Scientists in Sweden have unearthed a groundbreaking finding suggesting that Viking women underwent a form of cranial modification over 1,000 years ago. A team of German researchers made this remarkable discovery, uncovering three elongated skulls believed to have been altered during the women’s infancy when their skulls were still soft and malleable.
The researchers propose that the elongation of skulls among the Vikings may have been a cultural practice linked to notions of status and beauty. While cranial modification has been observed in various cultures around the world, including in the Black Sea region, Mesoamerica, Native America, and Eurasia, this is the first instance of such a practice being identified within Viking society.
Utilizing DNA analysis, experts from the Viking Museum Haithabu and the University of Münster in Germany confirmed that the skulls originate from the Scandinavian Viking Age in Gotland, an island situated in the Baltic Sea and part of present-day Sweden.
The study also sheds light on other cultural practices, such as teeth filing, observed among the Vikings. This practice, alongside cranial modification, could have served as identifiers for specific merchant groups or as initiation rites within Viking communities.
Interestingly, similar practices of cranial modification have been documented in other parts of the world. For example, communities in Toulouse, France, practiced a form of cranial deformation known as ACD (artificial cranial deformation), as recorded in the early 20th century. Moreover, in Vanuatu, a Pacific island nation, individuals engage in cranial modification to emulate their deity, Ambat, who is depicted with an elongated skull and nose.
The discovery of cranial modification among Viking women in Sweden offers new insights into the cultural practices and beliefs of this ancient society, highlighting the complexity and diversity of human civilizations throughout history.
