This was the true aspect of the Vikings

A small and singular Viking era play reveals the hairstyle that has been fashionable among Vikings at the time of Harald Bluetooth. “It’s the closest we will ever be of the portrait of a Viking,” says one researcher.

Risk in half, ear in sight and a long barbicha covering the chin. Apparently, this was the Visual that made a furor between the elite Viking for a thousand years.

A tiny gambling of the Viking era, which was forgotten for 200 years in the vast collections of the National Museum of Denmark, reveals details about the viking hairstyles – if, of course, we can trust the way to themselves.

The piece measures only 3 centimeters high, but shows the head and trunk of a viking with a Astuta expression and an unusual hairstyle and elaborated.

“It is exceptional to have a such vivid representation of a vikingand on top of three -dimensional, ”he says Peter Pentzcurator of the museum, published in Via Ritza. It is a miniature bust and the closest we will ever be portrait of a viking”.

First discovered in 1797, the small play of play for two centuries, until Pentz REPARATED IN THE LIGHT FIGURE. “When I gave the piece a few years ago, in one of our files, I was really surprised. Simply there, looking at meand I had never seen anything like this, every year I take the museum, ”he recalls.

Hairstyle Care

The details of the unusual figure were described by Pentz in an article recently published in the medieval magazine Archaeology.

The art of the Viking era is known for the characteristic animal motifs, but Rarely represents human figures. Therefore, this piece is particularly remarkable, especially because it is not an anonymous and symbolic representation, but a figure with character and expression.

In addition, the detail with which the male hairstyle was represented It is unprecedented and provides valuable information about the hair styles of the time, says Pentz.

The hairstyle of the figure, which is partially damaged, can be described as a risk in half with a side ripple that leaves the ear in sight, while the Hair is shaved behind. The piece also shows a large mustache, a Long barbicha and entrance and tabs.

“Until now, We had no knowledge detailed about the viking hairstyles, but here we have everything, to the small snail On the ear is marked. This is the first time we see a male Viking figure with hair visible from all angles. It’s unique, ”says Pentz.

Although your rediscovery is recent, the piece is not new. Was, in fact, one of the first objects to be recorded at the National Museum of Denmark, between 2 million pieces that are part of your collectionranging from Age of Stone Age, Runic Stones and Gallehus’s Golden Horns, to recent objects such as Contraceative Pills and Covid-19 pandemic masks.

The piece was found in 1797in an equestrian grave of a presumed Viking warrior in Viken, near the fjord of Oslo. The funeral dates from the second half of the tenth century, precisely the period in which he reigned, and Viken would probably be under his domain at that time.

The play is made of ivory deeone of the most expensive materials of the Viking era, and was part of what can be popularly called “Viking Chess”, Known as Fist.

The piece represented the most important figure in the game: the king. Of course, I had to be combed in the precept.