The real Vikings were not at all like we tend to think

Researcher Julia Håkansson analysed the major museum exhibitions in Denmark, Sweden and Norway and came to the conclusion that: museum curators themselves have long known that the Vikings were far more diverse, but they continue to rely on the familiar image of the warrior. The reason is simple — that is exactly what visitors expect to see.

The Vikings were not just warriors

The Viking Age lasted from around the end of the 8th century to the middle of the 11th century. During this time, the people of Scandinavia did indeed undertake military campaigns, but their lives were by no means limited to this.

Most people farmed, reared livestock, traded, built ships, fished and travelled. Many were craftsmen or merchants, not professional warriors at all.

Even the Swedish History Museum notes in its exhibition that many free men and women owned weapons, yet only a few actually considered themselves warriors.

Why do museums continue to portray fierce warriors?

The author of the study examined the exhibitions at the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen, the Swedish History Museum in Stockholm and the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo.

She discovered an interesting contradiction. On the one hand, museums tell stories of trade, agriculture, family life and everyday existence. On the other, the most prominent places are taken by ships, swords, shields and tales of military campaigns.

According to the researcher, museum curators are forced to strike a balance between academic accuracy and public expectations. Visitors come specifically to see the legendary warriors, so museums cannot completely abandon this familiar narrative.

Where are the women?

The study also showed that women appear in exhibitions far less frequently than men.

If they are featured at all, it is most often as the mistresses of large estates or legendary ‘female warriors’. The everyday lives of ordinary women in the Viking Age remain less visible.

Although modern museums are trying to correct this imbalance, the male image of the Viking still dominates.

Why the image of the Vikings is constantly changing

The authors point out that the image of the Vikings with which we are familiar did not emerge a thousand years ago, but in the 19th century, when European countries were actively creating national myths.

Since then, the Viking Age has been reinterpreted time and again. Today, museums use it not only to tell the story of the past, but also to discuss contemporary issues — national identity, cultural exchanges, trade and interactions between different peoples.

For example, some exhibitions specifically highlight the Scandinavians’ connections with the Muslim world to demonstrate that the Vikings were not merely conquerors, but also active participants in international trade.

Why this is important

Research shows that museums do not simply preserve ancient artefacts — they shape our understanding of history.

This is precisely why the image of the rugged, bearded warrior remains the most recognisable symbol of the Viking Age to this day, even though archaeological evidence paints a picture of a far more diverse society, where most people were farmers, craftspeople, traders and travellers.

Background

The Viking Age is generally defined as the period from the late 8th to the mid-11th century. During this time, the people of Scandinavia undertook sea voyages, established settlements, traded extensively and explored new territories — from North America to the Middle East.

In popular culture, the Vikings are often portrayed as exclusively fierce warriors; however, modern historians emphasise that this is only one aspect of life in Scandinavian society at that time.