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Strange Viking Sex Rituals That Can Take You Aback

Looking for Viking sex rituals? From the late 8th to the late 11th century, there were a number of strange Viking customs practiced by the well-known fierce warriors who were notorious for plundering countries and brutalizing their residents. Those intense, seasoned Scandinavians would kill hundreds and conduct extreme ritualistic executions.
What’s known is that the Viking age is littered with some extreme rituals from the Norse religion but also a few oddball traditions that Vikings exclusively carried out. However, those merciless pirates did also have a softer and superstitious side, placing their faith in omens and good luck charms. The same Norse Paganism that instilled their sacrificial practices also taught them to respect the land.
They were productive farmers and enjoyed activities such as skiing and crafting. Women were highly respected and wielded a great deal of power within their society, which was rare for the time. They lived in a well-ordered democratic society that just happened to partake in terrifying Norse rituals from time to time.

Sex And Sacrifice Are Included In The Burial Ritual Of The Viking Leader

Source: Frank Dicksee / Wikimedia Commons

One of the “slave girls” of the Viking leader, of chief, would volunteer to join him in the afterlife when he died. Prior to that, it was necessary for an unnerving practice to be done, when the girl would be taken care of and perpetually intoxicated with several drinks while the preparations were carried out.
Then she would join what is called a “sexual rites”, in which she would make love with all of the village’s men before being strangled. She would later be stabbed the the village matriarch, having her body put next to the chief on a wooden ship, set on fire and sent out to sea. This made sure she would forever in her master’s service in the afterlife. This practice embodied the Viking way of transforming the chieftain’s lifeforce.
The girl would then partake in “sexual rites,” whereas she would have sex with every man in the village before being strangled. The village matriarch then stabbed her and her body was placed with that of the chief on a wooden ship, set on fire and sent out to sea. This ensured that she would serve her master for ever after in the afterlife. The sexual rites embodied the Viking way of transforming the chieftain's lifeforce.

Every Nine Years, 81 People Were Sacrificed During Yule

Source: Carl Larsson / Wikimedia Commons

Swedish Kings took the tradition of tributing men at the Temple of Uppsala during Yule every 10th year. 9 heads would be cut off and sacrificed to the gods, while the remains would be hung out in the temple’s sacred grove. The custom last for 9 days, adding up to 81 sacrifices following with feasts and Yule festivities.

The Blood Eagle Was A Gruesome Execution Method

Source: Viktor Vasnetsov / Wikimedia Commons

A ritualized form of execution, the Blood Eagle was depicted in Norse literature as a method of sacrifice to the All-Father Odin. Until now, chroniclers remain unsure about the existence of this method, doubting whether it was just a tale to stir fear into foes. However, scholars at the time illustrated the tradition so specifically that it’s hard to believe the other way.
Such torturous deaths were commonly applied to individual punishment of lacking honor or exact vengeance on a mortal enemy. It started with restraint of the victim face down as the shape of an eagle with its wings outstretched was cut into his back. Each rib would then be carefully detached from the spine with a sharp instrument.
Once all ribs were separated, they would be pulled outward to form the illusion of protruding wings. While still alive and in pain, the victim’s lungs were then pulled from the gaping hole and set over his “wings.” This gave the illusion that his wings “fluttered” as he took his final breaths and met his demise.

Warding Off The Draugr Involved Scissors, Twigs, And Needles

Source: Charles Ernest Butler / Wikimedia Commons

Zombies, in Norse mythology, is depicted as a draugr. Draugr is a big, brutal zombie with fabulously lye-dyed locks and and a horrendous stench who often lay waste by killing people, animals and destroying assets. Of course, there are certain methods to ward off these creatures, including hiding twigs in the clothing of the recently dead.
Other ways are putting an open pair of scissors on the chest of the deceased or driving needles through the bottom of their feet so as not to allow them to rise again. Lifting and lowering the coffin in 3 different sections and ensuring that the big toes of the body were tied together.

The Blót Was A Huge Sacrifice Meant To Show Gratitude To The Gods

Source: August Malmström / Wikimedia Commons

That is the reason for it being practiced publicly several times in a year. Often, animals would be cut over an altar of stones, then the blood would be poured into a bowl and passed around and sipped while chanting ensued. Next, they’d pass around the carcass for more chanting, before dousing it with its own blood. The size of the kill correlated with the level of gratitude.

Berserkers Raided Towns Like Beasts

Source: RICpaint / Wikimedia Commons

Being warrior shamans, berserker had to experience a symbolic death and rebirth to be granted their inner powers. Usually, they would be put in threating situations in the wilderness, expected to survive as their wild totem animals would often do.
Whether the totem animals are bear or wolf, they had to hunt and ravage surrounding towns, similar to the action of the animals. They intentionally stripped themselves of all humanity and morale to become savages on a physical and emotional level. They went berserk as beasts did on the battlefield with no fear nor armor.

Vikings Painted Their Teeth

Source: Monro S. Orr / Wikimedia Commons

Discoveries indicate that Vikings had the tradition of decorating their teeth. Nearly 24 remnants from the Viking era has been unearthed with horizontal grooves intentionally filed into the suraces of the front teeth. Different dyes were believed to be used to color in the grooves.

Vikings Repurposed Their Urine

Source: Unknown / Wikimedia Commons

Yep, they did indeed found a method to make fire out of their urine, done by boiling a tree bark fungus, called touchwood, in a pot of urine for days. Then they would pound them into a strip of “felt-like” material. The sodium nitrate in urine made these “fungus bombs” smolder instead of burning, allowing Vikings to take fire with them wherever they went

Battle Rituals Involved Magic And Sacrifice

Source: Andreas Bloch / Wikimedia Commons

Vikings warriors were very superstitious, often practicing magic battle ritual. First, they would find and deduce any probably omens and react properly to each one. Then, they must certainly mark every of their weapons that would be taken into battle with enchanting symbols representing strength, luck and courage. Battle sacrifices would also be made, including strong animals like boars, stallions or bulls.

Viking Men Dyed Their Hair Blonde

Source: Frank Dicksee / Wikimedia Commons

Every culture has its own standard of beauty and these rulers of the sea were no different. Apparently, Viking men preferred blonde hair so strongly that they’d use harsh soaps with a high lye content to strip the hair of its natural color, effectively bleaching it. They would also dye their beards to match. These soaps also killed off head lice, so they accomplished two different hair treatments with one product.
 
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