The Truth About Viking Horn Helmets
By John Hilde
Shopping online on many armor and weapons replica stores you're bound to see some good Viking helmet replicas. Ranging form the Norman Spectacle helmet, to the Viking horned helmet, there are many models to choose from. The following article takes a look at the Norse culture, what types of helmets the warriors actually wore, and whether or not the famous Viking horns are actually real or just an invention of Hollywood.
The Vikings were a Scandinavian people who came out of present day Norway, Sweden, and that whole area in Northern Europe. They stared raiding and expanding their territory in the late 8th century ad and into the 11th century. They were famed for the long boats which cut through water and were very fast. They were also were said to have heads of dragons carved in the bow of the ship to intimidate the enemy as they landed near shore. The viking warriors were the terror of the early medieval ages. Raiding Great Britain and many villages in northern Europe spread their reputation as killings, stealers, and pillagers. Even modern day Canada felt their terror.
The fact that Vikings had horns on their helmets may be accurate to some extent, but it does not mean the Vikings raided towns with their fearsome helmets. However, this is probably where the Viking Horn helmet came into being. Of course, this tradition and myth was passed down from generation to generation by stories and pictures. In the modern world, Viking helmets are portrayed with horns not because they are historically accurate, but because they make good looking costumes. Who wouldn't want an intimidating, blood thirsty Viking warrior wearing a horned helmet?
All archaeological evidence suggests that Viking warriors did not wear horns on their helmets. Of course, there are practical reasons for this as well. Any battle smart warrior would know that having horns jetting out from your helmet would give the enemy a place to grasp and throw you around. In battle, Vikings wore standard Sutton Hoo type helmets that did not have horns. Before the horn myth was made popular, Viking helmets were shown to have wings on them. This is also not historically accurate.
The truth about Viking helmets may never actually be known, but we do know that they were very intimidating warriors. Many of them probably did wear horns as a ceremonial possession, but whether they sported these into battle is another question. The Scandinavian culture definitely allowed for use of horns in religious ceremonies. All in all, the Viking helmet is characterized most by the famous horns, and many online shops will carry good replicas of them for you to purchase.
About the author
John Hilde is a historical armor and weapons enthusiast who enjoys collecting these items. He owns an online store called Armor Venue that sells armor and weapons replicas. To learn more about viking helmets, go to http://www.armorvenue.com. from http://www.FreeArticlesAndContent.com
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