“The Viking Warrior” (Medieval Period, 900–1000 CE)
Our second traveler is a high-ranking Viking warrior who interacted with the Byzantine and Abbasid Empires. Scandinavians from the area consisting of modern-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are known widely for their consistent pillaging of the inland of Europe and into the Middle East. The term Viking comes from the Old Norse word “vik,” meaning “to be on the warpath,” due to their violent and organized attacks on the mainland. These Norse plunderers had many cultural similarities, including the fact that they worked as farmers in their homeland, but pillaged outside lands to gain wealth before settling down. Although these expeditions were typically completed by men, a reevaluation of a high-status warrior grave at Birka in Sweden revealed a powerful Viking warrior woman.
For years, this grave site was regarded as a prime example of Viking burial ritual for the most formidable of a warrior. Extensive DNA analysis concluded that the person buried in this grave was biologically female. There are 1,100 graves at the Birka site: 75 of which contained offensive weapons, only two contained a “full complement of weapons,” and hers were of the highest quality. They also found a full set of gaming pieces with an iron-bound board, a clear symbol of a military leader. Her clothes and “tasselled cap” indicate that she was a “cavalry commander under the immediate authority of a royal war-leader” and a “leading member of society,” respectively. A professional illustration based on the material found in the grave depicts this figure with a tunic, baggy pants, a cloak, and high boots. These boots were made of leather and were appropriately waterproof. Although I will be using this depiction of a Viking warrior woman as the basis for my illustration, I am not claiming that the occupant of this grave completed the travels I discuss below.
Vikings would use their longships in rivers throughout the mainland to access new places for both trading and raiding. Because these boats had such a shallow draft, and were so lightweight, Vikings could row farther into rivers than any other sailors. One of the cultures that the Vikings penetrated was Byzantium. The Byzantine Empire was essentially the medieval remnants of the Roman Empire. The empire’s capital, Constantinople, was known for its “thriving bazaars” and “multiracial population.” The empire was unique in the fact that it consisted of Greek and Roman influence with the addition of Asian and African societies into the cultural mix.
This range of influence reflected in the empire’s fashion, implementing the western tunics and togas with the eastern flair of embroidery and tassels. The intricacy of a piece of clothing indicated the wealth its wearer possessed. Similarly, the color purple, whose manufacturing process was kept secret, was reserved for Byzantine royalty. When it comes to style and shape of clothing, both men’s and women’s garments were layered and loose fitting to preserve “Christian-inspired modesty.” Because these baggy clothes are not conducive to a warrior who needs to move freely, I chose not to give our Viking woman any clothing items. Instead, I decided that she would don golden arm bands. These bands have intricate enamel inlays that were popular in Byzantium at the time. These were decorative pieces of jewelry, so she would not wear these into battle, but since they are gold and elaborate, it is realistic that a Viking would take them during a raid.
Viking expeditions went far and wide in this era. The furthest east that Viking trading is recorded is through the Caspian Sea and into Baghdad. At this time, Baghdad was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, the dynasty that ruled much of West Asia and North Africa during the Islamic Golden Age. This dynasty was established in 750 CE when they successfully overthrew the Umayyads after decades of internal propaganda and gaining support. Over the next hundred years, the Abbasids transformed the caliphate into a place of trade, art, and science.
Generally, the further east the Vikings went, the more likely they were to trade rather than raid. That being said, it was commonplace for them to travel to the East. Because they did not attack these territories, Arab depictions of the Norse people were far less fearful than that of the Europeans. They noted the Vikings’ “perfect physiques,” but generally considered them to be dirty people.
The clothing style in the Abbasid Dynasty consisted of layered, linen, gender-neutral garments. These outfits generally included the izar (undergarment wrap) and qamis (collarless shirt) topped with the caba (mantle). Additionally, Muslim men started to wear turbans in the eighth century. I chose to adorn our Viking warrior with a knee length qamis – a linen tunic with embroidery around the round collar based on a historical piece. For these garments, wide sleeves were a sign of wealth, but I chose to opt with a more practical, slimmer sleeve.
