There have been multiple publications that have looked at how the Scandinavian Personality Traits are prevalent as much as the light hair and light eyes are prevalent in people with heritage in this region of Europe. Get some Scandi spirit in your home with our premium museum-quality prints sent right to your doorstep with free shipping worldwide. To elaborate on this, facial hair is included under the term androgenic hair, so based on data from the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, we see that over 70% of Nordic men (along with Mediterranean men) can grow a beard or mustache (which is well above the global average). He washes and disentangles his hair, using a comb, there in the basin, then he blows his nose and spits and does every filthy thing imaginable in the water. Pelvis width can be very useful in this respect., Your email address will not be published. (Sanjantila), [7] Denmark English So there is at least something to the myth from a North American perspective (beauty standards differ around the world, after all). Where do Finns Come From?. Virtual Finland. Music By the way, if you'd like to connect to your inner Scandinavian with some stylish prints and clothing, I've created a collection of high-quality and authentic Nordic posters and apparel. This percentage is exceptionally high because light eyes generally are not dominant in most countries outside of Scandinavia. 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. (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. Third, Scandinavians do tend to tan and get olive-skinned in the summer, which is due to a mix of genetic makeup, unusually high UV exposure levels, and a diet generally high in Vitamin D. Scandinavians do not have particularly large noses, as Northern Europeans tend to have more narrow noses than people in warmer climates, as an adaptation to the cooler climate. In general, Vikings were genetically disposed to be tall on average and started training to become capable warriors from a very young age. [9] When adding genetic evidence to the Baltic-Finnish and the Smi language relationship, it appears that the two groups did descend from one single genetic and linguistic population, with the Finns diverging because of Baltic and Germanic agricultural influences; however, because of the distinctness between the two groups, the common ancestor may have divided as long ago as 23,000 BP and then reunited at around 8,500 BP. Enjoy your visit! This data may not be representative of the Nordic region as a whole, but at least it gives you an insight into what actual Scandinavian people look like in 2023. It should also be added that the countries around the Dinaric Alps in Western Balkans would place in the top if S.E. They also tend to have medium-sized skulls and are very punctual. There is still a large amount on new information to be uncovered about the Smis very ancient past. Comparisons The Swedish have a blue eye and are taller than their Nordic neighbors. Among the Sami people (hailing from Northern Scandinavia), high cheekbones are very common. Also, many Swedes have light hair, but its not always What are typical Swedish features? Many Vikings were named after to their abnormal strength, size, or general prowess, like Gngu-Hrlfr (Walking Rollo; too big to ride a horse), Bjrn Ironside (legend said he could not be harmed in battle), Thorkell the Tall (incredibly skilled warrior and leader of Jomsvikings), and St. Olaf the Stout (the only Viking to be canonized). 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. Viking, Norse, or Scandinavians from the Viking Agewhats the correct term? Take your pick and continue learning about the Vikings and Norse history! in order to trick the giants to give back his lost hammer. It makes sense that the Smi should be closely tied to the Finns, if at one time they were the same group, even if this did take place many thousands of years ago. On the other hand, many Swedes had contact with people residing in present-day Russia or in the Baltics. Read more about how The Last Kingdom, Vikings, and Game of Thrones compare. Swedish people often look pale due to a lack of melanin. 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. The idea that geographical location and genetics plays a huge role in how personality develops. But again, this isnt exclusive to every Swede, so its still possible for some to have more angular faces. So we can safely assume that there were Vikings who shaved their heads. [3] Mythology He also noted that they use a kind of indelible cosmetic to enhance the beauty of their eyes (believed to be Black Henbane). 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. It should be added that those athletes are extreme outliers, and not at all representative of the general Nordic population. March 1998. [17] 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. 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. When it comes to how the Norse wore and styled their hair, we do have some artwork findings that show us a few examples of how Viking hairstyles could look, such as the Valkyrie knot for Norse females and the Norman cut for Norse males. This result is consistent across the Nordic region. Historians believe that most Norse men had facial hair, and those who didnt were even mocked for it according to the sagas. So many Swedes have light hair and eyes because its in their genetics. 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. 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. Graphs Language (Sajantila), [16] Life Todays Scandinavians are about 65%-80% Scandinavian as far as DNA goes, with the rest of the DNA being primarily Finnish, Western European, British, Eastern European, and Irish (all are > 1%). While there are some that feature darker Mongoloid-like characteristics, there are others who display very light colored pigments in their skin and hair. Shoes There are no scientific studies suggesting Scandinavians, or any other people for that matter, are considered more attractive than others. With the help of modern DNA analysis of ancient Viking remains, we can also establish factors such as what hair color was most common among the Norse people, if they had a lot of body hair, and how likely it was that they had a beard (or at least could grow one). 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. 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. WebThey have a pronounced nose, high cheekbones, and slim lips. These individuals have a higher percentage of their head than other Scandinavians. 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). Read Article Now. Malm (Based on DNA & Archeology), Viking Music: What Instruments Did the Vikings Play? There has been a discovery of a Smi motif, which is a group of three specific mutations found in 1/3 of the Smi people. Other Nordic countries like Iceland have high cheekbones. This mystery still remains to this day and may possibly never be uncovered, but one must not forget how historically wrong science had been about the history of the Smi. Popular Post 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. Sweden is a beautiful country that attracts many tourists and ex-pats each year. Additionally, there is also a lack of melanin in the skin, causing it to turn pale. Nordic Traits 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. 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). Studies show that most Scandinavian men are generally able to grow a full beard if they choose to do so, which of course not everyone does. When it all comes down to it the classic Nordic/Scandinavian stereotype seems to hold true still. 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. Though they speak a Finno-Ugric language, they are genetically distinct from other Finno-Ugric and Indo-European people. [10] The Smi, as well of the Finns, are a very heterogeneous group of people who display a wide range of physical features. Curious about where the Vikings came from and how they ended up in Scandinavia? [1] And the eyes are also one of the most important factors of physical attraction. We can see this more clearly in modern facial reconstructions produced by academics around the world based on skeletal and DNA analysis. Read Article Now. The genetic origin of the Smi people is complex and difficult to trace. Check it out if youre curious! The greater width and length of the mean Dutch female face are highlighted, respectively, in the lateral (Figure 1b: opposing redblue at the left and right exocanthi at 0.7 SD) and vertical heat maps (Figure 1c: yellow on chin at 0.7 SD). Natural platinum blonde or near-white hair occurs occasionally among the population in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Iceland, primarily among children (as hair tends to darken with age). What is interesting here is that this particular hairstyle was so associated with the Vikings/Normans that this English man felt shame that his brothers would wear his hair like that. Norse Well, in many cases not at all. Lets dig a little deeper and look at what we know about the first Scandinavians: The first inhabitants of the Scandinavian peninsula came from the south with darker skin and blue eyes (known as Western Hunter-Gatherers), later joined by migrants from the east (known as Eastern Hunter-Gatherers) who had lighter skin but darker eyes.During the following centuries, these two hunter-gatherer groups intermingled and produced one of the most diverse populations of the stone age, with a population at the time of about 10 000 to 20 000 in all of Scandinavia. This procreation keeps these genetics alive. Hi Love, you can see it to some extent in the various facial reconstructions done by different institutions around the world (based on analysis of DNA and skeletal remains): https://nordicperspective.com/history/vikings/how-vikings-actually-looked-complete-guide#index2, It is also mentioned by the National Museum of Denmark right here: Though the Smi do have some Asian genetic influence, at its highest rate it is only 20-30%, which is no higher than the European average. Are Epicanthic folds common in Scandinavia? What Do Modern-day Scandinavians Actually Look Like? It merely appears this way due to the many generations that the Europeans have been farming, an activity that has caused physical features, such as high cheekbones that allow for bigger masseter muscles to chew tougher food, to reduce in size. Editor's Choice Old Nordic Symbols: Norse Runes & Viking Ornaments (Meanings & Examples). Naturally, I wanted to see if this data held up based on my own experience, so I gathered all the hair and eye colors of 103 family members and friends who currently live in or around Malm, Sweden (one of the more culturally diverse cities in Sweden I should add). Icelands epic landscapes draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The cheekbones are a distinctive feature of Swedish men, with several examples of prominent people in the entertainment industry. 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. And despite my own hesitations, Short also believes that when the sagas describe feats of extraordinary strength they may not entirely be heroic exaggeration. Culture They are also known for having dark eyes. Its no so hard to understand Ibn Fadlans disgust, when you factor in that according to muslim faith one has to wash in running water or water poured from a bowl (and not reused). Get in to the Viking spirit at home with our premium museum-quality prints sent right to your doorstep with free shipping worldwide. 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. Scandinavian However, if the most recent data is true, the two groups seem to be genetically and linguistically distinct enough to allow them to finally be studied as separate groups, so there is an illogical sense to the Smi and Finns link as well. Other Finno-Ugric and Indo-European people be very useful in this respect., your email address will not published! Should also be added that the countries around the world Based on skeletal and analysis. 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