WHAT’S UP 11
June 2014
Savage Vikings...
M6 FILMS
V
We think of the Vikings as fierce barbarians who wore helmets with sharp
animal horns. An American professional football team calls itself the Minnesota
Vikings, not because their ancestors were Vikings but rather to appear tough.
Their long-haired mascot wears a horned helmet and looks wild and fierce.
Asterix comic books have a similar way of depicting Vikings. Those horned
helmets make them look like savage beasts.
VIKINGS in
an Asterix
movie
and comic
ORION
book.
In fact, Vikings never wore those horned helmets.
ikings
did horned helmets become
were Norse
linked to Vikings?
sailors from
A Viking character
Scandinavia
appeared in a horned
who explored
helmet for the first time in
much of Europe, Asia, and
1875 – many centuries after
even the Americas. From
the Viking Age. Richard
th
th
the 8 to the 11 century
Wagner, a German composer,
CE, they settled in areas
wrote an opera, Der Ring
spanning
des Nibelungen
from Turkey
(The Ring of
and Russia to
the Nibelung).
Morocco and
Viking
Greenland.
characters
This period is
appeared
known as the
in full force
Viking Age.
throughout the
Strangely,
play. Wagner’s
old paintings
costume
and documents
designer
up till the 19th
decided it
century show
would be more
no evidence
dramatic if he
that Vikings
put horns on
had horns on
the helmets of
their helmets
these Viking
or on any other
characters.
part of their
The opera
clothing.
was just for
entertainment,
In fact,
so the designer
historians
did not feel he
suggest
had to show
that horned
MODERN-day fans of
the Vikings
helmets would
Vikings dress up in more
accurately.
have been
realistic costumes.
Little did he
impractical for
know that
Vikings when
this would affect how
fighting their enemies. The
generations viewed Vikings.
horns would have interfered
The image of horned helmets
with the men’s combat
stuck. And, associated with
moves. In which case, how
it was the stereotype of a
savage, barbaric people.
New research findings
are breaking down some of
the incorrect beliefs about
Vikings. We now have
evidence that these ancient
communities had many
different talents. They had
skilled craftsmen and were
master ship builders. They
were able to travel far and
wide because their beautiful
ships were so strong and
well-designed.
They were also savvy
traders and brave explorers.
They reached the shores
of North America 500
years before Christopher
Columbus did. And, they
played intellectual games
like chess.
The image of Vikings as
savage and unclean people
has been traced back to the
attitudes of early Christians
in Europe. Some historians
point out that the Christians
did not like the religious
practices of the Vikings.
These negative biases may
have been unfair to the
Vikings. Historical records
tell us that there were
Vikings who were peaceful
rulers and traders.
With all these amazing
new discoveries about
them, it is as if the Vikings
are getting a makeover
by historians. Facts are
overtaking fallacies.
– By ALISHA CHERIAN
Why the truth matters
THESE Faroe Island
stamps show more
respect for the
Vikings’ civilisation.
The horned helmet and the reputation of being fierce may seem like
harmless errors to make about a community from long ago. But, it is
still a case of misrepresentation – representing people incorrectly. When
things like this happen, they may keep alive untruths that become
stereotypes. For example, Hollywood has a long history of creating and
continuing negative stereotypes of Middle Eastern people and culture.
Disney’s Aladdin openly refers to the fictional Middle Eastern land of
Agrabah as “barbaric”.
Many depictions of native people around the world stereotype them
as savage, primitive, simple, and backwards. We do not get to meet or
listen to those people, so we take for granted that these negative images
are true. Such stereotypes are very unfair to the people affected.
So, when you study a culture, especially one from the past, it is
important to do good historical research. You should use multiple
sources, just as the historians did when they looked at paintings prior
to Wagner’s opera to figure out if Vikings really had horned helmets.
Sometimes, artists take creative licence, meaning that they give
themselves the freedom to wander away from the facts in order to make
their creation more interesting.
If you think that creative license was taken at some point or there
was a misrepresentation, then make sure that you find out what is fact
and what is fallacy.
Fact Or Fallacy is a series about why it is important to check the accuracy of information that
is commonly believed to be correct. Separating facts from fallacies helps organise the clutter in our
minds. And, that lets us see the world more clearly. These articles are brought to you by What’s Up in
partnership with the Information Literacy & Outreach Department of the National Library Board.
VOCABULARY Norse (say “norss”; adjective ) = from ancient Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland).
SURE CLUB is a fun-filled
programme for you to learn
about information literacy. Visit
www.nlb.gov.sg/sure.