What hairstyles did Viking men have?
The hair also had to be styled right. “From picture sources we know that the Vikings had well-groomed beards and hair. The men had long fringes and short hair on the back of the head," she says, adding that the beard could be short or long, but it was always well-groomed. Further down on the neck, the skin was shaved.
In Viking society, women wore their hair long as a sign of status and to be appreciated for its beauty. Naturally, these hard-working women tied their hair back, braided it, or wore it up to keep it out of their way while they worked the loom or performed their other daily tasks.
Did Nordic hairstyles really include long hair, undercuts, braids and man buns? The short answer is actually yes! The styles we see on the likes of Vikings are actually fairly accurate, if somewhat glamorised, versions of traditional hairstyles.
The Best Ragnar Lothbrok Hairstyles & Haircuts (2023 Guide)
The Ragnar Lothbrok hairstyle, made possible by actor Travis Fimmel, can be best characterized as a braided variation of a top knot or man ponytail with shaved sides.
Temple Shave with Long Hair
Perhaps the most traditional and foundational Viking hairstyle is the temple shave with long, flowing hair. This hairstyle can even come off a bit intimidating, making it perfect for a man looking to increase his edge and masculine appeal.
The Ragnar look, based on the character Ragnar Lodbrok, might be the most popular. To get this hairstyle for yourself, grow out your hair so it's at least shoulder-length. Shave the sides and back of your head, leaving the hair long on top. Make 3 braids with the top hair for the rough, Vikings look.
It is the team's Viking war chant and comes from the Swedish, Danish and Noreigian word "Skål." A Skål was a bowl that was often filled with beer and shared among friends so the word became a way of saying "Cheers!"
The Vikings did style their beards and hair in order to go into battle. Those with long beards would often braid them, into a single braid or multiple braids. This was for the practical purpose of keeping their hair out of their eyes and face.
Through DNA testing, it is possible to effectively trace your potential inner Viking and discover whether it forms part of your genetic makeup or not. However, it's not 100% definitive. There's no exact Nordic or Viking gene that is passed down through the generations.
"The examination of skeletons from different localities in Scandinavia reveals that the average height of the Vikings was a little less than that of today: men were about 5 ft 7-3/4 in. tall and women 5 ft 2-1/2 in.
Did Vikings wear bra?
The bras were often made of metal and until now scientists had thought they were used as collar-bone protection. But it is now clear these pads were worn much further down by female Vikings, according to the work in Birka, Sweden's oldest Viking centre.
Dreadlocks were seen as both fashionable and functional by the Vikings. The men who spent much of their time in battle and traveling needed to keep their long hair from getting in the way during their raids. Once the dreads were made, they did not require much maintenance.

Since the Vikings were archers as well as sword, ax and spear men, shaving the side of the head prevented the bow string grabbing it.
A top knot bun is stylish hairstyle made from winding your hair in a bun on the top of your head. It's a very versatile look and can range from sleek and sophisticated to messy chic.
“Most of the styles in [Vikings: Valhalla], and in the original Vikings series, are invented,” Price tells Tudum. “Not necessarily wrong — and obviously the Vikings changed their haircuts like anyone else — but there is very little evidence for any of this.”
Some good news however, is Vikings did sport the battle braids you see in the media. Braids were often worn under helmets during battle to keep hair out of the soldiers faces. Face it, a gnarly beard coupled with a few braids running down the back of your head is nothing short of awesome.
Viking warriors usually wore long braids or dreadlocks to make them more intimidating to their enemies in battle – or perhaps, more simply, for the practical purpose or keeping their hair out of their eyes while fighting!
The Spartan warrior haircut is ideal for stronger men, those who see life as a battlefield. It consists of a thick strip of hair in the middle of the head, from which it will grow down past the shoulders. The sides and the back of the neck are completely shaven, leaving the skin bare.
They were known for their fierce warrior culture and their distinctive appearance, which included long hair and beards. Probably viking men braided their hair and beards if they were long enough.
Dreadlocks were seen as both fashionable and functional by the Vikings. The men who spent much of their time in battle and traveling needed to keep their long hair from getting in the way during their raids. Once the dreads were made, they did not require much maintenance.
Why did Viking men braid their hair?
Viking men led a life of constant travel and combat. However, long hair was fashionable and highly valued. What is this? Wearing their hair loose all the time would have been impractical, so dreads were used to keep their long hair from getting in the way as they fought.
The first people to wear dreads were probably cavemen. We researched the first evidence of the use of dreadlocks: The first piece of written evidence dates back to 1500BC; it is brought to us by the ancient holy Hindu texts called the “Vedas”.
That said, many cultures Vikings interacted with did keep written records, which is how we know today that Vikings did indeed wear their hair in dreadlocks.
Sims traces the origins of braids back to African culture. “Braids have been impressionable throughout history,” says Sims. “The origin of braids can be traced back 5000 years in African culture to 3500 BC—they were very popular among women.” Braids are not just a style; this craft is a form of art.
The Vikings did style their beards and hair in order to go into battle. Those with long beards would often braid them, into a single braid or multiple braids. This was for the practical purpose of keeping their hair out of their eyes and face.
Many Vikings used picks to clean the gaps between their teeth, and some historian believes they may have also used fibrous hazel twigs and similar tools as a kind of brush. The Viking skeletons discovered over the decades have usually had relatively strong teeth too.
The overwhelming majority of Viking males had beards. However, they weren't necessarily big, unkempt beards. Their hair although long, was typically kept in a pretty conservative style.
“A lot of the Vikings are mixed individuals” with ancestry from both Southern Europe and Scandinavia, for example, or even a mix of Sami (Indigenous Scandinavian) and European ancestry. A mass grave of around 50 headless Vikings from a site in Dorset, UK.
Cornrows, braids, and locs all date back far before the vikings, ancient Greek or Rome. They have sculptures of Egyptions wearing all of these hair styles.
As the Vikings explored, raided and traded their way across Europe and other areas of the world, they did so with some of the most legendary beards in history. They were advanced seafarers, and they used their beards to strike fear into the hearts of their opponents, wherever they went.
Did Viking men go bald?
There is very little evidence that Norsemen ever shaved any part of their heads. One early 11th century Anglo-Saxon letter that says the Danes wore their hair “with bared necks and blinded eyes”, which suggests long in the front and either braided or shaved in back.
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