The Viking Raiders and the Helmets They Wore

The Viking warriors are some of the most popularized and famous in the pre-medieval times. Hollywood and social clubs have glorified these warriors with movies and costume parties. Even a pro football team is named after them (Minnesota Vikings). But where did they actually come from, and did they really have horns on their helmets?
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 raided and landed as far east as Russia and as far west as Iceland and Greenland and Newfoundland in Canada. They were known as the terrors of the north, and rightfully so, as they boasted large and strong men with hit and run battle tactics. They were very proficient in seafaring and had advanced ships to do it. They also learned to be great constructors of towns and effective tradesman. Yes, they did not always take by force what they wanted.

But what of their helmets? Did Viking helmets really have horns jetting out from the sides? The quick answer to that is probably not, at least not when they went into battle. Horns would have been a great detriment to the warrior, as the enemy could grab and through them around more easily. However, horns may have been worn ceremoniously in religious festivals or for special events. However, these myths came out probably because the Viking warriors were so effective and intimidating, that adding horns to their helmets would make them look even more terrible.

John Hilde is a historical weapons and armor collector and owns his own online store selling authentic armor and weapons. Please visit http://www.armorvenue.com to learn more.