[Regia-NA] Horned Helmet Holiday Heresy (hefty)

[Jack Garrett]

And now for something completely inflammatory...

I've read the opinion of the Straight Dope Science
Advisory Board regarding horned helmets during the
Viking period: 

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhornedhelmet.html

I'll assume it's my own ignorance that I haven't heard
of them before, but a few things occur to me:

1) I'm really put off by any quasi-authoritative
document that begins with a statement like, "No
self-respecting Viking warrior ever wore a horned
helmet in battle--they weren't that dumb."  There's
simply no way any "self-respecting" source could ever
recover from so sweeping a statement.  This article
doesn't either.

2) The authors seem far too fond of their own
expertise and wit to make their compelling research as
compelling as it should be.  They overlook or push
aside some obvious rebutting evidence (see below). 
They provide examples of horned or otherwise adorned
helmets all around the Vikings geographically and
chronologically, but claim, absolutely, that the
Vikings never wore horned helmets.  They forget that
absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

3) While most warriors tend to be practical, many
aren't.  There are perfectly reasonable reasons to
wear unreasonable gear to war.  One is related to
status and display.  The Japanese samurai wore
elaborate helmets (kabuto) to war.  Classical Greeks
wore crested helmets that were made heavier and more
dangerous by those crests.  British troops in the 18th
century wore red coats that made inviting targets for
American colonial sharpshooters.  Hard to say that
warriors from these cultures weren't self-respecting.

4) A second reason to wear unreasonable gear is
intimidation.  Warriors have always used their gear to
frighten the enemy.  (Seen "Road Warrior" lately?)  An
unadorned nasal helmet isn't going to frighten many
people, but wear a bear shirt or go into battle naked
and you start to win the psychological battle before
the first arrow has been launched.

5) The third reason is for cultural or religious
beliefs.  The Danish Bronze Age (and probably
ceremonial) helmets they cite can be seen at:

http://www.vikingsofkyrbyr.gbtllc.com/MuseumCopenhagen.htm

An amulet of  Odin (or a priest of an Odin cult)
wearing a helmet with two ravens was found in a
Viking-age grave in Uppsala, Sweden and is shown on
page 59 of "Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga".  The
figure cited in the Oseberg tapestry is strikingly
similar.

So, am I claiming the Vikings wore horned helmets? 
Nope.  Am I going to wear one or encourage others who
want to?  Again, nope.  Do I think that more than a
(possible) few Vikings wore horned helmets?  Once
again, nope.

But, I'll keep the possibility open.  I just can't
believe that somewhere in the chilly north, sometime
in what we call the Viking Age, a self-respecting
Viking sitting at a fire one winter didn't look at the
helmet he had inherited from grandpa, then look over
at Bossy munching at the other end of the longhouse
and say, "Hmmm...."

Ottar/Jack

--- Jeanne <jeanne at atasteofcreole.com> wrote:

> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: atlantia-bounces at atlantia.sca.org
> [mailto:atlantia-bounces at atlantia.sca.org]On Behalf
> Of Roy B. Scherer
> Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 8:00 AM
> To: SCA-atlantia-marinus at yahoogroups.com; The Merry
> Rose
> Subject: [MR] Viking Helmets
> 
> 
> 	FYI, some interesting info here:
> "Dear Straight Dope:
> Did Vikings really have horns on their helmets?
> --Thad in San Antonio
> SDSTAFF bibliophage replies:
> No self-respecting Viking warrior ever wore a horned
> helmet in battle--they
> weren't that dumb. As anyone who has done any
> slaughtering can tell you,
> horns provide nothing more than a good handhold to
> steady your work while
> you're busy slitting someone's throat. Nor did
> Viking warriors wear . . ."
> Balance online at:
>
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhornedhelmet.html
> -- Britton Morgan
> mka Roy
> end
> 
> 		- - Roy B. Scherer
>   [8 N. Sheppard Street, Richmond, VA 23221; (804)
> 355-7612]
>
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