The modern world is too boring, because scientific progress leaves fewer places for miracles and magic. Many people are fascinated by the history and culture of extinct peoples and civilizations. No wonder Viking tattoos are so popular. What do they look like and what do they mean?
Who are the Vikings?
The Vikings are the ancient Scandinavian people who inhabited the most northern part of Europe. Today this territory is occupied by Sweden, Norway and Denmark. There is evidence that the Vikings were a very developed nation for its time with a rich culture and a large number of occupations. Unfortunately, detailed information about traditions and the classification of symbols has not reached our days; there is only general knowledge about the beliefs and lifestyle of this people.
It is also
not known for certain whether Viking tattoos were popular in ancient times. But most historians believe that the population of Scandinavia could master the technology of applying long-term drawings to the body.
Key characters
At the word “Viking,” most ordinary people imagine a tall, bearded man in military armor and a helmet with horns. But in fact, most of the representatives of this nation preferred to wear comfortable and warm clothes without unnecessary jewelry and terrifying elements. Very popular with the Vikings were a variety of mythical symbols. These are crosses, interweaving of flourishes and knots and whole ornaments from them. Look at the Viking tattoos (photo) - one of the most popular symbols - triskele (tripod). This is a powerful magical sign, consisting of three spirals having a common beginning. It is believed that this sign symbolizes the unity of the forces of nature and natural balance.
Popular sketches
Modern Viking tattoos are images of warriors, sometimes even entire battle scenes, traditional weapons, ships and
Celtic patterns. An interesting detail - the faces of warriors are usually performed with harsh expressions or with steel calm and centuries of wisdom. Do not forget about
Scandinavian mythology. Along with mystical signs and deities, the Valkyries (virgin warriors) are often depicted. Especially popular are the stories in which they take the soldiers who fell in battle to the kingdom of the dead - Valhalla. Various monsters and
mythical creatures are also popular
. According to archaeological finds, this symbolism is often found on the flags of ships. Complemented with traditional Viking tattoos with images of birds and sea waves. In complex sketches, each of these symbols has its own special meaning. Perfectly complement this style in the modern art of
rune tattooing.Did the Vikings themselves have tattoos?
There is no exact evidence that the Vikings massively decorated their bodies with ornaments. However, based on some legends and stories that have survived to this day, it can be assumed that the Scandinavian peoples really knew how to apply tattoos and enjoyed this skill with pleasure. And if the modern meaning of Viking tattoos is strength, determination, courage and courage, then the Vikings themselves probably put a different meaning into the applied tattoos, if at all. Magic and mysticism were present in this nation in everything. The Vikings gave their ships special names that were supposed to protect them from drowning and unsuccessful battles, conducted various rites, appeasing the gods and
mystical creatures. Based on this, we can conclude that, most likely, a representative of this ancient nation would like to have a tattoo-amulet or image of some important sign on his body.