 Editor in Chief Bill   | 14 Dec 2014 5:43 p.m. PST |
Vikings may have been family men who traveled with their wives to new lands, according to a new study of ancient Viking DNA.Maternal DNA from ancient Norsemen closely matches that of modern-day people in the North Atlantic isles, particularly from the Orkney and Shetland Islands. The findings suggest that both Viking men and women sailed on the ships to colonize new lands. The new study also challenges the popular conception of Vikings as glorified hoodlums with impressive seafaring skills… link |
| tberry7403 | 14 Dec 2014 5:50 p.m. PST |
More scientific evidence for what has been known for decades. |
| John the OFM | 14 Dec 2014 5:52 p.m. PST |
There goes the theory that the men went a-viking to get away from their wives. |
| Ed the Two Hour Wargames guy | 14 Dec 2014 6:35 p.m. PST |
Whose to say it was their wives? |
| Korvessa | 14 Dec 2014 10:46 p.m. PST |
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| The Beast Rampant | 14 Dec 2014 10:53 p.m. PST |
This has just ruined Hagar the Horrible for me. |
| Henry Martini | 15 Dec 2014 6:14 a.m. PST |
Perhaps some of the glorified hoodlums were female: Nordic Amazons, anyone? |
| kallman | 15 Dec 2014 9:17 a.m. PST |
Well the Viking TV series defiantly plays up on the shield maiden thing. |
| Lee Brilleaux | 15 Dec 2014 12:18 p.m. PST |
This new study confirms everything anyone who bothered to read a book on the subject already knew. |
| Griefbringer | 15 Dec 2014 12:42 p.m. PST |
It would have been difficult to colonise Iceland without bringing your own womenfolk with you. |
| Wombling Free | 15 Dec 2014 1:45 p.m. PST |
Griefbringer: the Icelandic DNA analysis suggests they brought someone else's women along. Other than that, what Mexican Jack Squint said. This is talking about colonisation, not raiding, so no Nordic Amazons, alas. |
| SonofThor | 15 Dec 2014 8:51 p.m. PST |
Can't you be a hoodlum by day and family man by night? |
| Wombling Free | 16 Dec 2014 3:07 a.m. PST |
Since most that went a-Viking would have done so as a part-time job, and returned home to tend the farm afterwards, yes, you can be a hoodlum by day and a family man by night. The confusion arises when Viking is used as an ethnic identity, as it is in this article. The word brings to mind vicious pirates but is being used to include all Scandinavians, not all of whom would ever have gone a-Viking. |
