A study by the National Library of Medicine concluded that its more challenging for skin with more pigmentation (i.e., darker skin) to absorb vitamin D [4]. Malm (Niskanen 148), [17] [13], The Finns and the Smi maintained their separate language identity even at a time when other Uralic speakers were losing their language to the Indo-Europeans. Im a Nordic native (a Swede with a Finnish mother to be precise) who likes to get nerdy and share first-hand experiences, data-driven resources, and useful guides to help people discover and understand the culture, people, life, sights, design, and history (Vikings anyone?) Genetic testing has shown that the Finns and the Smi are phenotypically and genetically typical Europeans. This false belief was due to linguists of the time believing that Finno-Ugric languages had an eastern origin. Facts After the divergence of the Finns from the Smi, the Smi tended to have offspring within their own group; however, the influence from the Baltic and Germanic people caused the Finns to intermix with other Indo-Europeans, making them more genetically similar to the Europeans than the Smi are. [16]. They also have a rather rounded face and very delicate facial features. The First Scandinavians Where Dark-skinned and Blue-eyed. Average Height in the Nordics (Data & Graphs), The average height of both males and females in the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland) are all among the tallest 20 countries in the world (or top 10%), but why is that? Id say typical scandinavian face is an upturned nose, pale skin, We exists to inform people about the people, culture, and history of Northern Europe. Data Fashion WebThey have a pronounced nose, high cheekbones, and slim lips. The highest cheekbones are another trait associated with Scandinavians. Although light features are standard, some swedes have darker hair and eyes. Language (Julku 183), Origin and Genetic Background of the Smi. 1. The Viking beard was also a source of pride, and if someone insulted another mans beard that was grounds for killing the other man according to the sagas. In fact, Vikings were likely more dark-haired than Scandinavians are today. Scientifically speaking, there are a couple of factors that could play in the Scandinavians favor as far as sexual selection and attractiveness go: I want to point out that beauty is entirely objective, and what is considered attractive for some may not be for others. Furthermore, recent DNA studies show that people from modern-day Scandinavia have a specific gene-makeup that is linked to more facial hair growth than average, as well as a facial hair growth pattern that is concentrated around the upper lip, cheek, neck, and chin (meaning full beards are common among Scandinavians). Swedes are not only known for having light eyes and pale skin but also for their fair hair. So even though many Swedes dont receive a lot of sunlight during certain parts of the year (especially up north), they generally have adequate vitamin D levels [5]. Vikings were proud of their beards, and facial hair in archeological findings see a sudden increase during the Viking age (compared to the bronze age), suggesting there was a strong cultural preference for beards. I love this site, and I dont want to make sound as Im complaining now but I must say that I am very skeptical of the dark-skinned and blue-eyed people who are said to be the first Scandinavians. Pelvis width can be very useful in this respect., Your email address will not be published. Get in to the Scandinavian spirit at home with our premium museum-quality prints and original apparel sent right to your doorstep with free shipping worldwide. Top 5 Most Innovative and Futuristic Cars of 2023, Ways To Store Marijuana Correctly to Maintain Freshness, How Chemistry And Business Are Interrelated, A Beginners Guide To Coin Grades: How They Are Calculated, Six Marketing Methods Every Pest Control Company Should Try, 10 Best And Cheapest Sites To Buy Instagram Followers in 2023, Reasons Why a Real Estate Company Buys Houses for Cash. The sagas often tell tales of exceptional strength, which is supported by several forms of archaeological evidence. Lets start with going through what we know about how the Norse wore and styled their hair: Here are some historically accurate Viking male hairstyles found in archeological evidence and described in historical accounts from the time period: These Norse hairstyles can be seen in archeological findings that have been dated from the Viking age, in the form of jewelry, sculptures, and other artifacts, as well as in historical accounts such as texts, letters, and inscriptions. Denmark, Sweden, and Norway three countries that often rank best when it comes to education, health care, style, and much more. The sagas reveal feats of great strength, and while that may be exaggerated, analysis of skeletal remains show larger-than-average muscle mass. Combining all of these sources (archaeological evidence, DNA findings, and written texts) gives us a fuller picture of how Viking Age hairstyles mightve looked, does show some interesting findings. That particular haircut has just never been described or documented in any way as far as we know. Two eyes, one nose, a mouth. Probably a chin and ears. I think. Njals Saga explains how Norse were expected to grow a beard, and those who didnt were often mocked. by | May 23, 2022 | most charitable crossword | May 23, 2022 | most charitable crossword What is interesting here is that this particular hairstyle was so associated with the Vikings/Normans that this English man felt shame that his brothers would wear his hair like that. [1] While this is somewhat a result of natural selection that has allowed for adaptation to an environment with very low ultraviolet radiation, light pigments, like the Y chromosomal polymorphisms, are a result of a founding effect, not sexual selection, as it was once thought of in the past. Stereotypical Scandinavian traits and facial features have since the early 20th century included straight, blonde hair; blue eyes; tall figure; a straight nose; thin lips; and non-prominent cheekbones, according to Werner & Bjrks 2014 book Blond and Blue-eyed. I then categorized the colors as either light or dark: In other words, 85% of my friends and family in southern Scandinavia have light hair (ranging from blonde to light brown), and 75% have light eyes (blue, green, hazel, or grey). (Niskanen 125), [11] So the theory is that on top of any Vitamin D youd get from the sun, Scandinavians have also stocked up on it via their fish intake. So what did the Vikings actually look like? Usenet newsgroup. [5]. Some Swedes have dark hair, but its more common for them to have lighter hair. They also exercise more than the average person. http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/where_do.html, http://www.gnxp.com/MT2/archives/000245.html, http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/geeneng.html, http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq23.html. I do believe that there is a typically Swedish face type you rarely see elsewhere. The main feature are large blue eyes that are unusually close to Chernoff faces. What Do Modern-day Scandinavians Actually Look Like? A genetic distinctness even exists within the heterogeneous Smi, which leads some to believe that perhaps being classified as a Smi should be a grouping based on living a certain way of life rather than having a certain genetic component. So Ive spent a lot of time reading about and trying to understand the Viking symbols left behind on runestones, jewelry, weapons, armor, and other items from the Viking Age. Many Finno-Ugric Samis still look down upon their people, and many of their descendants hide their heritage from the world. Lets also look at how Nordic people as a whole compare to people from other regions of the world in height: After adding up the individual country data and calculating a weighted average for each region (i.e. (Savontaus), [2] [8] A study comparing the facial profile of young adult Swedes and Danes found that the Scandinavians have slightly higher cheekbones than the Danish population. Naturally, I wanted to see if this data held up based on my own experience, so I gathered all the hair and eye colors of 103 family members and friends who currently live in or around Malm, Sweden (one of the more culturally diverse cities in Sweden I should add). English Curious how Vikings actually looked like? In general, Vikings were genetically disposed to be tall on average and started training to become capable warriors from a very young age. This procreation keeps these genetics alive. (Sajantila), [10] All living humans who descended from Africa have about 2% Neanderthal DNA, and this includes Scandinavians. Fika There is a general belief among Norse historians that Vikings and Germanic people in general assigned special powers to long hair and beards, with the Suebi knot and Merovingian kings being two good Germanic examples where longer hair presented in a certain way was believed to have an effect on strength and power. And each of them blows his nose and spits and washes his face and hair in this basin. [3] They also tend to have medium-sized skulls and are very punctual. Vikings were mostly blond (with Danes specifically being mostly red-haired) according to skeletal DNA studies, but identifying as Viking wasnt limited to people with Scandinavian ancestry (vikingr just means pirate after all). Mythology March 22, 1996. There are a few theories on why people from Scandinavia, and the Nordics in general, can be light-skinned under low UV conditions (i.e. Eyes are typically lighter when there is a lack of melanin in the iris [1]. As a Scandinavian, you may be more prone to have high cheekbones. However, if someone has never been there before or doesnt know much about it, they might wonder what Swedish people look like. 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