These protective coverings would have made married and unmarried Viking women easily identifiable. Various ethnic groups in Southern, Northern, and Central America have worn dreadlocks. Viking culture was kept alive through its oral tradition, much of which has been lost over the centuries. Doing so helped to keep hair out of the face while working or fighting. References:[1] Source[2] Source[3] Source[4] Source[5] Source[6] Source[7] Source[8] Source. In ancient Egypt, bas-reliefs and other artefacts have been found to show Egyptians donning braided hairstyles (and even wigs). The Irish ribbon knot is the most frequently depicted female hairstyle in Viking Age art and artifacts. 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. However, long hair was fashionable and highly valued. Vikings women wore their female Viking dreadlocks differently before and after marriage. 20 Best Viking Hairstyles Female ideas | viking hair, hair styles, long hair styles Viking Hairstyles Female 20 Pins 3y G Collection by Makeup Artist Similar ideas popular now Hair Beauty Hair Makeup Wedding Hairstyles Braids Braided Hairstyles Updo Braided Updo Up Hairstyles Hairdos Updos Viking Hairstyles Female Dreads 2016 Hair Trends Hair Expo The site covers the whole region, from cool cities like Stockholm, Oslo,Gothenburg and Copenhagen, all the way north to the frozen reaches of Swedish Lapland. Long Dreadlock Ponytail. These rope-like strands of hair, created by braiding or locking hair, were worn by people of distinct origins around the world, including the Vikings. The Romans created many accounts of Viking encounters, and described their hair as being like snakes. Most of the information historians use to learn about Viking hairstyles comes from carvings, statues, and ancient texts. Traditional locs Dreadlocks that range in size from thin to thick. Kinky and curly hair textures dread naturally, even with frequent grooming. 14 Throwback Y2K Hairstyles Trending in 2023. There is no irrefutable evidence to suggest that Celtic hairstyles influenced Scandinavian hairstyles. Vikings are known to have lived in the area of Northern Europe we now call Scandinavia. Vikings (vkingr in Old Norse) are well-known for being fierce Scandanavian warriors, but what were their haircare routines like? One reason why this was so maybe so is that some cultures associated womens hair with femininity and mens hair with masculinity. Keep reading to discover what hairstyles the Vikings had and how hairstyle affected a Vikings standing in their local community. The Scandinavian warriors known as Vikings were known to take to the seas to conquer, pillage, and plunder. But if you fancy having a go at doing it yourself there are plenty of online tutorials to help you get your favourite look. These are some of the ancient cultures that mention or showcase dreadlocks: Ancient Greece: Earliest depictions of dreadlocks were seen in frescoes in Crete and in Thera (modern-day Santorini) in 3600 BC. Once the dreads are well-established, you can begin experimenting with different Viking braid patterns. Ancient Greece has some of the earliest depictions of dreads in its artwork. [9] 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. Because the Vikings did not create or maintain written records, there is no clear understanding of what they might have called their dreadlocks. However, not all Vikings had dreadlocks, and hairstyle was often associated with social class. 9. to learn more. Polish plaits were often associated with witchcraft. Also see What Color Eyes Did Vikings Have? Our travel guides are all researched on the ground by writers who know the areainside-outand speak the local lingo. Like the rest of Africa, Egypt has some of the most well-documented evidence of ancient dreadlocks. Consequently, they took great pride in their hairstyles. 3. They noticed the locs on the warriors and called them dreadful, thus creating the term dreadlocks. Your email address will not be published. Sometimes their hair was further accessorized with a decorative circlet that matched their clothing. Norse men believed that male Viking dreadlocks gave them a more fierce appearance that could intimidate foreign people. Whether the Vikings had dreadlocks or braids is a matter of some discussion. Besides Norse dreadlocks, there were plenty of unisex styles that enhanced the appearance of both men and women, such as Viking mohawk dreads, an undercut with dreads, braids, reverse mullets, ponytails, buns, crisscross dreadlocks. A Simple Natural Hair Regimen for Beginners (to Promote Growth), Natural Hair 101: What No One Tells You About Going Natural, What Most Bloggers Dont Tell You About Using Rice Water for Hair Growth, The Best Essential Oils for Hair Growth and Thickness, Yelena Belova Hairstyle Tutorial: Hawkeye Braids Step-by-Step, Addison Rae Hair Color and Styles: DIY Step-by-Step Tutorial, Travis Scott Braids Hairstyle Tutorial: DIY How to Guide, How to Make Your Hair Grow Faster and Thicker as a Black Man, Aztec Clay Hair Mask: Benefits & How to Use It Step-By-Step, 7 Cute & Easy Infant Black Baby Girl Hairstyles with Tutorials, 8 Types of Military Buzz Cut Fade Styles, Designs, and Ideas, 11 Best Hair Color Ideas, Shades, Trends, and Inspo for Women, 15 Crochet Hair Styles: Ways to Style Crochet Hair for Ladies, How to Get Butterscotch Hair Color and What Does It Look Like. The most crucial difference is the way that they are structured. Scandification 2023. Researchers believe that Vikings may have worn both braids and dreadlocks. link to How Did Vikings Treat Their Wives? Other married women secured their hair in a bun using a hair stick. Widely Use: Dreadlocks beads in various styles, sufficient quantity can satisfy your daily decorative needs for different occasions. You can make a bob with your dreads or can simply make a similar hairstyle with the below one. | Yes, But Not Always, Written by: Author Olivia Moore |Reviewed by: Editorial Team. to learn what scientists believe about their faces, hairstyles, clothing, skin color, and more. It was a practical hairstyle Dreadlocks were seen as both fashionable and functional by the Vikings. Some people consider braids and locks as same but both are totally different. 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. You need to roll and moisture the dreads every day. In Celtic folklore, elves appear at night to tie knots in peoples hair; hence, the term elflocks. Celtic legend also said that combing out these knots brings bad luck. 3.Exotic Design: Lykoow dreadlock beard beads made of alloy metal which is of high sturdiness and durability. 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. Recent depictions of Viking women often portray them with elaborately braided hair, mohawks, dreadlocks, and partially shaved heads. Danish shoe brands: Fall head over heels for these Danish shoes, The best Scandinavian Christmas tree decorations and ornaments, Animals in Norse mythology: A guide to Nordic animals, Norse tattoos to avoid: Problematic Norse symbol tattoos, An exhaustive list of Viking god names and their meanings, Did Vikings have beards? Wearing their hair loose all the time would have been impractical, so dreads were used to keep their long hair from getting in the way as they fought. They were believed to be signs of sickness in the body. 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. Your dreadlocks hairstyle is complete. He is a serial hair blogger that has been writing about hair care since 2008, when he co-founded Curl Centric and Natural Hair Box. The fact is the Vikings were one of several ancient people groups to have worn dreadlocks, along with the ancient Gauls, Celts, Indians, and many more. To make it cooler, you can color some of the dreads and can use Viking rings and leather strips. Many female Viking hairstyles are untraceable through art since most married Viking women kept their hair covered or tightly wound in a bun. , from thin blonde strands to thick black heads of hair. Other accounts suggest they let their hair grow long because they would travel for lengthy periods of time. So, if you also love to have dreadlocks but havent tried them before then, you can go with a simple Viking dreadlocks hairstyle for females. The Vikings did not have access to the advanced hair care products, synthetic extensions, and teams of professionals it takes to create the Viking dreads we see in dramatic productions. Dreadlocks are commonly thought to be a Black style that other races imitate. Descriptions of elflocks are found in ancient Celtic folklore. Unmarried women wore their hair loose in dreads or braids. In the Torah and Bible, Samson had seven locks of hair. After all, familiarizing yourself with a cultures most popular hairstyles is an excellent way to understand which hairdos were popular and which were rare. Wealthy individuals adorned their hairstyles with brightly colored ribbons and embellished caps. Foreign people likely found the unfamiliar hairstyle intimidating. However, they werent the only Europeans to do so. Due to the lack of concrete evidence, its impossible to accurately state whether Vikings wore dreadlocks. Virtually all hair will naturally mat and form dreadlocks if left alone for a period of time. Women love to have dreadlocks for two reasons, it looks cooler and is easy to carry. Generally, Vikings wore their hair in one of the following styles: When you keep your hair long and braided most days, theres a chance that it could naturally begin to form into dreadlocks. Maidens wore the Kransen with these styles, while married women wore buns or caps. Viking warriors usually wore long braids or dreadlocks to make them more intimidating to their enemies in battle or perhaps, more simply, for the practical purpose or keeping their hair out of their eyes while fighting! Long hair was common among the Vikings, as short hair was associated with enslavement. Some historians make a distinction between braids and dreadlocks. [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. She gathered the top section of hair around the crown of her head and braided it until she reached the area around her back hairline. While many of the men and women living in Scandinavia during. While the Vikings themselves havent shed a lot of light on this subject, we can thank those who encountered the Vikings even if they werent thrilled about it at the time, Im sure, given the Vikings less-than-welcoming reputation for discussing the topic, at least to a point. Depending on your role in the community, you likely wore a specific hairstyle to denote your status. These rope-like strands, created by locking or braiding hair, were worn for practical, spiritual and aesthetic reasons. However, later literary evidence suggests that many groups required married women to keep their hair covered with caps during the latter half of the Viking age. However, the simplicity of the Irish ribbon knot would make it an easy-to-achieve style that took little effort and no cord, sticks, or needles to complete. Some women are shown wearing braided hair on top of their head and the rest left loose. There are hieroglyphs showing Egyptian pharaohs wearing locs to symbolize wealth and power. Here are a couple of theories behind why dreadlocks were important to Vikings: Vikings wore dreads to show their position in their clans. 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. What is known about the Vikings is that they sometimes used lye or other substances to stain or bleach their hair to a lighter shade. Both forms of locks may have been simply the result of practical necessity or the lack of regular combing or brushing. are well-known for being fierce Scandanavian warriors, but what were their haircare routines like? Still, Viking women tended to wear complex plaits made of braids, while mens hairstyles were often more straightforward. We exists to inform people about the people, culture, and history of Northern Europe. Dreadlocks may have also served practical purposes within every culture in which this style is documented. In Viking fiction movies, you may have seen Vikings in dreadlocks or dreads but it is still a myth whether they really wore dreadlocks? In three archaeological examples, these hoods were made of undyed silk and likely had linen ties. However, there are cultural influences too. 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. While braids can be taken out quite easily, it is not the same with dreadlocks, which are for all practical purposes, permanent. This section will cover some cultures known to have dreads. And if so, what would Viking dreadlocks have looked like? Men and women wore different hairstyles to express their masculinity or femininity in their communities. When many folks think of dreadlocks, the drama that unfolded between Zendaya and Giuliana Rancic probably comes to mind. Written records from cultures that encountered the Vikings do mention snake-like, roped hair and coiled hair, but there is no specific name mentioned. Some historians believe that unmarried Viking girls may have worn dreadlocks for special formal occasions or festivals. Viking Mohawk Ponytail for Long Dreadlock. While it may not have looked as put together as the dreads that people wear today, they kept it looking neat. Vikings wore dreads for some of these reasons but also had reasons specific to their traditions. In many cases, they were merely a sign of neglected strands. CurlCentric.com is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. Next, she placed her free hand through the loop and pulled the ends of the ponytail through the hair loop, forming a knot. The Vikings have a reputation as some of the fiercest warriors in history, and accounts of their terrible exploits are plentiful. But Viking warriors likely developed dreads while spending long bouts of time away from home. That is, historical evidence suggests that younger Viking women may have worn braids. Fortunately, there are some other groups that provide us with an indication of whether Vikings had dreads. Dreadlocks were seen as both fashionable and functional by the Vikings. Since the Vikings kept few historical records, they relied on the oral tradition to pass down their culture and stories. See What Did the Vikings Look Like? Although, it is the same like side shaved Viking dreadlock you can make a side bang and can dye it into your favorite color. This means they kept the top portion long (typically braided) but cut the sides and back very short. There is no question that the Vikings had dreadlocks that were different in texture from those of African and Indian origins (although recent studies and historical sources suggest that there were also Black Vikings, whose hair was likely of a different texture from those Vikings who were genetically Northern European). From shamans to warriors, dreads were a staple hairstyle due to the curly nature of African hair. Both men and women took great pride in the lavish dread hairdos not only because they enhanced their appearance but because of their meaning. Please see the About page for details. Is It Bad for Your Hair? But are they the same thing? Get the Facts, link to Were the Vikings Black? After all, our ancient ancestors focused on survival, not keeping their hair tangle-free. All you need to choose your favorite side to shave your head and then make dreadlocks with your long or medium-length hair. Ancient Romans alluded to this when they described the Viking dreads as snake-like.. Then, the remaining length of the working cord was either tied off at the back of the head or tucked into a braid to secure it. Dreadlocks were common among the Vikings and in other people who lived in ancient Egypt, Guinea, and Pacific Island. Instead, they use the term locs to describe the style. Your email address will not be published. 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. Get the Facts. Roman writers have described some Vikings as wearing long rope-like braids, while other accounts say that the Celts and Vikings had hair like snakes. Long hair was likely to fall into your face running into combat, reducing your field of vision and potentially opening you up to attack. The other way they wore it was by creating a dreadlock man bun with shaved sides, a loose ponytail of dreads or cornrows on all parts of the head. As their hair grew, it became tangled and formed knots. Wealthy individuals adorned their hairstyles with brightly colored ribbons and embellished caps. A guide to Viking beards, Were the Dutch Vikings? So, the style either features a long, trailing braid or a braided bun. And to add to the overall Viking lookcheck out Did Vikings Wear Makeup? The Celts were their relatively close neighbors to the south. You can make your dreadlocks wavy using silk or satin-covered hair rollers. To create this hairstyle, the Elling woman likely followed these steps: However, historians are unsure whether the Elling woman completely wrapped the braid into this top section to form a bun. If youd like to adopt an authentic Viking hairstyle, youll want to know whether these people sported dreadlocks. No spam. Roman authors described some Vikings as having long hair that looked like ropes. The answer is that there are a huge variety of dreadlocks that the Vikings could have worn. 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. The Celts were the Vikings neighbors to the south, and being in close geographical proximity, they influenced each other in different ways. That is why many people who would like to stop wearing dreadlocks often opt to shave their heads. They mentioned that some Vikings had long, rope-like hair. But contrary to popular belief, the Vikings werent solely comprised of warriors. In general, softer hair can take longer than a year, and coarse hair can lock in within a few months. Five of the traditional female Viking hairstyles include: The Irish ribbon knot The Arden braid The Elling braid The Kransen for maidens The style begins with two low-set braids, one on each side of the head. [1] (Also see What Hairstyles Did the Vikings Have?). 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. Dreadlocks, commonly known as locs or dreads are ropelike hairs. But many people have heard through the grapevine that Vikings wore dreads in ancient times. An old Norse myth talks about the god Odin and his emotional distress after losing his son. She then pulled the knot tightly against her head to secure her hair. What Did the Vikings Look Like? As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Spiral Wavy Dreadlocks. The Celts were well documented to wear their hair in dreads and may have inspired the Vikings to follow suit.