The Scandinavians have high cheekbones, which makes them more likely to be a desirable type of person. Historians believe that most Norse men had facial hair, and those who didnt were even mocked for it according to the sagas. Very few adult Scandinavians have natural platinum blonde hair, but plenty has achieved this hair color by means of artificial coloring (as in the rest of the world). Vikings have been found to weigh up to 140 kg (309 lbs) in archeological findings, and were described as stronger (on average) than most people they encountered. (Sajantila), [16] Most people from the Nordics have light eyes and hair, and are quite tall compared to other nationalities. For example, in Smiland and throughout Scandinavia, there still exists an obvious residue of an even more ancient unknown language than Uralic in the region. http://www.gnxp.com/MT2/archives/000245.html (accessed February 26, 2005). Karl, Clothes Genetic testing has shown that the Finns and the Smi are phenotypically and genetically typical Europeans. Their eyes are blue and their hair is blond, which is the most common color in Scandinavia. The Origin and Genetic Background of the Smi. WebMajority are brunettes, the rest are fake blondes. The two species met and started having reproductive relationships in modern-day Israel some 60 000 years ago, before ultimately clashing and resulting in the demise of the Neanderthals. From the tips of his toes to his neck, each man is tattooed in dark green with designs, and so forth. 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). 6 Key Differences You Didnt Know Between Kratom Liquid And Capsules, Can Safety Bollards Protect Your Assets From Accident, Understanding Auto Transport Regulations and Laws, 4 Reasons Why People Are Shifting To Renewable Energy Sources. Science Essentially, this means you will likely not meet as many curly-haired Scandinavians as you would southern Europeans or Americans for example. The idea that geographical location and genetics plays a huge role in how personality develops. 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. In life Swedish people can generally act calm and reserved, seem a bit cold, like to keep things professional, prefer a well-planned approach, and believe maybe is a conflict-free way to say no. Malm Mythology Eyes are typically lighter when there is a lack of melanin in the iris [1]. Also, many Swedes have light hair, but its not always The recent rise of medieval fantasy and Viking-themed TV series (with the likes of Vikings, The Last Kingdom, and Game of Thrones) has spawned some Viking looks that are equally iconic as they are historically questionable. Genetic and linguistic data of 1995 seemed to show that the Finns arrived in Smi territory a mere 2,000 to 4,000 years ago, while at the same time adopting the Smi way of speaking. So what did the Vikings actually look like? 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. Your email address will not be published. Photo International Features. Nordic Scientifically speaking, there are a couple of factors that could play in the Scandinavians favor as far as sexual selection and attractiveness go: I want to point out that beauty is entirely objective, and what is considered attractive for some may not be for others. WebSwedish ( ethnic ones not Saamis), mostly belong to what is called the Nordic race which is centered in Northern Europe. With the help of modern technology we have gotten a phenomenal insight into what the Vikings and Norse people might have looked like, and the unique diversity in the Viking bands who spread across Europe. You can also add to the list being introverted, confident and very focused. However, more recent work in genetics shows there is a relation among the Smi that comes from more than just sharing a lifestyle. The sample size and dental conditions were similar in both studies. If this is true, they would have been separated from other Europeans, who traveled back south during this time. It may be a result of northern Sweden and Norway being the domain of Finno-Ugric Smi reindeer herders, a group that was out of the cultural grasp of the Indo-Europeans that seem to have succeeded in imposing their language only on areas with some level of agriculture. She goes on passing the basin round from one to another until she has taken it to all the men in the house in turn. The DNA study of 442 Viking skeletons (published in Nature) reveals that while Viking bands were mostly sourced from Scandinavia, they could also be comprised of Picts and Britons, as well as people with Southern European and even Asian ancestry (sometimes mixed with Scandinavian). Get in to the Viking spirit at home with our premium museum-quality prints sent right to your doorstep with free shipping worldwide. (Niskanen 125), [11] Read Article Now. 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. The Scandinavian facial features are unique in terms of appearance. The highest cheekbones are another trait associated with Scandinavians. Malm The Nordic countries share a history that goes back hundreds of years. This indicates that Vikings intermingled with people they met on their explorations, both on-location but also bringing them home to Scandinavia in some cases. Can you tell me which of the articles that refers to and on which page I can find that claim? Fika Names Korean people often have very round faces. http://www.itv.se/boreale/samieng1.htm (accessed February 26, 2005). Do Scandinavians have a lot of facial hair? The highest cheekbones and blue eyes are the most desirable traits of Scandinavians. Their cheekbones are high and their noses are thin. Vikings were known to braid their beards in different ways according to written primary sources, among them the stories about Svein Tveskgg (Forkbeard), known for his beard that was split into two braids. Also, many Swedes have light hair, but its not always blondesome may have light brown hair. With modern technology, it now appears that the Finns and the Smi may have originated from an old population in Europe which diverged from other European populations prior to subsequent linguistic and cultural diversification. The further north you live, the less sunlight you get during the colder part of the year. Ive writtenan article where I go into detail about Viking traits and looks, so if you want to find out more about Vikings looks go take a look. Your email address will not be published. (Julku 183), Origin and Genetic Background of the Smi. Their eyes are light in many cases, including blue and green. She proffers it to her master, who washes his hands and face in it, as well as his hair. According to a 2020 study published in The Lancet, Danes are the 4th tallest people in the world, followed by the Icelandic in 6th, the Swedes in 12th, Norwegians in 13th, and finally the Finns as 17th tallest people in the world. Sweden's Saami Policy 1550 Present: Racist? of the Nordics (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, and Greenland). (Julku 191), [13] The Swedish have a blue eye and are taller than their Nordic neighbors. [12] Genes and Languages in Europe: An Analysis of Mitochondrial Lineages. 1995. Comparisons Quiz The average linear dimensions were greater in males than in females, although both groups had slightly higher cheekbones. What Hair Colors Did Vikings Mostly Have? Life http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq23.html (accessed February 26, 2005). 2. 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? DNA studies have also shown that around 40% of modern Swedish men have their roots in bronze age migrations from the Russian steppes, 40% from bronze age migrations via northern Germany, and 20% from before the bronze age migrations. [17] How are Scandinavians (Swedes, Danes, Norwegians) so tall? While the Finns speak Finnish and the Smi speak many different languages among themselves, all of these variants of human speech belong to the Finno-Ugric or Uralic language group. There are no scientific studies suggesting Scandinavians, or any other people for that matter, are considered more attractive than others. Other famous Scandinavians with high cheekbones include Fredrik Ljungberg (pictured below to the right), Mads Mikkelsen, Tim Avicii Berg, and Viggo Mortensen. [8] Even the Vikings were known for bleaching their hair, although the main reason to do so may have been primarily to kill hair lice. 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. The same DNA study also found a higher proportion of dark eye colors in Vikings, than in modern-day Scandinavians, hinting that the Vikings were comprised of a more diverse group of people than the Nordic countries have today. [5]. How do the modern-day Scandinavians compare to their ancestors? Read Article Now. This was used in their beards as well, and had the benefit of killing hair lice (a very common problem at the time). an average adjusted for the population of each country within the region), we can see that the Nordic and Baltic men are the tallest in the world, but as the Baltic ladies are slightly taller (0.5 cm / 0.2 in) than their Nordic sisters, the Baltics narrowly takes the prize as the tallest region in the World in front of the Nordics. Denmark The First Scandinavians Where Dark-skinned and Blue-eyed. In 2005 a reported coined the term the Seattle Freeze and added the large amount of Nordic immigration in the early 19th century as one of the key components of this unwelcoming vibe that Seattle evidently gives off. Archeological evidence on display on the Viking Museum of Oslo shows some very large Norsemen that are believed to have weighed around 130-140 kilograms, which amounts to 287-309 pounds. 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. However, this doesnt mean that all Swedes are tall. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification. As regards the body, these ladies are usually tall and moderately curvy. A study comparing the facial profile of young adult Swedes and Danes found that the Scandinavians have slightly higher cheekbones than the Danish population. Consequently, people wanted to hide their ethnic heritage and had traditionally inherited blue eyes. Either way, we are dealing with theories in the end so all we can do is to look at the data we have available and make the best and most logical assumptions we can. They also were great innovators. 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 The first farmersoriginating from Anatolia and Syria and commonly called Early European Farmersstart arriving to Europe and Scandinavia around 4 000 BCE with powerful new knowledge and tools, competing and wiltimately fusing with the original inhabitants. Go check it out if you havent made up your mind yet! Throughout Scandinavian history the people in the region have had a diet very high in Vitamin D due to a high amount of fish present in the diet. 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. ), 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. As a result of their high cheekbones, they have a high chance of being considered more attractive by foreign men. Ive compared them thoroughly in different categories and analyzed what online critics on IMDb and other sites think, in order to answer which show is the best of the three. There is argument as to whether the Finns and the Smi arrived in their present day locations either as a still undifferentiated ethnolinguistic group or as linguistically and ethnically separate people. Viking, Norse, or Scandinavians from the Viking Agewhats the correct term? Facts As mentioned earlier, there is often a lack of melanin in a Swedish persons iris, leading to light-colored eyes. While not every Swedish person has delicate features, many do. Being a little stoic and reserved can actually serve you well in many career fields. The Smi, as well of the Finns, are a very heterogeneous group of people who display a wide range of physical features. Shopping The theory is that this has had a long-term effect on the genetical makeup that determines skin color and tanning ability in the Scandinavian region. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. It should be added that those athletes are extreme outliers, and not at all representative of the general Nordic population. But for Ibn Fadlan, the Rus Viking way of washing oneself every day wasnt really deemed satisfactory, as he wrote the following in a section titled Disgusting habits: Every day without fail they wash their faces and their heads with the dirtiest and filthiest water there could be. Light skinned, balanced facial features, blue eyed and topped with various shades of blond hair for the most part. Some very beautiful some not Gedde-Dahl, Issel-Tarver, DiRienzo, Pbo. Read Article Now. Is there a link between Scandinavians, Vikings, and the Germanic people who migrated across Europe during the fall of the Roman Empire? The Viking beard was a source of pride and honor among the free men, and insulting ones beard could result in a deadly outcome or sometimes even prolonged feuding between families. So What Do Scandinavian People Actually Look Like? WebSwedish people often look pale due to a lack of melanin. Savontaus, Marja-Liisa. (Niskanen 148), [17] 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. 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. Therefore, other traits need to be studied in order to identify the sex of skeletons. As a result, much of the Swedish population has similar light features. Of course, there are Swedes with darker hair (like dark brown and black), but its not as common as in other nations. Sweden A few notable exceptions have been found on the Oseberg cart from around 800 CE, where shorter haircuts with shaved sides and backs are clearly engraved multiple times, though there are plenty of long-haired specimens as well. They also exercise more than the average person. Ive compared them thoroughly in different categories and analyzed what online critics on IMDb and other sites think, in order to answer which show is the best of the three. The nasal shortness is shown in the vertical heat map (Figure 1b: blue nasal tip). By Chris Drew (PhD) / February 26, 2023. The average height of both males and females is high in Scandinavian countries when you look on a global scale, with the Nordic countries all ranking among the tallest 20 countries, and all with a male average height over 180 cm (5 ft 10 in). link to 5 Great Places To Stay in Iceland. 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. I plowed through numerous books and historical texts to map out exactly how the Germanic people are connected to the Norse people and modern-day Scandinavians. Only approximately 17% of the worlds population has blue eyes, a stark contrast with Swedens 78% [3]. The colors of their eyes are typically light and are normally gray, brown or a mixture of both. Still this does not answer the underlying question of where the Smi originally came from. soc.culture.nordic. Culture Thanks Jonna for your comment, and Im happy to hear you enjoyed the article! 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. Food Europeans. The Mankind Quarterly 63:2 (2002): 183-191. Their eyes are light in many cases, including blue and green. Pelvis width can be very useful in this respect., Your email address will not be published. Combining all of these sources (archaeological evidence, DNA findings, and written texts) gives us a fuller picture of how Viking Age hairstyles mightve looked, does show some interesting findings. The Scandinavian Personality Traits have been under investigation since the late 1800s. The study of Y chromosomal polymorphisms also seems to support the theory of the Smis long isolation; however, it seems that they were not always living completely alone. (Savontaus), [2] Mythology Norse Peter Frost also supports this in his study titled European hair and eye color; finding that at least 60% of Scandinavian people have a light head of hair, and at least 50% have light eyes. Viking merchants were noted for their many tattoos by the Muslim chronicler Ibn Fadlan, but that is the only real evidence of Viking tattoos that we know of, meaning its not very likely to be a widespread phenomenon in the Norse world. Gene Expression. [15], Sajantilas ten-year old theory, though empowering to the Smi, has been suggested to be somewhat false in many of its aspects, as recently as 2002. Scandinavians and other Europeans are tall on average primarily due to a vastly improved diet from the mid-1800s and onwards according to Lars Werdelin, a professor in paleozoology at the Swedish Museum of Natural History. It is thought that at one point in time that this group may have ranged as far as northern Germany up through Scandinavia. Read more about that in my article about Viking Looks! Streaming Tips However, the lack of sunlight shouldnt be a big issue in most cases because Swedes with pale skin can absorb vitamin D faster than those with darker skin. https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/the-people/appearance/, Heres a quote from their text: These ambiguous facial features mean that it is difficult to decide upon a Viking skeletons sex based on the skull alone. Sweden is a beautiful country that attracts many tourists and ex-pats each year. In Norse mythology, the valkyries were responsible for bringing half the warriors who have fallen in battle to Valhalla, while the other half go to another famous Viking female figure; Freya, the goddess of fertility, love, beauty, and war. People from all over the world with high cheekbones are often seen as attractive by todays standards, with Swedish beauty contestant Ida Ovmar as one recent example where its worked out in her favor. Stereotypical Scandinavian traits and facial features have since the early 20th century included straight, blonde hair; blue eyes; tall figure; a straight nose; thin lips; and non-prominent cheekbones, according to Werner & Bjrks 2014 book Blond and Blue-eyed. Popular Post Symbolism Design Vikings were often described and depicted with well-groomed and sometimes elaborate facial hair, ranging from full and long beards to more practical Viking-style mutton chops and mustaches. Finally, there are some written accounts as well that describe hairstyles in more or less detailed ways. May 2000. This is also illustrated in reality when we look at the eye color of Swedish governors after the 2022 election, with 18 out of 21 (~86%) having brightly colored eyes; 16 pairs of blue eyes (~76% of total), and 2 pairs of green (~10% of total). In actuality, these Mongoloid-like traits do not occur at a higher average rate than they would in other Northern European groups. Greek people features stereotypically include having olive-brown skin, brown eyes and dark brown hair. 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. The European Origin of the Finns and their Relation to the Indo-. Stereotypical Scandinavian traits and facial features have since the early 20th century included straight, blonde hair; blue eyes; tall figure; a straight nose; thin lips; and non-prominent cheekbones, according to Werner & Bjrks 2014 book Blond and Usenet newsgroup. Chinese people tend to have wider faces, while Japanese people usually have narrower faces. General Smi Website. Read more about how The Last Kingdom, Vikings, and Game of Thrones compare. Nordic fall/winter), but also get a darker tan under high UV conditions (i.e. [1] Lets start with going through what we know about how the Norse wore and styled their hair: Here are some historically accurate Viking male hairstyles found in archeological evidence and described in historical accounts from the time period: These Norse hairstyles can be seen in archeological findings that have been dated from the Viking age, in the form of jewelry, sculptures, and other artifacts, as well as in historical accounts such as texts, letters, and inscriptions. Being of Swedish Decent myself, cool toned blonde hair, fair skin and usually were quite tall, of slim build and have blue or grey eyes Ragnar & Uthred), it is of course possible that some Vikings styled their hair like that. (Complete Guide to Viking Traits), Recent advancements in DNA analysis tech have led to extraordinary insight into how Vikings looked, from hair and eye color to size and ancestry. https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/27702690.pdf, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2688-8, https://books.google.se/books/about/The_Annals_of_Fulda.html, https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-04-18-highs-and-lows-englishman%E2%80%99s-average-height-over-2000-years-0, https://www.arkeologi.uu.se/Research/Projects/viking-phenomenon/, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270795692_St_Johns_College_Oxford_St_Brices_Day_Massacre_Chapter_3_A_Late_Saxon_Mass_Grave_The_Human_Bone, https://books.google.se/books?id=E26YDwAAQBAJ, https://books.google.se/books?id=XZ4ZDAAAQBAJ, https://historiska.se/upptack-historien/artikel/det-hangde-pa-haret/, https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/vast/modetrendens-blodiga-historia, https://arkeologerna.com/bloggar/kyrkoarkeologi/okand-kyrkogard-hittad-i-vreta-kloster/, https://varldenshistoria.se/civilisationer/vikingar/vikingar-slaktades-och-slangdes-i-massgrav, http://pediatrisk-endokrinologi.no/2008/1/Werner_2008_1.pdf, https://forskning.ku.dk/soeg/result/?pure=da/persons/26558, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228627175_European_hair_and_eye_color_A_case_of_frequency-dependent_sexual_selection, https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/the-people/appearance/, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-13064786. The Valkyrie knot is the most commonly depicted hairstyle, as the Valkyries are the most commonly depicted Viking females. English 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. It should be noted that human length, in general, is determined by a mixture of nature (genes) and nurture (diet), and there are also regions of the world that are believed to have a taller or shorter average height due to primarily genetic reasonssuch as the short Pygmee people of central Africa, and the tall Dinka people of South Sudan. The surgeons in Scandinavia can correct the issue and give you a more attractive and balanced face. Are Scandinavians and Nordics especially strong? After the divergence of the Finns from the Smi, the Smi tended to have offspring within their own group; however, the influence from the Baltic and Germanic people caused the Finns to intermix with other Indo-Europeans, making them more genetically similar to the Europeans than the Smi are. WebThis is what people look like at Bondi Beach, Sydney. 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? 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 consensus among historians and nerds alike is that tattoos were likely not common at all in the Norse world, since the sagas are fairly descriptive about the heroes and characters as a whole, and not one of them mentions tattoos on anyone. Some regions have more than 10% redheads, while others only have around 1-3%. So with a large amount of growing evidence, it seems that the Smi came from somewhere much closer to their current home. Webiraq cigarettes brands. Over 70% of male Scandinavians have some form of body hair (androgenic hair), which is among the highest rates in the world (along with Mediterranean men). Yes the origins and visual characteristics of the first Scandinavians were discussed in the SVT article (https://www.svt.se/nyheter/vetenskap/de-var-de-forsta-svenskarna), but more specifically this theory comes from research by Mattias Johansson, professor of genetics at Uppsala University. Viking Age Hairstyles: Historical Examples & Modern Takes, You mightve seen some very cool Norse hairstyles in one of the many Viking-inspired TV shows or movies lately, and thought to yourself are those elaborate picture-perfect haircuts really historically accurate?. Depending on which combination of the genes you have, you will develop either red hair and freckles, only red hair, or only freckles. Introversion also associated with Scandinavian Personality Traits can also mean introspection which is always a good trait. Swedish people often look pale due to a lack of melanin. Oslo While this is somewhat a result of natural selection that has allowed for adaptation to an environment with very low ultraviolet radiation, light pigments, like the Y chromosomal polymorphisms, are a result of a founding effect, not sexual selection, as it was once thought of in the past. Shopping March 1998. Karl, Clothes Yet, there exists no actual evidence that we know of that any Norse person ever wore their hair like that, but with names like Sveynn Forkbeard (a beard parted in two) and Harald Fairhair (especially remarkable hair), its fair to assume that Vikings valued and cared for both their hair and their appearance in general. As far as I know, the advanced DNA analysis of skeletal remains scientists can do today has proven to be very reliable (the same scientific method has been used to establish the physical traits of Vikings also, and they seem to agree with written records), and its not so hard to imagine Scandinavians skin adapting from dark to light over a long period of time due to changing sunlight exposure, as we are all descendants of dark-skinned Africans (if we go even further back in time) no matter how light our skin color is today. Volkswanderung. Human Race Archives. In the US Seattle has been voted one of the most unwelcoming cities. Vikings were known to use strong soaps made of ashes and animal fats, which had a high lye content that bleached their hair.
The Tree Of Pain Celtic Symbol, Vanderbilt Neurology Faculty, Articles S