The word 'Viking' means 'someone who came out from the sea or man of the bay'.
Vikings hailed from Scandinavia (northern Europe) which is modern-day Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. They were members of Scandinavian seafaring pirates who raided and later, settled in northwestern areas of Europe during the 8th-11th centuries.
The Viking age lasted from 793-1066 AD. The term 'Viking' came from the old Norse word 'Vik', meaning 'creek, inlet, or bay' with 'ing' as a suffix.
However, the etymology of the word is highly debatable. Since both Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Frisian languages have a similar vocabulary, it is possible that the word originated from the Anglo-Frisian language rather than Nordic languages. The word might have been inculcated in the Scandinavian tongue.
Nowadays, most television shows depict Vikings as sword-wielding warriors with an uncontrollable rage who sought battle and destruction wherever they went. These depictions are mostly not accurate and have no factual basis.
The historical narrative is exaggerated and restructured to fit into the criteria for the sole reason of entertainment. Even though Scandinavian men and women were settlers, traders, and explorers, their reputation is limited to being pirates and raiders.
But there are some Viking warriors who gave reason to such prejudice, especially Freydis Eiriksdottir, Ragnar Lodbrok, Ivar the boneless, and Rollo of Normandy.
Scroll ahead to know more about the Viking Age, the height of Viking men and women, clothing, colonies, and much more.
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Who were Vikings and were Vikings taller than Englishmen?
Vikings are also known as Norseman or Northman. They spoke the Old Norse language.
Vikings were primarily pirates who hailed from the regions of Scandinavia (modern-day Norway, Iceland, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden) and raided several cities and towns along the coast of Europe. Later on, they started colonizing these places and settled there.
So, how tall were the Vikings? Despite their ferocious tales of battle and lifestyle, you may be surprised to know that the average height of Viking men was 5 ft 9 in (176 cm), and the average height of Viking women was 5 ft 1 in (158 cm).
The height of an average Viking was shorter than the height of today's Englishmen by almost 3-4 in (8-10 cm)!
The height of Scandinavians depends on many factors. There are two key factors: genetics and environmental factors.
Genetics has a dominating role in deciding heights. It is estimated that about 60-80% of the difference in heights among individuals is due to genetics. The other 20-40% difference in heights is because of environmental factors such as food, shelter, healthcare, and safety.
According to a study, northern Europe experienced a warmer climate than the normal climate in the Medieval period. This climate change led to an extended harvest season and ultimately, there was an increase in the food supply.
Good nutrition provides for good health and height. Viking people were skilled craftsmen and settlers owing to the good nutrition provided in early childhood. Therefore, for the Scandinavians, most of the factors played in their favor.
But the same factors steered them towards a drawback. During the Viking age, Scandinavia had a surplus population which created a number of issues like insufficient resources for food, wealth, and land.
In lieu of these reasons, skilled Scandinavian men started terrorizing nearby cities of Europe for their wealth, food, and slaves. These Viking groups consisted of members like chieftains, clan heads, freemen, warlords, and any other Scandinavians who wanted to join them.
Viking society also had a class system divided into four classes. These classes were thrall, Karl, jarl, and lastly, kings and queens. Thrall and Karl were considered the lower classes among the four. Thralls were Viking slaves and the lowest class of the Viking society.
They had no rights protecting them from injustice. Karls was just above thralls and had legal rights. Most Karls could own land and were farmers.
Viking jarls were similar to English earls, they were very rich and owned several lands. Viking kings and queens were the last emerging class when Vikings started colonizing parts of European land. They were very powerful and appointed jarls to manage their finances or land.
Who was the tallest Viking?
The average height of Viking men was 5 ft 9 in (176 cm), and the height of Viking women was 5 ft 1 in (158 cm). Thorkell the Tall, a renowned chieftain and warrior, was the tallest Scandinavian Viking. Modern-day Englishmen are around 3-4 in (8-10 cm) taller than medieval Scandinavians.
Recent findings of the height of Scandinavians came after thorough research on skeletons found during excavations in Scandinavia in northern Europe. These bones were found in burial sites in Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Great Britain.
Most researchers estimate the height of skeletons based on the length of their femur (thigh bone). Our femur bones are considered to be a quarter of our height.
Evidence suggests that heights fluctuate depending on environmental factors. For instance, during the Roman Empire, the average height of European people increased because of proper sanitation and clean water but saw a decrease after the end of the Roman Empire. It was due to the spread of diseases and unhygienic food resources.
Similarly, during the Viking age, heights increased because of warmer climates and extended growing seasons resulting in a surplus food supply. Near the end of the Viking age, Scandinavians' height once again decreased because of land infertility and overpopulation.
Do Vikings still exist?
We have always assumed Vikings to be giants, ruthless, and the cause of tyranny across parts of Europe. This perspective comes from the centuries-old historical records kept by the victims (mostly) of Viking battles. From their view, Vikings were incredibly strong, buff, and tall like giants. But in reality, it is most likely an exaggeration.
However, their strength might not be an exaggeration because it would have taken incredible hard work to live in the Scandinavian region during their time and it would have made them (both men and women) muscular and hardy.
The most famous account of such depiction comes from a 10th-century Arab traveler, Ibn Fadlan, who described the Rus (referring to the Kievan Viking clan) as encamped by the Volga on their merchant journeys. He described them as perfect specimens: tall, blonde, and ruddy.
Even though Vikings have a sense of mystery and fantasy to them (0wing to the Viking lore trope in novels), they no longer exist today. However, their culture, stories, and history continue to live.
But today's media does not portray Vikings so accurately. For example, Vikings had both blonde and red hair as a dominant hair color. Women would often braid their hair stylishly with beads or other accessories. Even though the reverse mullet hairstyle was popular among men, it didn't mean that everyone had it. Everyone had their own choice of fashion.
Another classic example would be the association of horns on their helmet. Vikings did not wear helmets with horns in the battle. It would have been problematic. It was merely for display or a ceremonial costume.
How tall was the average Saxon?
Research has concluded that Scandinavians of the Viking age were taller than Anglo-Saxons. Based on evidence (skeletons found in burial sites), the height of an average Anglo-Saxon male would have been 5 ft 8 in (172 cm). Viking age Scandinavians were 5 ft 9 in (176 cm) tall.
Did you know that white men are taller than any other race? The average male height was 5 ft 10 in (177 cm). Other men such as Asian and Hispanic had an average male height of 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
