Norsemen Norms Trivia Quiz

Answer: It had horns.

Very few Viking helmets have been found, but one thing is for certain. Vikings didn't have horns on their helmets! All of the Viking weaponry had a specific usefulness. How on earth would the horns be useful? Viking helmets have only been discovered at three sites, and they were all similar to the one in the picture.

This lack of finds is a bit perplexing, but who knows? Maybe helmets were passed from generation to generation. Maybe they were eventually melted down and turned into another useful tools. What is for certain is that somewhere along the way artists began to incorrectly depict Viking helmets with horns.

After all, it added a demonic touch.

Answer: It appears the Vikings used all the things listed and more

Made of animal bone and antlers, these Viking beauty aides have turned up at many sites. Aside from the material evidence that the Vikings meticulously groomed themselves, there is an account from the prior of St. Fridswide's, John of Wallingford, that hypothesized that the Vikings who lived in the Danelaw in England bathed and changed their clothing regularly to seduce English women! John saw the acts of bathing every Sunday and combing hair as heathen and un-Christian.

In case there is reason to doubt John of Wallingford, there is also an account from Ibn Fadlan, an Arab, who witnessed bathing practices among the Rus, or eastern Vikings, who gave their name to Russia.

He said they washed their hair and faces every day. Aside from using streams and lakes in the summertime, in Iceland, with all the geothermal energy available, it appears that naturally heated water was incorporated into bathhouses.

Answer: Urine

Torchwood was a fungus that grew on tree bark. Collected from the tree bark of oak or beech during the months of August and September, the Vikings would boil the fungus in urine for several days and then pound it until it resembled felt. The material would smolder rather than burn, so the Vikings could transport it from place to place and have a handy fire always available.

By the way, when the Iceman, or Oetzi, was found in the Alps, he carried a similar substance.

Answer: True

An important part of Viking religion, it was believed the dragonship would help transport the brave (men and women) to their final destination - symbolically, of course! Ships were buried on land. One example is the Oseberg ship, which was discovered in Norway and excavated in 1904. Dating to 834, and considered to be one of the greatest finds of the Viking Age, the ship was apparently buried with two women; it is believed that one of the women was a servant to the other.

A variety of grave goods, including sleighs, carts, chests, and other household items, was also interred at the site.

It is believed this type of burial was reserved for prominent and respected men and women.

Answer: Thralls

In fact, trading slaves was a very lucrative business for the Vikings and there is no doubt that slaves were the most common Viking trade commodity. Although they captured a large variety of people from all over Europe, the Vikings also carried out raids on each other. Most thralls, whether sold or kept as laborers, were distinguished by the wearing of short hair and neck collars. Of course, they provided the unskilled workers, doing the nastiest and most difficult work.

The Vikings did have laws and customs regarding the use of slaves, and it was possible for a slave to gain freedom either by purchase or gift.

Answer: They usually married when they were twenty.

Vikings lived in large extended families. When the eldest son took over the family home, his wife became the lady of the household. Girls usually married between the ages of 12-15. As the lady of the household, it was their responsibility to make sure there was plenty of food to last during the long winters. Taking care of the animals was also her responsibility. Really, Viking women had to be given a lot of freedom because their husbands were so frequently away; with freedom, however, came great responsibility.

Answer: Farming

While it is true that many of the men went raiding at some point during the year, the family had to eat! The Vikings sowed grains such as oats, barley, and rye, and also kept animals such as goats, cattle, and pigs. Viking farming villages have been excavated in Denmark, which indicate that each farm had several buildings enclosed by a fence.

The largest building on the farm was the longhouse, where people lived communally with their animals. It appears that the farms shifted several hundred meters from time to time, perhaps to find rejuvenated land.

Answer: Ullr

A little-known Norse god, Ullr was the stepson of Thor. He possessed many fine qualities; he was an excellent archer and hunter, but he was also a fine skier and skater. Little else of known of Ullr, except that he appears to have been a god of some importance.

In a poem called the "Grímnismál", when Odin is trapped between two fires, he promises the "blessings of Ullr and all the gods" to the person who would rescue him. Vikings skis were usually made of pine, because the tree resin was a natural lubricant, allowing them to slide more easily.

Answer: Blond

Viking hairstyles varied as styles do today, but it is believed that Vikings wore longer hair and beards as that was comfortable for the individual. It wouldn't do, however, to have hair or beard long enough for someone to grab in battle. While commenting on the bathing habits of the Rus, Ibn Fadlan noted that most of the men bleached their beards; modern scholars believe they bleached their hair as well.

The bleaching action, accomplished by using a lye soap, probably helped keep head lice away as well!

Answer: False

During the Viking Age, the communities were really self-governing. Every group had a "Thing"; in Iceland it was called the "Althing", which provided for regular assembly. Any freeman could bring a complaint to the assembly and listen to the discussion.

Although there were also kings and jarls, it appears that their role was more as military leaders. In times of peace, the "Thing" was the highest authority.