The study further reinforces this by showing how the Viking population was very diverse compared to neighboring cultures and peoples, especially in popular trade spots such as Gotland, land, and Zealand. Life Iceland He wears his hair balded neck and blinded eyes, which suggests the so-called Norman Cut with long hair in the front and shaved in the back. Chinese people have rounder eyes, while Japanese people usually have almond-shaped eyes. For many years, there was a common belief that the Smi may have migrated from the east and have an Asian genetic background rather than a European one. WebAs such, in Western Norway, there is a higher percentage of people who have British and Irish ancestry, leading to traits such as darker hair. Data Whether the Scandinavian beauty myth is real or not is hard to say, but Nordic magazine The Local listed Beautiful Women and Handsome Men among the top 10 things US expats notice after theyve lived in Sweden for a while. Especially since Vikings have been documented to take good care of their hair and appearance in general, and since there are some similar haircuts where the sides and back are shaved. Vikings largely had similar genetic markers linked to eye color as modern-day Scandinavians according to a massive Viking DNA study published in 2020, meaning the vast majority (50-80+% depending on region) would have blue, green, or hazel eyes following the findings in Peter Frosts European hair and eye color. Some regions have more than 10% redheads, while others only have around 1-3%. Fashion Consequently, people wanted to hide their ethnic heritage and had traditionally inherited blue eyes. Viking, Norse, or Scandinavians from the Viking Agewhats the correct term? DNA analysis of specimens from this period shows that people with this cultures distinctive facial features have dark hair, a mix of light and dark skin, and blue eyes. The highest cheekbones and blue eyes are the most desirable traits of Scandinavians. Ive written an article for those who are thinking of watching the show but havent made up their minds yet, where I also compare the shows IMDb ratings in detail toGame of ThronesandThe Last Kingdom. There are no scientific studies suggesting Scandinavians, or any other people for that matter, are considered more attractive than others. This does not mean that all Scandinavians look like this, but it does mean that this is the common view that most people to this day hold on what it means to look Scandinavian, including in the Scandinavian countries. It should be added that those athletes are extreme outliers, and not at all representative of the general Nordic population. If a light-haired and light-eyed Swede had a child with a dark-haired and dark-eyed person, the child is less likely to have light hair and eyes because the darker colors will be more dominant. Scandinavian, Viking & Germanic Links Explained (With Maps). The Smi People. The Smi. Genes and Languages in Europe: An Analysis of Mitochondrial Lineages. 1995. Some scientists give quite a bit of weight to the genetics of personality and it would stand to reason that at the very least some of personality is genetic which would lead to the idea that if you are Nordic or from Northern Europe than you are going to share some of that dog eat dog personality of your ancestors. That said, it is assumed that having long hair was generally seen as more important the higher up on the social ladder one was, with the jarls having long and elaborate hairstyles, while they had their thralls (slaves, who made up around 20-30% of the population) cut their hair short. In fact, there isnt really a word for tattoo in Norse, which makes it even less likely to have been a common occurrence. The Viking beard was also a source of pride, and if someone insulted another mans beard that was grounds for killing the other man according to the sagas. Sweden's Saami Policy 1550 Present: Racist? Those with these facial features have high cheekbones, but they are not considered attractive. As weve established, most Nordic people today have brightly colored eyes, with some areas reaching up to 80% of the population (P. Frost 2006). Additionally, there is also a lack of melanin in the skin, causing it to turn pale. I wrote an article describinghow Nordic people actually look, with all the data you need to get a good picture of exactly how blond, blue-eyed, tall and strong Scandinavians are on average today. (http://members.tripod.com/SAMI_SIIDA/genetic.html). They also often have a straight nose but a hump at the noses bridge. Are Scandinavians and Nordics especially strong? Christian started Scandinavia Facts to explore his family heritage, raise awareness of one of his academic interests as a professor, and civilly promote the region. History Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest Nordic resources, insights, tips, hidden gems, and much more. http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/where_do.html (accessed February 26, 2005). Do Scandinavians have natural white or platinum blonde hair? Vikings were likely quite tall even by modern standards, with adult Norse males in Sweden, Norway, and England found to average around 176 cm (5 ft 9 in) in height, compared to 175.3 cm (5 ft 8 in) in modern-day USA and England. Yli-Kuha, Kari. For another deep-dive into Scandinavian looks, Ive plowed through massive amounts of archaeological objects and DNA analysis to find out how Vikings actually looked (how big they were, how they wore their hair, where they came from, their hair and eye color, etc. Scandinavians do have curly hair, but as weve established most of them have wavy or straight hair. White Caucasian features, either fair or darkhaired with fair skin.Whithin Sweden there are some different complexion types, not everybody has blue Modern Swedes are closely related to hunter-gatherers of the Pitted Ware culture. Their eyes are blue and their hair is blond, which is the most common color in Scandinavia. Tattoo is the first movie in the Millenium trilogy, arguably the best example of modern Nordic Noir in movie form. March 1998. Shopping From the tips of his toes to his neck, each man is tattooed in dark green with designs, and so forth. If this is true, they would have been separated from other Europeans, who traveled back south during this time. A high and narrow face with marked features, mildly There is no denying that Ragnar Lothbroks (Vikings) and Uthred of Bebbanburgs (The Last Kingdom) mohawk-ponytail hairstyle is really cool, and they have almost become synonymous with how Vikings should look for many people. They are not afraid to be late. The following are the most common Swedish features. Their eyes are light in many cases, including blue and green. In summary, it seems Scandinavians from before the Viking age looked a bit different from todays Scandis, with multiple migration waves that settled in the region up until the iron age being quite diverse in looks and origins. Pale pink skin often with moles, blue eyes, thin to rounded lips, high not that sculptured cheekbones, a bit fat on cheeks(not visable chin/cheek m Vikings were known as clean and hygienic compared to the Anglo-Saxons in England, but for the Muslim chronicler Ibn Fadlan, their way of cleaning themselves seemed disgusting. Popular Post Denmark, Sweden, and Norway three countries that often rank best when it comes to education, health care, style, and much more. These average heights can be compared to the current average male height of 175.3 cm (5 ft 8 in) in both the US and England, which means most Vikings were likely quite tall even by modern standards. As such, it was common that people wanted to hide their Sami heritage, with some even being ashamed of typically Sami features such as high cheekbones and wider eyes (SvD 2012). English They have high cheekbones as a result of their heavy brows. Fika Denmark The average linear dimensions were greater in males than in females, although both groups had slightly higher cheekbones. Scientists are now able to create eerily realistic facial reconstructions, getting us closer than ever to find out who they were and what the Vikings looked like. How Nordics and Scandinavians see each other, an article where I go into detail about Viking traits and looks, which languages each Nordic nationality actually uses when communicating with fellow Nordics, how Vikings actually looked (how big they were, how they wore their hair, where they came from, their hair and eye color, etc. They also have a rather rounded face and very delicate facial features. The pale skin is generally genetic, but it can also be attributed to the fact that Sweden is a cold country that doesnt get a lot of sunlight, especially during winter. WebLatvian face features are light hair and gray, bluish, or greenish eyes, some of them are of darker complexion, generally with brownish hair and eyes. Well, in many cases not at all. Average Height in the Nordics (Data & Graphs), The average height of both males and females in the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland) are all among the tallest 20 countries in the world (or top 10%), but why is that? The Scandinavian facial features are unique in terms of appearance. He also noted that they use a kind of indelible cosmetic to enhance the beauty of their eyes (believed to be Black Henbane). ), How the Dutch & Scandinavians Are Connected (Complete Guide), Norse vs. Norwegian vs. Nordic: Differences Explained, Average Height in the Nordics (Data & Graphs), https://kaw.wallenberg.org/forskning/atlas-med-forhistoriskt-dna-ger-ny-bild-av-manniskans-ursprung. (Julku 191), [13] Vikings were described wearing artificial eye make-up that made their beauty never disappear, with their beauty enhanced in both men and women by Al-Tartushi around 950 CE. The Scandinavian Hunter-Gatherers lived in the region between 8000 BCE and 2800 BCE, and have been found to have had mixed eye colors (ranging from blue to light-brown), mostly dark hair (with the odd blondes present), and intermediate skin color (somewhere in between dark and light) with the odd light-skinned individual also present. While most Swedes have pale skin and other light features, some may have darker features, like Swedish actress Alicia Vikander, who has brown hair and eyes. Vikings were proud of their beards, and facial hair in archeological findings see a sudden increase during the Viking age (compared to the bronze age), suggesting there was a strong cultural preference for beards. Both events occur when a few individuals are responsible for beginning a population, either as a result of arriving to their area first or after a massive reduction in a population that leaves only a few individuals to repopulate the area, as it is with bottlenecking. Thus, tourists are sure to see plenty of light-haired people if they visit Sweden! [2] Whether these traits stem from a diverse pre-bronze age population, geographical conditions, or the modern diet of the region as a whole is hard to say, but they all likely played some part at least. The Nordic countries share a history that goes back hundreds of years. Nordic vs. Scandinavian: Meaning & Usage Explained, Nordic vs. Germanic vs. Celtic: Differences & Links Explained (+ Maps), Im a Nordic native (a Swede with a Finnish mother to be precise) who likes to get nerdy and share first-hand experiences, data-driven resources, and useful guides to help people discover and understand the culture, people, life, sights, design, and history (Vikings anyone?) (Gene Expression), [14] (Complete Guide), The Scandinavian physical stereotypes are as cliche as they are well-known the stereotypical Scandis are expected to be a bunch of tall, blonde-haired, and blue-eyed Vikings in most peoples minds but can those stereotypes actually be true in modern-day Scandinavia? WebThey have a pronounced nose, high cheekbones, and slim lips. This also suggests that the Scandinavians diet is more nutrient-rich than that of their Nordic neighbors. Graphs Their eye color is correlated with their perceived attractiveness. The prevalence of this gene on the Norwegian west coast is thought to be linked to slaves from Ireland and Scotland being brought to Scandinavia. So what did the Vikings actually look like? After all, there could be more reasons Ibn Fadlan described the group of Rus he encountered on the river Volga as tattooed from top to toe, as he mightve wanted them to appear more exotic and barbaric to the Muslim world. (Carpelan), [6] Also, they can have dark eyes with dark or light-colored hair. Vikings were mostly blond (with Danes specifically being mostly red-haired) according to skeletal DNA studies, but identifying as Viking wasnt limited to people with Scandinavian ancestry (vikingr just means pirate after all). Still, genealogists from Stockholm university believe modern Swedes are most closely related to the hunter-gatherers from the so-called Pitted Ware culture when it comes to physical appearance. And despite my own hesitations, Short also believes that when the sagas describe feats of extraordinary strength they may not entirely be heroic exaggeration. Take your pick and continue learning about the Vikings and Norse history! Hello, I am interested in this claim here: It is believed that Vikings had more gender-neutral facial features than Scandinavians today, meaning males and females had more similar characteristics. How Did Vikings Actually Look? The new theory, using mitochondrial DNA testing, states that the Finns did not arrive in Smiland only a short 3,000 years ago but rather came out of the Smi themselves. Furthermore, according to a 2016 study published in Wiley, people of European origin generally have a facial hair growth pattern concentrated around the upper lip, cheek, neck, and chin, so it can be assumed that most Scandinavians also are able to generally grow whats considered a full and thick beard. For more information on what we actually know about Viking hairstyles, Id recommend listening to Dr. Jackson Crawford who specializes in Old Norse (he teaches Scandinavian Studies at my Alma Mater UC Berkeley, on top of talking about Norse mythology on YouTube): We do not have as many archeological findings of different female hairstyles as we have for male cuts, but nonetheless here are some that are fairly historically accurate: The hairstyles come from artifacts, sculptures, engravings and similar left behind in Viking graves, so they are likely to have been at least somewhat popular during the Viking Age. [1] But it has so many exciting places that deciding which area to visit can be challenging. There are plenty of famous Scandinavians with notably high cheekbones, a trait which is commonly passed down in the Nordic region through families with Sami heritage. However, a survey done by the Swedish Institute in November 2020 do point towards the Swedish image being affected negatively during the 2020-2021 pandemic. Old Nordic Symbols: Norse Runes & Viking Ornaments (Meanings & Examples). Though it is likelier that it was used for the cosmetic effect since most Vikings had light hair, and it was likely seen as a sought-after trait for some. The ability to fend for yourself and put your needs first can mean a very successful lifestyle. The Scandinavian facial features are unique in terms of appearance. Your email address will not be published. Another wave of migrants came into Scandinavia around 4800 years ago from the Russian steppes, originating from the northern shores of the Black sea and commonly called the Western Steppe Herders. People in Europe have many contrasting facial features that can create them stand out from one another. The face is narrow, with a fairly narrow forehead, narrow high-standing nose, and a narrow under jaw with an angularly-set, clear-cut chin. The Nordic/Scandinavian physical stereotypes are as cliche as they are well-knownthe stereotypical Scandis are expected to be a bunch of tall, blonde-haired, and blue-eyed Vikings in most peoples mindsbut can those stereotypes actually be true in modern-day Scandinavia? The average Scandinavian isnt necessarily stronger than any other given person in the world, but there has been a very high amount of Worlds Strongest Man contestants and winners from the Nordic and Scandinavian countries, with Nordic men landing in the top 3 a whopping 30 out of the 44 years the competition has taken place (thats a 68% chance of at least one Nordic in the top 3). They also tend to have medium-sized skulls and are very punctual. Data However, more recent work in genetics shows there is a relation among the Smi that comes from more than just sharing a lifestyle. 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