfect for that. However, they had to undergo a little procedure before they were sold. It seems that the slaves had to be eunuchs, which meant that between being kidnapped and sold on the market, these poor monks lost their private parts.

The Vikings had a legal system that wasn't wholly dissimilar from our own

The Vikings might have lived a thousand years ago, but that doesn't mean life back then was entirely different from how it is now. One consistency between the two is laws, with the Vikings also being ruled by a legal system. Of course, theirs differed in places, particularly regarding how people were punished if they were found guilty.

This verdict would be decided by a trial where a panel of people would apparently state what they believed to be the truth. A jury - which varied in size depending on the case - would then decide whether the party was guilty or not. If yes, they were apparently either fined or made an outlaw, the latter effectively being capital punishment.

Vikings reportedly placed a lot of value on being honest

People usually say that honesty is the best policy, and they've apparently been saying that for centuries now. It seems that even the Vikings appreciated people telling the truth, with honesty sometimes making the difference between how severely someone was punished. That included if they ended a person's life, with those who owned up to it typically faring better.

For this reason, the Vikings reportedly had a harsh view of crimes like arson or ending someone's life in the middle of the night. As these didn't give others an opportunity to defend themselves, they were seen as sneaky and dishonest. Meanwhile, people could off their enemies in broad daylight and supposedly suffer less because they were doing it openly.

Saying the wrong thing to a Viking could lead to a swift end

It usually pays to think carefully about what you say around people. The wrong words could cause offense or potentially even rile someone up and lead to retaliation. That was certainly the case when the Vikings were around, with some people even losing their lives because of what they said. Thorvald Konradsson is a good example of this.

Two men reportedly insulted him by saying that he was the father of his friend's children. Konradsson allegedly lashed out immediately, and the pair lost their lives. Although Thorvald was banished from Iceland afterward, he did not lose his life himself. It just goes to show that Vikings weren't willing to take grief from anyone when they were around.

Tarring and feathering in Viking times was a very brutal punishment

How should someone be punished when they commit a crime? That's something that people will often have different opinions about, especially when it comes to the Vikings. It seems this lot had some unusual punishments that certainly wouldn't sit well with everyone nowadays. One of these was tarring and feathering, which is something many are probably already familiar with.

However, the Vikings' version of this apparently involved the criminal running between two lines of men who threw bricks and stones at them. Everyone had to throw something, or they themselves were apparently at risk of being fined. Once the criminal reached the end of the lines, he was either free to go or he passed away from his injuries.

The Viking version of rodeos was a bit different from the modern version

Many people are probably familiar with rodeos, but what about Viking rodeos? This was a practice implemented over 1,000 years ago to reportedly punish those who didn't wish to lose their life in a holmgang. A cow would apparently be brought into the arena where the conflict was happening, and its tail would promptly be covered in grease.

That same grease was applied to the shoes of the man partaking in the rodeo. Once everything was set up, the cow would reportedly be prodded and flogged to rile it up. The participant would have to grab onto the tail and keep hold of it for a certain length of time. If he managed this, then he lived.

It's alleged that some Vikings were hung from their Achilles tendon 

Some of these Viking facts are enough to make you want to crawl out of your skin. That's certainly the case for this next one, which details a potential way in which people were tortured during this era. In Hrafnkels saga Freysgoða, there's mention of Hrafnkel and his men being hung from a beam by their feet.

The uncomfortable part about this is that the men were hung by ropes attached to their Achilles tendons. Holes were allegedly pierced through their heels behind the tendons before ropes were pulled through and then thrown over the beams. This reportedly occurred at night, with Hrafnkel and his men being taken from their beds and forced to hang like meat.

"The Ordeal" was a series of punishments that would decide a person's innocence

When a punishment is referred to as "the Ordeal," you know that it's going to be a big one. There were actually several different ordeals that a person would potentially experience in order to determine whether or not someone was guilty. One of these involved drowning, where the person was apparently deemed innocent by a higher power if they survived.

This was a contrast to the witch trials in later years, where survival was seen as a sign of guilt. Other ordeals included being exposed to significant heat, such as walking across hot coals, carrying a red-hot iron, or placing their hand in boiling water. These sorts of punishments became more common with the Vikings' conversion to Christianity.

Various illnesses were brought to Scandinavia by the Vikings' activity

We've seen in recent years just how easily illness can spread. That's partly down to how connected the world is nowadays, something that wasn't the case when the Vikings were around. However, while they might not have been hopping from one country to another all that often, they also didn't have the medicine and healthcare that we do today.

So, it's no great surprise that illness was supposedly rife in Viking settlements, even with their reasonable level of hygiene. Apparently, the likes of smallpox and leprosy were brought to Scandinavia because of the Vikings, the latter being the result of kidnapped slaves. The illness was reportedly rife in Ireland, so when they brought back Irish thralls, infection was inevitable.

Sigurd the Mighty allegedly lost his life after being bitten by the head of his rival

Due to the lack of sufficient healthcare, it's maybe no great surprise that infections led to a lot of loss of life with the Vikings. However, what is probably surprising is one of the ways that a Viking allegedly passed away via infection. We're talking about Sigurd Eysteinsson, who was probably better known as Sigurd the Mighty.

This man's end allegedly came after being bitten by his rival, Máel Brigte the Bucktooth, on the leg. When the wound became infected, the man fell ill and passed away. What's notable about this is that his enemy had already lost his life when the bite happened. Sigurd was riding with his rival's head strapped to his saddle.

Parasitic worms were common due to raw meat and questionable hygiene

Wounds getting infected wasn't the only health issue that the Vikings had to worry about. Apparently, the men and women of this era also had to deal with parasitic worms. This was mainly due to the contamination of meat, which was supposedly often eaten raw. Their alleged preference for things like liver and lungs definitely didn't help.

Something else that also increased the likelihood of parasitic worms was hygiene. While we know from forgotten Viking facts that hygiene could've been a lot worse, it was still pretty rudimentary, given it was 1,000 years ago. So, the chances of someone not getting infested with these worms in their lifetime was apparently pretty rare.

Modern descendants of Vikings might be in poorer health because of their ancestors

We tend to think of Vikings in the past tense, given that they were around 1,000 years ago. However, their actions back then are still having an impact today. It seems that the modern descendants of Vikings might not necessarily be in the best health thanks to all those parasitic worms they were dealing with in the past.

It seems that Viking bodies developed modified forms of alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) to fight off the worms 1,000 years ago. While this might have helped them, these deviant forms of A1AT can be a genetic risk factor for things like emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. So, modern descendants are apparently suffering because of how Vikings lived their lives.

The deforestation of Iceland by Vikings might be impacting the climate today

It's not just descendants of the Vikings that are allegedly suffering because of how their ancestors lived their lives. The planet could also be worse off now, thanks to their actions all those years ago. This is due to the lack of trees in Iceland, something that was apparently the result of the Vikings tearing almost all of them down.

When the Vikings arrived in Iceland, they wanted to make the place their home. So, they needed space for houses and land on which to grow crops and keep animals. They also required materials to create their various buildings. This meant taking down as many trees as they could, something that may now be affecting the climate quite significantly.

Marriage was less about love and more about convenience

The purpose of marriage is to cement the love that two people have for one another and keep them together until they pass away. However, not everyone goes into a marriage for love, and it seems that's been the case since the time of the Vikings. According to some forgotten facts about Vikings, marriages were viewed quite differently back then.

This union was apparently more of a negotiation than a declaration of love, with the two parties often going into a marriage for the sake of the benefits it would bring them. It was also something apparently decided on by both families involved, with the bride's father even paying the groom a dowry for the marriage.

New brides received kittens because they were essential for the household

Marriages might not have been viewed as the sacred act of love that many people see it as nowadays. However, that doesn't mean the unions were wholly different then from how they are now. For one, it seems as though people still received gifts when they tied the knot, with Viking brides getting quite an intriguing present.

It apparently paid to be a cat lady during this era, as women allegedly received kittens after getting married. This was supposedly because cats were considered to be an essential part of a new household. If you thought it was only the Egyptians who valued these animals in the past, these forgotten Viking facts would suggest otherwise.

Most Viking men were farmers, not warriors like people assume

It's never a good idea to base your opinions about an entire group of people on the actions and behavior of a select few. However, according to many facts about Vikings, that's apparently what we've been doing with these men and women for years. It seems that those ruthless warriors were actually the minority back in the day.

Supposedly, the majority of Vikings were actually peaceful farmers interested in doing an honest day's work. The warriors were needed to keep settlements safe and ensure that people didn't underestimate them. For the most part, though, the men were allegedly more interested in growing crops than going to war. We can't say we saw that one coming.

More Viking men were short and lean rather than tall and muscular

Knowing that most Viking men allegedly weren't warriors, we have to wonder what other surprising Viking facts will have us questioning everything we thought we knew. What about how these men looked? Many often picture Viking men as large guys with bulking muscles because that sort of physique was useful for warriors fighting in close combat.

However, it seems the reality is that most Viking men didn't look this way. Instead, many of them were allegedly short and lean. The latter was likely the result of spending so much time tending to crops and livestock. They developed muscles, just like the warriors, but they had less brute strength because they didn't need it.

Viking men bleached their hair to meet beauty standards and deal with lice

So, what other surprising Viking facts about the men from this era are there? It seems that something else we might not have realized about their appearance is that many of them allegedly dyed their hair. This might seem like a strange concept 1,000 years ago, given that most men reportedly don't even color their hair nowadays.

However, it seems as though there were benefits to doing this back in the day. A lot of them would bleach their hair blond to meet the alleged beauty standards but also to help deal with lice. Avoiding parasitic worms might have apparently been too difficult a task for the Vikings, but at least they supposedly had lice under control.

Vikings loved skiing and even had a god for this activity

One activity that we don't typically associate with Vikings is skiing. However, as these unexpected facts about Vikings have shown us, there's evidently a lot that we don't know about these people. It seems that they were apparently big fans of skiing, which makes sense when you consider what the terrain and climate are like in Scandinavia.

Not only did they apparently enjoy skiing down mountains, but they'd also reportedly use skis just for walking around in the snow. Perhaps their passion for this hobby was tied to the fact that there was allegedly a god of skiing - Ullr. The Vikings supposedly worshiped him, so it stands to reason that they'd partake in his activity.

Sacrifices to the gods weren't uncommon and could get quite messy

Ullr was just one of the many gods that the Vikings reportedly worshiped all those years ago. They cared greatly about pleasing these almighty beings, which apparently meant offering sacrifices somewhat regularly. These were generally done during the summer and winter solstices, as well as the spring and fall equinoxes. Usually, the sacrifices were animals.

Some of these sacrifices could allegedly get quite messy, with the saga of Haakon the Good revealing one in particular. Apparently, the blood of various animals was collected in bowls and then spread over the walls of a temple. Then, the meat of these creatures was butchered and blessed, upon which it was reportedly consumed with great vigor.

Some Vikings were buried at sea with their sacrificed slaves alongside them

Viking funerals are something that many people are probably familiar with, whether they know a lot about history or not. It's hard to forget about people being laid to rest on boats that are then set on fire and sent out to sea. Of course, not everyone received a burial like this. It was reportedly only prominent members of society.

People who received this sort of burial would be placed on the boat with plenty of their possessions surrounding them, including valuables and weapons. Sometimes, these Vikings would also have their slaves alongside them. What if the thralls were still alive, though? Unfortunately, if that was the case, they were sacrificed so they could be sent off with their master.

Slaves would experience the same pain as their masters before being sacrificed

The notion that your lifespan is wholly dependent on someone else staying alive isn't that pleasant of a thought. That's especially the case when you're living in the era of Vikings when lifespans were apparently around 40 to 50 years. Unfortunately, slaves weren't simply sacrificed before being placed in their master's boat and sent off to the afterlife.

Allegedly, thralls would have to recreate the critical parts of their owner's life before being sacrificed. That meant that if the man lost a limb or had a bunch of teeth knocked out, the slave would experience the same pain before departing this world. It's incredibly unpleasant, but is it any surprise that thralls were treated so poorly?

Some Vikings would brutalize the bodies of their enemies after their passing

Of course, not everyone who lived in Scandinavia during the Viking era was buried at sea. Over the years, plenty of remains have been dug up on the land. Unfortunately, what they reveal isn't always that pleasant. It seems as though some of these bodies were apparently brutalized after they passed away, and the Vikings were reportedly responsible.

One of the alleged reasons they did this was to shame their enemies so they would be more impressive to those in Valhalla. Vikings sought to attract the attention of the gods and reach this holy place, supposedly believing that acts of violence would get them there. So, they'd apparently humiliate opponents by messing with their bodies after their passing.

Erik the Red was a Viking who became accustomed to being exiled

As with any time period, the Viking era was full of fascinating people still worth remembering to this day. One Viking that people often recall is Erik Thorvaldsson, often referred to as Erik the Red. Born in the 10th century, he was a man who apparently experienced a ton of exile during his life, thanks to his violent nature.

This included when he was exiled from Haukadale in Iceland after his servants triggered a landslide. After this destroyed Erik's neighbor's house, the servants lost their lives, prompting the Viking to retaliate and fatally attack the man responsible. Later, he was exiled from the island of Oxney after ending the lives of more people over a conflict about wooden beams.

Leif Erikson reportedly discovered the US almost 500 years before Christopher Columbus

Fortunately, Erik the Red didn't spend his entire life moving from one place to another because he kept getting exiled. He eventually settled in Greenland, allegedly becoming the first to do so. He ultimately raised his family there, a family which included one very notable son. We're referring to Leif Erikson, a name that may well be familiar.

For those who have never heard of Leif Erikson, he was a Viking who actually discovered North America long before Christopher Columbus. Whereas Columbus reached the continent in 1492, Erikson allegedly achieved the same feat nearly 500 years earlier, around the year 1,000. However, he and his crew reportedly only remained there for a few years before returning home.

A blood eagle was a form of torture that the Vikings may or may not have done

Viking warriors were seemingly big fans of torture, finding many creative ways to punish people. However, perhaps the worst thing they allegedly dreamed up was the blood eagle. It wasn't a punishment they brought out that often, with some researchers uncertain if it ever actually occurred. If it did, though, then it was a horrific thing to experience.

A blood eagle apparently involved the shape of an eagle being carved into the victim's back. It also entailed their ribs being hacked out individually, with the skin and bones then pulled back to create the shape of wings. The person would be alive throughout this, so when salt was rubbed into their wounds, it made the pain beyond unbearable.

The passing of Harald Hadrada may have spelled the end of the Vikings

There was no clear start or end to the Vikings. Unlike some things in history, there aren't days or necessarily even years that we can firmly attribute to the beginning or end of these people. However, there is one incident that may well have spelled a change which gradually saw the Vikings shape into something else.

This is the passing of Harald Hardrada, who lost his life in 1066. By the time he was gone, Christianity had started to spread quite significantly into Scandinavian society. Consequently, the Vikings apparently lost their ability to kidnap Christian slaves, meaning they no longer had much of an incentive to conduct raids. From there, their lives changed significantly.