[8]. For more details, you can check the below-given picture. The Celts were well documented to wear their hair in dreads and may have inspired the Vikings to follow suit. Human slave trade was practiced during the Viking era, so hairstyles were used to differentiate between enslaved people and the general population. The Netherlands and Vikings. Celtic dreadlocks are a bit different. However, they werent the only Europeans to do so. Both forms of locks may have been simply the result of practical necessity or the lack of regular combing or brushing. So, depending on your hair length, you can choose any of the below given Viking hairstyles. That said, many cultures Vikings interacted with did keep written records, which is how we know today that Vikings did indeed wear their hair in dreadlocks. Heres How the Vikings Proposed and Got Married, Viking Answer Lady: Viking Age Hairstyles, Haircare, and Personal Grooming. Mono-dreads A single dreadlock formed from an entire head of hair. You can also use different leather straps to make it a more dangerous look. While many of the men and women living in Scandinavia during. You can make variations with dreadlocks and one of the best styles is the twin bun with dreads. That longer hair may have been coiled into dreadlocks by Vikings to make it easier to keep off the face while not wearing a helmet. Historians think dreads served as a status symbol for ancient Vikings. The Elling braid is a hairstyle worn by the Elling Woman, a body discovered in Denmark. The Celts were the Vikings neighbors to the south, and being in close geographical proximity, they influenced each other in different ways. Curl Centric has an affiliate relationship for some of the products that we recommend. You Probably Need a Haircut provides general information only. Many people know that the Vikings lived in ancient Scandinavia. [9] All Rights Reserved. Next, she placed her free hand through the loop and pulled the ends of the ponytail through the hair loop, forming a knot. English women loved us Norwegians, we cleaned ourselves and washed our clothes often;) Zhangar 10 yr. ago The name dreadlocks is relatively new and used for black locks. Home Bath & Beauty Pet Supplies . Depending on your role in the community, you likely wore a specific hairstyle to denote your status. These braids were likely then pinned in place using a stick or comb while the woman secured the braids with more cord. Just roll and clip them as you would with regular hair. Other married women secured their hair in a bun using a hair stick. However, silk was a luxury and imported item, so most Viking women likely had hoods of linen or wool. Wise Geek: What is the Difference Between Dreads and Braids? Keep reading to discover what hairstyles the Vikings had and how hairstyle affected a Vikings standing in their local community. The Arden Woman was buried in a bog, and the conditions there preserved most of her body, including her clothing, dark blonde hair, and stomach contents. Dreadlocks, also known as dreads or locs, is a hairstyle thats been around for ages. Christian started Scandinavia Facts to explore his family heritage, raise awareness of one of his academic interests as a professor, and civilly promote the region. The etymology, or word history, of the term dreadlocks, is uncertain. Did Vikings Have Dreads? In Hinduism, some holy men wear their hair in locs to harness their spiritual energy and pay respect to Shiva. Some tribes, like the Kenyan Maasai, colored their dreads with red pigments to differentiate themselves from others. Besides Minoan, Egyptian, and Hindu accounts of this hairstyle, it also seems clear that Germanic tribes and even early Christians may have worn their hair in matted, rope-like textures. Recent depictions of Viking women often portray them with elaborately braided hair, mohawks, dreadlocks, and partially shaved heads. Generally, Vikings wore their hair in one of the following styles: Long hair was the norm for most Viking communities, but it could also be a nuisance. One thing that sets dreadlocks apart from other hairstyles is their ability to form naturally, particularly with the limited grooming options available in ancient times. To advertise your brand to a global audience, contact our advertising team below. [3] She seems to have died sometime around the second century B.C., well before the Viking Age, but her hairstyle was likely a traditional one that many Viking women wore in the centuries to come. Certainly, many Viking women are depicted as wearing their hair in pretty little braids, which are often worn wound around their heads or intermingled with long flowing locks. Ancient Greece has some of the earliest depictions of dreads in its artwork. Length about 55-60 centimeters. The ancient Greeks are also known to have worn their hair in dreads, as the Akrotiri Boxer Fresco found on the Greek island of Santorini shows two young boxers wearing braids. Wealthy individuals adorned their hairstyles with brightly colored ribbons and embellished caps. Dreadlocks are commonly thought to be a Black style that other races imitate. Were dreadlocks important to the Vikings? However, the evidence to support this idea is scant. Other hairstyles worn by Vikings include: Due to their proximity, Vikings often interacted with Celtic peoples. If you dont have long hair then you can buy dreadlock extensions from any supper store or can order from Amazon. Sadly, slavery was a common practice throughout ancient civilizations. Another prevalent example is the Dublin cap, a more narrow, rectangular hood with a point at the crown of the head. Both Viking men and women are thought to have worn dreads. link to How Did Vikings Treat Their Wives? Certainly, many Viking women are depicted as wearing their hair in pretty little braids, which are often worn wound around their heads or intermingled with long flowing locks. The reality however is that Viking women didnt have conditioner, hair stylists or detangler so their hairstyles had to be practical! Dreadlocks last much longer and are more difficult to remove than braids. link to Did Vikings Have Piercings? Dreadlocks were seen as both fashionable and functional by the Vikings. It is also believed that the hairstyles were also indicative of the persons designation and that they may have also carried religious and other culturally symbolic meanings. According to experts, they may have called them elflocks, which they borrowed from their neighbors, the Celts. Therefore, we have to look to other sources for our knowledge and descriptions of the Vikings appearance and lifestyle, and to find out whether Vikings had dreadlocks. Instead, they use the term locs to describe the style. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Get the Routes North newsletter delivered once a month. Viking women who were married tended to wear their braids in a knot on top of their head to show their status as a wife, while unmarried girls often wore long braids or dreadlocks decorated with a circlet of flowers on festive occasions. See 15 Facts About Viking Women to learn more. The hair would wrap around itself and form dreads. Did Viking Face Paint Exist? Many contemporary depictions of the Vikings do indeed show them with dreadlocks Lagertha in the Vikings TV series, for example, sported a mix of dreadlocks and braids. During the Bronze and Iron Ages, many civilizations in the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, the Near East and the Caucasus have been shown to wear locs. Viking men are often depicted wearing a more practical style, with a shaved undercut and braids at the back. Many historians believe this caused their hair to become matted and form dreads. As you now know, Vikings, Celts, and other Germanic tribes wore their hair in ropelike strands. Descriptions of elflocks are found in ancient Celtic folklore. Check the below-given picture and make a similar hairstyle. The texture, length, and thickness of hair, as well as other attributes, can vary from culture to culture based on the genetic makeup of certain people groups or environmental conditions, which impact hair differently. Although, it is the same like side shaved Viking dreadlock you can make a side bang and can dye it into your favorite color. Cultural Significance of Dreadlocks Among the Vikings It is believed that unmarried Viking girls sometimes wore dreadlocks and heavily braided to mark a festival or formal occasion. Virtually all hair will naturally mat and form dreadlocks if left alone for a period of time. Some sources suggest they kept a long fringe in the front. Vikings did not create or keep written records, so the question of whether or not Vikings had dreadlocks cannot be answered using original sources from people within that culture. We also have strict editorial integrity; heres an explanation of our editorial guidelines and how we make money. If youve not done Viking dreadlocks or braids before, then youll probably want to go to a hairdresser or barber to get a professional look or at the very least enlist a friend to help! Viking men had the most options in terms of acceptable hairstyles. Hairstyles were used a sign of status for men too slaves often had their hair tightly cropped or their heads shaved completely to show loyalty to their owner. A guide to Viking beards, Were the Dutch Vikings? Thanks to the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism . The majority of ancient people wore dreadlocks for religious purposes. Understanding how Vikings wore their hair is also an excellent way to understand more about Viking culture and practices! We all associate dreadlocks with the Rastafarian movement and its true that dreads do have a big symbolic significance in Rastafari culture. In the modern world, hairstyles are often thought of as a matter of choice and mere appearance. To secure the cord, the wearer would have folded one cord over on itself once, then created a slipknot around the base of the braid. Women love to have dreadlocks for two reasons, it looks cooler and is easy to carry. The Vikings neighbours, the Celts had their own version of dreadlocks which they called elflocks, so the Vikings may well have shared this name, although theres no written record of what the Vikings would have called dreadlocks. The Vikings were known to place great importance on personal hygiene, and that even extended to their hairstyles. Still, theres a good chance that many of the earliest people (including Neanderthals) had dreadlocks. Highlighting someones hairstyle was then a way to suggest something about their nature as people. There is no irrefutable evidence to suggest that Celtic hairstyles influenced Scandinavian hairstyles. Widely usedViking dreadlock hair beard beads for men and women.Suitable for besides hair, braid, beard, dreadlock, pirate, medieval braid hair beads decoration, also fit for crafting bracelets and necklaces of unique mysterious style along with beading strings and DIY stuffs,wedding, cosplay and daily use.Hair beard beads as a gift is . Norse viking rune beads with antique silver metal finish on each edge, plus Northern European symbol and character on the middle, are with retro exotic style. Your dreadlocks hairstyle is complete. Based on written records, like the writings mentioned above, as well as some hair care artifacts, like combs, that Scandinavian archaeologists have discovered, there is reason to believe that the Vikings valued managing their hair. The Celts were neighbors of the Viking people who lived in Scandinavia, the Northern region of Europe. See What Did the Vikings Look Like? [2]. Read on to find out all you need to know about Viking dreadlocks and braids. This is one of the most popular shorter hairstyles with dreadlocks for females. We hope this article has given you some insight into the rich history behind dreadlocks and answered your questions about Vikings and their dreads. As some women love to make buns with their hair and if they have dreadlocks then they can make Viking dreadlock buns. Seline Shenoy is a journalist and podcaster. As geographical neighbors, both peoples likely had an influence on each other. Based on this evidence, theres a good chance that Vikings wore dreadlocks. There are hieroglyphs showing Egyptian pharaohs wearing locs to symbolize wealth and power. On the below side, we are going to share Female Dreadlock hairstyles that you can wear in short, medium, or long lengths. The ancient people may simply have worn dreadlocks as a fashion preference. Historians believe the word dreadlocks was first used when the British army fought Kenyan warriors during the 19th-century colonial battles. Did Vikings have dreads? to learn more. Most Vikings (men and women) wore their hair in braids. Polish plaits are a matted formation of hair that was common in Europe. Dreads are easier to maintain and offer a complete and permanent look compared to braided hair. To morph longer locks, youll need to create a coil pattern. In some cultures, male hair was connected to manliness, while female hair was connected to femininity. Dreadlocks Were Practical This is very easy to make and you can easily go with this hairstyle. Norse dreadlocks played a significant role in the Viking grooming rituals for several reasons. The tale goes on to say that Odin was so distraught after the death that he refused to comb or wash his hair for many days. So, depending on your hair length, you can choose any of the below given Viking hairstyles. They didnt leave a lot of written records that tell us details about their life, but there are documented accounts from foreign people who have interacted with them that describe Vikings as having long hair that looked like ropes. Some of the types of dreads seen today are: Due to the negative connotations surrounding the origin of the name, some people have stopped referring to the style as dreads. On the below side, we have shared different dreadlocks for small hair, medium hair, and long hair women. Norse men believed that male Viking dreadlocks gave them a more fierce appearance that could intimidate foreign people. Some historians believe that the Vikings may have had a distinct way of braiding their hair or arranging and growing it into dreadlocks. Unfortunately, its impossible to pin down the exact origin of dreads. Viking women may have worn braids, buns, the Irish ribbon knot, or other styles underneath these hoods to secure and cover their hair. [1] However, modern historians and archaeologists identify most of the female figures depicted wearing this hairstyle as mythical beings and valkyries, so its unclear whether this hairstyle was a common one among typical Viking women. For other Viking Hairstyles for females, you can check the below side or can visit the main page of this website. Egyptians were experts at preserving corpses through a process called mummification. Having dreadlocks means that there is a need to take additional care to preserve the look and maintain hair health. In ancient India, the god Shiva is depicted with dreadlocks, while illustrations show the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun with braids in around 1300 BC. Storytelling, art, and songs were common ways to transfer stories from one generation to the next. You can make this hairstyle and can steal the heart of your favorite person. Although both locs and dreads dont look very different to the untrained eye, as both are made by braiding hair, they are quite different. Since personal hygiene was known to be important to the Vikings, its likely that wearing braids and dreadlocks was a practical solution to keeping hair neat and in control. The Viking men who traveled to distant lands in order to fight and loot often wore their hair in long braids and sometimes dreadlocks. As a result, South American mummies were found with their dreads still in place. Laghertas dreads. The Scandinavian day for saturday (Lrdag, laugardag) means washing day. While it wasnt uncommon for men to shear off most of the hair on the sides or back of their head, most Viking women kept all of their hair long, keeping it off their neck by braiding and knotting it at the top of the skull. The more ornate this covering, the greater the wealth of her husband. While braids can be taken out quite easily, it is not the same with dreadlocks, which are for all practical purposes, permanent. Known as fairy-locks or elflocks, this hairstyle seems to have been made from a combination of tangles and knots. While it may not have looked as put together as the dreads that people wear today, they kept it looking neat. What we can assume about Viking hairstyles is that they were likely far removed from the depictions we see today in movies and television shows. Hairstyles among the Vikings may have been an indicator of the social status of individuals. You can make your dreadlocks wavy using silk or satin-covered hair rollers. Men and women alike adorned themselves in lavish hairdos, likely including dreads. Popular culture sometimes depicts Vikings with dreadlocks, but modern portrayals arent always accurate. There is no clear timeline for when the Vikings embraced specific hairstyles. Many female Viking hairstyles are untraceable through art since most married Viking women kept their hair covered or tightly wound in a bun. One of the best ways to determine whether Vikings had dreads is to explore the different types of hairstyles associated with Viking culture. Also see What Are Norse Tattoos To Avoid? [6]. This suggests that regular hygiene included cleaning and grooming hair. Long, thick dreadlocks were no doubt intimidating to the residents of the coastal areas where Vikings wreaked havoc, especially when combined with the traditional Viking tattoos its believed they had. Get the Facts. Some Vikings likely wore dreads, though most likely sported thick plaits of braids or the reverse mullet hairstyle. [4]. Join thousands of others and stay up to date with the our latest articles. Viking culture was kept alive through its oral tradition, much of which has been lost over the centuries. Historical records indicate that Vikings had permanent markings on their skin. Curly dreads have this romantic and jazzy feeling they evoke. Like the Egyptians, advanced preservation techniques allowed some of the corpses to remain fully intact. We will also share many other Female dread hairstyles on this page so dont forget to follow us on Pinterest. References:[1] Source[2] Source[3] Source[4] Source[5] Source[6] Source[7] Source[8] Source. Doing so helped to keep hair out of the face while working or fighting. For instance, Romans have written about the appearance of Vikings, describing their long flowing hair as hair like snakes. This resembles contemporary depictions of Norse heroes such as Thor, played by actor Chris Hemsworth. You Probably Need a Haircut is reader-supported. There is also evidence on what Vikings looked like to support that some Viking men wore their hair short, at least in the back, while others may have had shoulder-length hair they brushed back and secured with silk or metal ties and ornaments. Braided locs can easily be undone, and your hair can return to its natural structure soon after. Some Native American men from various tribes twisted their hair into long rolls and decorated them with clay, animal fat, and paint. The most popular of these caps was called the Jorvik (York) cap, a curved head covering that resembles a modern-day hood with a tie that would have secured it under the chin of the wearer. But did Vikings have dreadlocks? Long hair was likely to fall into your face running into combat, reducing your field of vision and potentially opening you up to attack. If youd like to adopt an authentic Viking hairstyle, youll want to know whether these people sported dreadlocks. January 4, 2023. Did Vikings actually have dreads? While modern pop culture depictions of Vikings would have you believe they were unkempt and rather rough around the edges in appearance, the evidence supports the use of combs and a preference for well-groomed beards and hair. But contrary to popular belief, the Vikings werent solely comprised of warriors. Though its typically associated with a specific culture, the term Viking actually refers to the act of sailing to a distant land and pillaging its resources. Because of its ease, it may have been very common, but theres no strong evidence for it other than stylized depictions and reliefs. Consequently, having short hair was a sign of disgrace, as it identified you as an enslaved person with fewer rights and freedoms than the average community member. As we mentioned before, dreadlocks have been worn on nearly every continent. While the exact origins of dreadlocks may never be definitively proven, theres enough evidence in the historical and archeological record to determine that Vikings did not invent dreadlocks. 3. 5 out of 5 stars (647) Sale Price $16.35 $ 16.35 $ 19.24 Original Price $19.24 . did participate in Viking activities, many also stayed at home to tend to farming, construction, and child-rearing duties.