The Danish Vikings wore exotic beaver furs to show off their wealth and social status, similar to today’s high-end fashion.
- Vikings wore beaver fur to show their status, new study finds
- Beavers are not native to Denmark, so their fur was considered a luxury item.
- Experts analyzed furs and skins left on the graves of dignitaries vikings
- Weasel skins and squirrels have also been found on their clothing.
The study found that high-ranking Danish Vikings wore beaver furs to show their social status, similar to how designer clothes are used today.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have established that rodent fur was a symbol of wealth and an important trade item in the 10th century.
This is because beavers are not native to Denmark and were therefore considered a luxury item.
An analysis of the remains of animals left in high-ranking graves showed that the Scandinavians also wore clothes made of weasel and squirrel skins.
Study lead author Dr Louise Oersted Brandt said:In the Viking Age, the wearing of exotic fur was almost certainly an obvious visual sign of wealth and social status, much like high fashion in today’s world.
“This study used ancient squirrels preserved in the tombs of elite Danish Vikings to provide direct evidence for the trade and use of beaver fur.”
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have established that beaver fur was a symbol of wealth and an important trade item in the 10th century.
Researchers have analyzed animal remains that were used to decorate six tombs of high society Vikings in 10th-century Denmark. A: Map of sites studied, BD: Examples of bellows included
If beavers were not aboriginal inhabitants of Denmark, their fur would be considered a luxury item.
Written sources indicate that fur was a key commodity during the Viking Age, between 800 and 1050 AD.
However, while it is not often well preserved in the archaeological record, there is little direct evidence to identify the types of furs favored by the Vikings.
Previous studies have used the microscopic anatomy of ancient fur to determine species of origin, but this method has often been inaccurate.
For the new study, Dr. Brandt and her colleagues analyzed animal remains that were used to furnish six tombs of high society Vikings in 10th-century Denmark.
Ancient DNA could not be recovered from the samples, which, according to the researchers, could be due to the processing of furs and skins or the conditions of their storage.
Fortunately, identifiable proteins were extracted using two different analytical methods.
Proteins indicated that the skins belonged to domestic animals and were used as grave furniture or shoes.
Articles of clothing exposed from fur from wild animals – in particular, weasels, squirrels and beavers – and were worn by both sexes.
Findings published today in PLEASE ONEsupport the idea that fur was a symbol of wealth during the Viking Age.
Beavers are not native to Denmark, so their fur was probably luxury goods acquired through trade.
The fact that some outfits from the graves included fur. of several species shows that the Vikings were aware of the functions of various animal skins.
The variety of imported animals used may also indicate that they had a desire to show off exclusive furs.
The researchers hope that as comparative protein databases expand, it will become possible to more accurately identify the skins and furs of ancient animals.
The fact that some of the outfits from the graves included different types of fur indicates that the Vikings were aware of the functions of the skins of various animals. The variety of imported animals may also indicate that they had a desire to show off exclusive furs (file image).
