Vikings Had Dark Humor And Joked Even During Deadly Battles
Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Historical studies of Icelandic Sagas reveal Vikings had dark humor and joked even during deadly battles.
It was a mixture of sarcasm, irony, and unusual jokes. The Vikings' approach was that if you knew you were going to die, why not do it laughing?
Death was never something Vikings feared because they believed that a warrior who died in battle was rewarded and could join all other great fighters in Valhalla, a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the great god Odin.
Written during the Middle Ages, Icelandic Sagas tell stories of Vikings, and usually, the tales all centered around various kinds of disputes that ended in battles between the Vikings. Often, two or more families could be involved in blood feuds that lasted decades or generations.
According to historian Trine Buhl at the Århus University in Denmark, authors of the Icelandic Sagas deliberately added dark humor to their tales. Without it, the stories would be boring.
This is a preview of our premium article available only to members of Ancient Pages.
Become a member to read more - Click here
If you are already a member and have logged in to your account, you can access the article here
See also:
Viking Ship Found With Unexpected Goods For Unclear Purpose Puzzles Scientists
Bizarre And Rare Finds In Viking Houses – What Was Behind This Mysterious Practice?
Curious Encounter Between Inuit And Vikings Led To Something Surprising That Shaped Future History
Explore - Ancient Pages Library Of Ancient And Unexplained Mysteries
More From Ancient Pages
-
Spectacular Vespasianus Titus Tunnel – An Ancient Roman Engineering Marvel
Ancient Technology | Aug 30, 2018
-
Mystery Of The Österödskvinnan (Österöd Woman) Who Lived In Sweden 10,000 Years Ago
Featured Stories | Nov 6, 2023
-
Scientists Solve The Mystery Of Cicero’s Puzzling Words By Analyzing Ancient Roman Coins – Evidence Of Financial Crisis?
Artifacts | Apr 6, 2022
-
The Caesar Cipher: Ancient And Simple Yet Effective Cipher Used By Julius Caesar
Ancient History Facts | May 30, 2018
-
Fragment Of A 1,750-Year-Old New Testament Translation Discovered
Archaeology | Apr 7, 2023
-
Ancient Native Americans’ Encounter With The Star People – An Otherworldly Rescue?
Featured Stories | Jul 20, 2021
-
World’s Oldest Moon Map Carved Into Ireland’s 5,000 Year-Old Tomb At Knowth
Featured Stories | Jun 25, 2014
-
Odd Ancient Dwellings Of The Snake People – Clues From Biblical Lands – Part 2
Biblical Mysteries | Sep 10, 2020
-
Hidden Story Of The Sacred Wiradjuri Carved Trees Revealed
Archaeology | Nov 28, 2023
-
Little People: Ancient Race That Pre-Dates Native Americans, Celts, And Other Settlers Worldwide
Featured Stories | Aug 29, 2024
-
Skeletal Remains Of A 1,500-Year-Old Byzantine Ascetic Monk, Chained In Iron Rings – Uncovered Near Jerusalem
Archaeology | Jan 4, 2023
-
Micro-CT Scans Revealed: It Wasn’t Egyptians’ Falcon-Headed Deity But Malformed Human Baby
Archaeology | Jun 2, 2018
-
Namoratunga – Kenya’s Fascinating Megalithic Site Oriented Toward Specific Stars And Constellations
Featured Stories | Jul 6, 2021
-
World’s Oldest Bread Found In Neolithic Oven In Çatalhöyük, Turkey
Archaeology | Mar 12, 2024
-
Tuatha de Danann – ‘Gods’ Of Ireland And The Myth Of Danae And Zeus – Could The Early Irish Celts Have Ties To Ancient Greece?
Celtic Mythology | Mar 28, 2017
-
Scientists Unravel Why Humans Used Tiny Flakes 300,000 Years Ago
Archaeology | Dec 15, 2022
-
Why Is The Three Golden Balls Symbol For A Pawn Shop Connected To The Medici Family?
Ancient History Facts | Feb 12, 2019
-
What Happened To The Pythagorean Brotherhood?
Ancient History Facts | Apr 5, 2021
-
Indigenous People Of Ancient Sicily Were Acrive Traders Long Before The Greeks Arrived
Archaeology | Sep 28, 2021
-
Next Discovery In Tepe Ashraf, Isfahan – Archaeologists May Have Stumbled Upon Ancient Necropolis
Archaeology | Aug 16, 2020