A study has found that high-ranking Danish Vikings wore beaver pelts to show their social status, similar to how designer clothes are worn today.
Beavers did not they are native to Denmark, so their furs were probably luxury items acquired through trade, that is, an indicator that they had a desire to wear exclusive furs.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen determined that rodent fur was a symbol of wealth and an important trade item in the 10th century.
Analysis of animal remains left in elite tombs indicates that the Norse also wore clothing made from the skins of weasels and squirrels.
Researchers analyzed ancient samples of furs and skins from the graves of high-status Vikings from Denmark and found one non-native species imported from outside the region was a surefire sign of wealth and status. https://t.co/EK9yLktTiT
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Lead author of the study, Dr. Luise Ørsted Brandt, stated: “In Viking times, wearing exotic fur was almost certainly an overt visual statement of wealth and social status, similar to the high-end fashion of today’s world.” .
This study used proteins preserved in Viking elite burials to provide direct evidence of the trade and use of beaver pelts.
The importance of furs
Written sources indicate that furs were a key product during the Viking Age, between the 800 and the 1050 AD However, as the archaeological record often disappears, little direct evidence is available to determine the types of skins that the Vikings preferred.
For the new study, Dr. Brandt and his colleagues analyzed the remains of animals used to cover six graves of Viking elite society in 10th-century Denmark.
No DNA samples could be recovered, which the researchers say could due to the treatment processes of the skins or their conservation conditions. Fortunately, proteins were recovered using two different techniques.
High ranking Danish Vikings they wore beaver pelts to show their social status. (Photo: Gioele Fazzeri/ Pixabay)
The proteins indicated that the skins were from domestic animals and that they were used as furniture or to cover graves.
The findings, published in PLOS ONE, support the idea that fur was a symbol of wealth during the Viking Age.
The fact that some clothing from the graves included skins of multiple species shows that the Vikings knew the functions of different animal skins.
The variety of imported animals used may also indicate that they had a desire to wear exclusive skins.
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