Stereotypes

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by MatthewM

Great, now my medievalist brain is confused. My Professor said that Vikings did indeed wear the horned helmets.

There is no evidence to suggest that warriors of the Viking Era had pronounced horns jutting from their helms. Here is a decent cross section of notable helmets...

http://www.regia.org/helmet.htm

And another...

http://www.hurstwic.org/history/arti...ng_helmets.htm

The idea of horned helms is basically a misinterpretation of the historical record, and figments of Wagner's ostentatious 19th century operas (where Viking helms sprouted horns or wings); however, there is evidence that horns might have appeared atop helmets in Bronze Age Scandinavia (800 - 400 B.C.). The Viking Era is generally given as 700 or 800 to 1100 A.D.

Even the Sutton Hoo helm (500-600 A.D.), a great relic of the Vendel style, is beautifully ornamented, but has no horns whatsoever...

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main...y-thefinds.htm

I'd like to see your professor's evidence, as there are very few helmets of the Viking era still extant.