11 More Bizarre Viking Facts Most People Don't Know

When you imagine the Vikings, you're probably just picturing a bunch of husky warriors with horned helmets ruthlessly pillaging villages. Well allow me to obliterate that one-dimensional view - Norse society was overflowing with unexpected quirks and surprising realities that I'd wager a pile of plundered gold you've never heard of.

14. Løgavlr - Their Version of March Madness

We think of tailgating as a modern tradition, but the Vikings kicked it off with løgavlr. This wacky spring festival involved excessive drinking, dressing up, and spontaneous wrestling matches. Sounds like the original March Madness to us!

13. They Had Strict Grooming Standards for Men

The Vikings may have been rugged adventurers, but they weren't slobs. Men were expected to take great pride in their appearance, with well-trimmed beards, brushed hair, and bathing at least once a week - downright metrosexual for the Middle Ages!

Perfectly illustrated by this quote of 13th-century monk Wallingford, who said the Danes:

"made themselves too acceptable to English women by their elegant manners and their care of their person" [...] "by which means they undermined the chastity of wives."

12. They Believed Alcohol Was a Gift From the Gods

No wonder the Vikings could really put it away when it came to drinking! In their pagan Norse religion, the alcoholic beverage ale was considered a sacred gift from the gods. It was seen as imparting supernatural powers and creative inspirations upon its drinkers.

11. They Had a Designer 'Ulfberht' Sword Brand

Speaking of Viking swords, only the finest blades made the cut for these discerning Norsemen warriors. Look closely and you'll find some were stamped with +VLFBERHT+ - an enigmatic maker's mark from the Medieval era's version of a luxury arms brand.

10. Their Favorite Weapon Was the Sword, Not the Axe

Forget the classic Viking imagery of beefy dudes wielding big axes. While axes were common sidearms, the real prestige weapon was the sword. Only skilled warriors from wealthy families could afford to own and master these supremely lethal blades.

9. Most Viking Raiders Were Actually Farmers

Their reputation as bloodthirsty plunderers is well-known, but even Vikings had to clock in at a day job. Believe it or not, most were actually humble farmers back in Scandinavia when they weren't sailing off to raid and pillage. Tending crops and livestock was the norm between Viking vacations.

8. They Were Larger Than Most Contemporaries

Vikings weren't just fierce warriors, they were big too! Skeletal analysis shows the average Viking man stood around 5'9" - significantly taller than most Europeans of that era, likely due to their protein-rich diet of meat, fish, and dairy.

7. Not all Warriors Went to Valhalla

In the Viking afterlife, not every fallen warrior went to Odin's hallowed Valhalla. Only the greatest heroes got that honor. For the rest, it was off to the realm of Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty...and questionable taste in decor from what we hear.

6. Vikings Negotiated with France to Settle in Normandy

The Vikings didn't just take by force - they knew how to negotiate too. After repeatedly raiding the French coast, they struck a clever deal with local rulers to settle down permanently in the region now called Normandy - literally "Norman-land" after the new Norman (Norse) residents.

5. Vikings reached North America approximately 500 years Before Columbus

Move over Columbus, the Vikings got here first - way first! We're talking around 500 years ahead of that famous 1492 voyage. Evidence shows Norse explorer Leif Erikson reached Newfoundland around 1000 AD, setting up a settlement half a millennium before the Italian even set sail. Talk about being fashionably early!

4. Viking Women Held a Lot of Responsibility

Speaking of those tough Viking ladies, they had way more rights and responsibilities than most medieval women. In Norse society, females could own land, inherit wealth, and even initiate divorce. Their duties even involved defending the family homestead when the menfolk were out raiding.

3. Raiders Spared 'Terrible Troll Women'

The big bad Vikings did have one fear - troll women! They avoided raiding monasteries marked with "Dread Troll" crosses, believing they were guarded by malevolent, hairy she-trolls. Hey, even pillagers get the heebie-jeebies sometimes!

2. They Navigated Using 'Sunstones'

How did Vikings steer their ships so accurately across vast oceans? One theory is they used calcite "sunstones" to detect the sun's location on cloudy days. These special crystals enabled polarizing light, acting as an ancient navigation tool.

1. An Elite Viking Warrior's Grave in Birka Belonged to a Woman

When archaeologists uncovered an epic, weapon-filled Viking warrior grave from the 10th century, they naturally assumed the remains were male. But DNA testing revealed the mighty fallen soldier was actually female! It was proof that fierce Viking shieldmaidens were indeed real.