8 Viking Jobs That Look Weirdly Familiar To Us

You might think the Vikings were all about pillaging and plundering. But their society had plenty of totally normal jobs too - ones we'd recognize today. Check out these 8 wacky Viking professions that low-key have some modern counterparts...

8. Mead Brewers

Feasts and rituals required huge amounts of mead (honey wine), so mead brewing was its own job. The Vikings' ancient version of beverage companies and brewmasters! Though considerably more metal.

7. Longhouse Builders

At the heart of every Viking community was the longhouse - a massive communal building. Constructing those things required specialized longhouse builder craftsmen. A bit like modern contractors who build housing developments?

6. Raven Feeders

This one's wild - some warriors were apparently tasked with caring for and training ravens, which were used for reconnaissance and as symbols of Odin. Vikings had WAY cooler pets than us.

5. Shipwrights

Duh, the Vikings needed boats - lots of 'em. That's where shipwrights came in, skilled craftsmen who built longships and other vessels for exploration, trade, and war. Not too different from today's shipbuilders!

4. Amulet Makers

Vikings loved their protective amulets with symbols and runes to keep the wearer safe. Crafting those intricate little charms was the job of skilled amulet makers. Today's crystal healers and new age jewelers maybe?

3. Wergild Collectors

This had to be an awkward job. Wergild collectors were officials who made sure the proper compensation (wergild) was paid whenever someone wronged another person through injury or death. Like really intense claims adjusters?

2. Loom Weights Crafters

Weaving was serious biz for the Vikings who needed tons of textiles. So there was high demand for artisans who produced the weights used in weaving looms. An ancient version of making machinery parts maybe?

1. Runestone Carvers

These skilled artisans created runestones, memorial stones inscribed with runes, commemorating the dead or marking big events. Sort of like today's monument makers or tattoo artists, right? Pretty metal.

There you have it - proof that even burly Vikings needed bakers, builders, and booze too. Pillaging was just part of the gig for these ever-practical Norsemen. We're not so different after all!