Viking Helmets

Photo: Viking Stone Statue

Photo: Viking Stone Statue

Helmets are not, in fact, common artifacts of the Viking Age and horned helmets are historically depicted only as shamanic. Ideas to the contrary emerged from the eighteenth and nineteenth century enthusiasm for a romanticized view of Scandinavia's 'Goth' history.

Apart from two or three representations of (ritual) helmets – with protrusions that may be stylized ravens, snakes or horns – no depiction of Viking Age warriors' helmets, and no preserved helmet, has horns. In fact, the formal close-quarters style of Viking combat (either in shield walls or aboard "ship islands") would have made horned helmets cumbersome and hazardous to the warrior's own side.

Therefore historians believe that Viking warriors did not use horned helmets, but whether or not such helmets were used in Scandinavian culture for other, ritual purposes remains unproven.

Photo: Viking helmet from Gjermundby, courtesy Ancient Goths.

Photo: Viking helmet from Gjermundby, courtesy Ancient Goths.

The Vikings were often depicted with winged helmets and in other clothing taken from antiquity, especially in depictions of Norse gods. This was done in order to legitimize the Vikings and their mythology by associating it with the Classical world which had long been idealized in European culture.

Viking helmets were conical, made from hard leather with wood and metallic reinforcement for regular troops. The iron helmet with mask and chain mail was for the chieftains. The only true Viking helmet found is that from Gjermundbu in Norway. This helmet is made of iron and has been dated to the 10th century.