“From picture sources we know that the Vikings had well-groomed beards and hair. The men had long fringes and short hair on the back of the head," she says, adding that the beard could be short or long, but it was always well-groomed. Further down on the neck, the skin was shaved.
The overwhelming majority of Viking males had beards. However, they weren't necessarily big, unkempt beards. Their hair although long, was typically kept in a pretty conservative style. Louise Kæmpe Henriksen of sciencenordic.com claims "from picture sources we know that the Vikings had well-groomed beards and hair.
What did the Vikings look like? Overall, Scandinavians had softer brows and jawlines during the Viking Age. Fair hair and complexions were common, but not ubiquitous. Dark hair was common, and red hair had a higher prevalence in Norwegian Vikings compared to the general population of Europe.
Years of toiling in a difficult environment gave Vikings both the muscle and endurance they needed to survive. Vikings were trained from an early age to fight and wield weapons. They were also told stories about the gods and Valhalla which helped to strengthen their cognition too.
Viking Roots
The stories say that men who were unable to grow a beard were mocked. For example, Brennu-Njáls saga tells the story of Njáll Þorgeirsson, who was beardless.
The character Ragnar Lothbrok from the tv show Vikings wears a variation of the Viking goatee. Ragnar's beard is called the Viking ducktail beard. The sides of his face are more trimmed and groomed. The chin area is grown further than the rest and styled to a point similar to an arrow.
Long Hair: Long, loose hair was popular among Viking men, particularly those of higher social status. Long hair was often seen as a symbol of power and strength, and it may have been influenced by the depictions of Norse gods like Thor, who had long, flowing locks.
The average height of Vikings as found by researchers and scholars, varied depending on a number of factors, including their age and gender. Typically, the average male Viking would usually be between 5 foot 7 and 5 foot 9, while the average female would be between 5 foot 1 and 5 foot 3.
The chances are Vikings were a lot leaner than many people today, thanks to their protein-rich diet, and their commitment to hard labor. However, it's likely that the comparative 'largeness' of Vikings was down to their muscular bodies and strength, rather than simply being “fat”.
The Vikings needed all the energy that they could get in the form of fat – especially in winter. Meat, fish, vegetables, cereals and milk products were all an important part of their diet. Sweet food was consumed in the form of berries, fruit and honey. In England the Vikings were often described as gluttonous.
The chances are Vikings were a lot leaner than many people today, thanks to their protein-rich diet, and their commitment to hard labor. However, it's likely that the comparative 'largeness' of Vikings was down to their muscular bodies and strength, rather than simply being "fat".
“From picture sources we know that the Vikings had well-groomed beards and hair. The men had long fringes and short hair on the back of the head," she says, adding that the beard could be short or long, but it was always well-groomed. Further down on the neck, the skin was shaved.
Vikings were known for their excellent hygiene.
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.
Vikings were extremely clean and regularly bathed and groomed themselves. They were known to bathe weekly, which was more frequently than most people, particularly Europeans, at the time. Their grooming tools were often made of animal bones and included items such as combs, razors, and ear cleaners.
Viking warriors filed deep grooves in their teeth, and they probably had to smile broadly to show them off, according to new finds in four major Viking Age cemeteries in Sweden.
Instead, they likely had the physique of endurance athletes – muscular but also lean and agile. Archaeological evidence, including skeletal remains, suggests that the Vikings were of average height for their time, with men standing around 5'7″ to 5'8″ (170-172 cm) and women 5'2″ to 5'3″ (157-160 cm).
A 'balanced' diet
Vikings had a varied and rich diet of wild and domestic meats, fruits, crops, poultry, fish, and other food they could grow, harvest, or hunt. Therefore, it is not surprising that their diet was much better and more varied than in other parts of medieval Europe.
After a protracted expedition, some seasoned warriors would return and teach the younger Vikings how to fight. We can therefore say that their lifestyle made the Vikings so physically strong. The Vikings were well-built people who had endured extreme physical strain in order to survive.
While there is evidence to suggest that Vikings may have been more diverse than previously believed, including the possibility of Viking presence in Africa, the evidence for the existence of black Vikings is still extremely limited. We can therefore say that no, it is not likely that there were black Vikings.
In general, most Vikings lived to be between 35 and 50 years of age. This corresponds with the typical life expectancy of many people in the middle ages, which typically ranged between 33 and 55 years of age. Notably, however, the average lifespan of a Viking at birth was much lower.
The average Viking was 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) shorter than we are today. The skeletons that the archaeologists have found, reveals, that a man was around 172 cm tall (5.6 ft), and a woman had an average height of 158 cm (5,1 ft).
Vikings would win. Vikings fought guerilla style and seemed to have heavier weapons, as for Spartans, unlike the AC game, they fought in phalanx formation, a disciplined formation warfare like the Romans and British and had lighter weapons.
To make matters worse, the Vikings existed at a time well before the discovery of Vitamin C, so if your stores were not well stocked with preserved vegetables and fruit during winter or a long sea voyage, there was a very real possibility of hair loss as result of scurvy.
The Vikings wore their dreadlocks in a variety of styles. While it may not have looked as put together as the dreads that people wear today, they kept it looking neat. They likely used combs to do this, which were later found by archeologists in Viking burial sites.
Viking warriors usually wore long braids or dreadlocks to make them more intimidating to their enemies in battle – or perhaps, more simply, for the practical purpose or keeping their hair out of their eyes while fighting!