The ultimate journey
A Woman's Grave from Sund
Judging from findings in the graves, the average height of Iron Age women was 160 cm while a man's average height was 175 cm. The most costly graves held taller people than the other graves, which indicates that they enjoyed a higher living standard, i.e. better nourishment.
Cattle die
kinsmen die
all men are mortal.
Words of praise
will never perish
nor a noble name.
Håvamål
People rarely lived beyond the age of 50, and 35-50 was normal. Vikings tended to be well dressed and elaborately coiffed . An English chronicler observed that the Vikings enjoyed success with English ladies because they bathed on Saturdays, combed their hair and dressed well.
Nevertheless, the Arab emissary Ibn Fadhland who met a group of Vikings in the vicinity of Volga in 920, found them downright revolting.
"They are the dirtiest of all of Allah's creatures. They do not wash after defecating or urinating, or after sexual intercourse, and they do not wash their hands after eating. Truly, they are like stray donkeys… "
Many people – from the upper echelons of society – dressed elegantly and were richly decked out in jewellery. At Sund, we have found an elaborately equipped woman's grave. In accordance with Viking Age customs, she had two oval clasps made of bronze to fasten her dress. Between them, a string of beads hung down. Amongst the glass beads there was one of a different order entirely, made of jet (a variety of lignite) and imported from England . Moreover, she had a silver ring, a circular bronze brooch, a pair of iron scissors, a knife, a sword beater for weaving made of whale bone and a hide scraper that was also made of whale bone. Several of the jewels clearly indicated ties with Western Europe
A Man's Grave from Kvalnes
Honour was the clue; living and dying honourably. For pre-Christian man, life was all there was and the final reckoning was of this world, not heavenly. A person`s merits were based on their acts.
A saying from a saga reads: He who turns old becomes unmanly. A man who could no longer sail, ride a horse, lift the sword or impress a woman was near useless and little respect was due to the aged. Yet, they did have one advantage, their wisdom and knowledge of the old days.
At Kvalnes, a prominent man was buried and alongside him in his grave they put axes, spears, a hoe and a scythe, together with a dog. Most probably he was a warrior who had plenty of land.
