How Viking is your tattoo?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ส.ค. 2020
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What makes a tattoo categorised as Viking? And is your answer justifiable?
Let us discuss what we all have in common. A love for all things viking, and an admiration for the tattoos inspired by them. Do you have what you would call a viking tattoo? The ultimate question really being, how Viking is your tattoo?
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"Dear Americans, stop this" I died.
This video made absolute sense. My philosophy on Viking tattoos is not that they’re inherently “Viking”, but that they adopt part of Norse culture for personal reasons. Many of my tattoos someone might look at and say “wow you look like a true Viking”. In reality they’re largely just patterns mixed with younger futhark runes and other symbols that have personal meaning. I enjoy ancient Norse culture (I have ancient lineage) so I embrace it in my own way. Doesn’t mean my tattoos are “Viking” in nature. Just that they adopt parts of that culture in my own telling. Love the videos man.
Really good video bro, I agree with everything you said here. "Dear Americans -- stop this" LOL! Your former colonist cousins are still a very young culture historically speaking, and are trying to feel out their heritage, and discover their family history and really just want to feel like their family was a part of something significant. Unfortunately, a lot of them get it wrong and reach for straws in the wring places. A lot of people look for something significant to be a part of because they feel no real sense of personal accomplishment in their lives, or no connection to their ancestors and so if they can reach for something to claim in their heritage or family history, they can claim that and have a sense of self satisfaction of being a part of something greater than themselves. That's just my take on the psychology behind people claiming "Viking" ancestry (instead of Scandinavian or Dane ancestry), and being proud Vikings, and not really understanding what "Viking" really meant.
I will get more into the idiotic idea of "Vikings are cool" soon, because it is super fun :D
Your voice is genuinely super relaxing so idk how someone could get mad at this and not take in what you said.
Awesome video!! I've tried having this same exact conversation with others and its great to hear the same opinion heard elsewhere. Can't wait to see your next video. 👍👍
I have no idea if my tattoo is "original" or "true", but I like it... and I suppose that at the end that's the only thing that really matters. I looked at stone carvings asking the artist to stay as accurate as possible to that style while depicting subjects. My whole idea was to tell a story, my story or well, my father's, using the Edda mythology. I have a very limited idea of what meaning could the Vikings put in their allegories when telling myths, so I chained subjects based on what they stand for/I like to think they stand for. The only part in which We went blind was a depiction of Ragnarok, for total lack of historical sources. So, is it viking? I would say yes and no at the same time. For sure no viking ever had my tattoo on his back, but at the same time, I think that's respectful of the culture, if you get what I'm saying.
Great vid
Also the word Ibn Fadlân uses for "tatooed" could also be translated in "painted" so it's still something that we are unsure of.
Great video! Love these video's about you sharing your knowledge on the different kind of topics!
I love watching your videos. I've been wanting a Nordic tattoo for some years now, and I'm thinking of a design for it. Your videos are educational and also just really enjoyable.
Thankyou for talking sense, creativity should not be fettered by the uninformed, and as we have no factual documentation that can prove what is or is not "authentic" then it is up to the artist and client to allow their creativity to flow freely.
Man I’ve been following your content for a while on Instagram and have loved all your stuff, but this video made it a life goal to give you a big portion of my skin to work on🙌🏼 I love your outlook on your style
Thank you, it is nice to hear :)
Another enlightening perspective. 🙌🏼
Really insightful video. Thanks for the great work... I've been follow your tattoo career for a while, I hope to one day get a tattoo done by you.
Thank you. My thoughts exactly. ❤️👊🏻
I like this. To the point and fair.
I love this video! I feel the exact same way. We do not know what a viking tattoo is. Tattoos are personal and we do what feels good and artistic. I'm much less interested in historical accuracy, and much more interested in personal, spiritual accuracy. Also, they would absolutely be using electric tools to tattoo in the modern age!
I lived my whole childhood in jelling. So fun for me to se the jellingstone colored and in a completely different location :-).
I like your take on the art - cheers
You are spot on when you talk about the meaning behind a motive like the Nordic dragon. As you said people should understand what the motive was used for and what it symbolizes before getting it inked.
Well said👍🏻
I have a forearm sleeve, which started as a Celtic cross, surrounded by (Scottish) Gaelic writing, I then expanded it to include a couple of Nordic knotwork armbands, before finally topping it off with a dark band of Anglo Saxon runes.
I did my due diligence and researched all aspects before committing it to my skin. It's a mish-mash of several cultures, spanning hundreds of years, all thrown in together. But ultimately, for me, I think it creates a cohesive piece of art, that blends perfectly together.
It represents all of my genetic history, from Britons, to Celts, to Scots and even Norse. Because really, there isn't a western European alive today, that isn't just a massive cocktail of different heritage.
At the end of the day, if you draw some significant meaning from your tattoos, then whose business is it for anyone to tell you that you're wrong? (obviously, this does not apply to overtly racist tattoos).
I used to think I could build a "authentic" viking sleeve tattoo a few eyars ago. But as I researched I realized, as you mentioned, that most of the sources are few, far between, and vague because of translation issues. So, I decided to go for a "viking inspired" tattoo instead, the only part I'm fairly sure is authentic is a short word in old norse. I used the old norse dictionary from Uppsala university institution of archaeology for that.
Now I have a few animal heads framed with nordic and celtic inspired patterns on my upper arm, chest, and upper back. Pretty damn happy with the results :)
Sounds like you’re just speaking objective facts 👏🏼 nothing but respect
All true! As a German, therefore part of the Norse Family, I had in fact recently a Wolf head tattoo done on my chest. Why? The Wolf has been mythologically embedded in the Norse - Germanic psychology for millennia. We grew up with Anderson’s fairy tales, Sigurd dragon slaying, the saga’s and a whole bunch-of other things, Odin, etc. These beasts were and are animals predators of fearsome reputation, which inspired respect. To some extent we/ they ( our ancestors ) who cleared ancient forests for living habitats invariably encountered these animals and in order to continue doing so, were no doubt forced to fight against them, to survive, just as the wolves were forced to attack humans who encroached on their living space. As a worthy “ enemy “, the Wolf entered human consciousness, and stands to this day as a symbol of , Freedom, Endurance, and Strength. For me, these are attributes which I hope to attain, and maintain, and therefore the Wolf tattooed on my body was a natural and obvious choice. Just as I suppose a dragon would be for Asians ? The “ animistic and floral designs of the Scandinavian Norse and proto Germanic cultures depicting plant tendrils, interwoven with tail biting beasts to me, is as natural, as the world in which I grew up in. I suspect the same would be true for the people living a thousand or 800 years ago, they too would be shaped by their surroundings and their experience of them. And on a local level, local patterns of local beast and prominent landscapes, fauna and flora, would be depicted in their textiles and works of art. “ real Viking “ yes, of course they were real, but not Viking. A term applied to them by external means. These were farmers who looked beyond their limited horizons, beyond the claustrophobic fiords, to the world beyond. And why should they have? Too, the world they encountered was no less violent or peaceful than the one they knew back home. East meets West, and North meets South, even today, we still kill each other. Nothing has changed, only our perception that what has gone on before must have been more primitive since we, now, are super intelligent and advanced. Same prejudices same arrogance. But on a binary level if we encounter a Wolf in the forest or mountains today, at night, what we feel and what might ensue between between the Wolf and ourselves will be no different to what a “ Viking “ will have encountered, the same outcome could be expected. And whilst we would set out to kill it, and it, kill us, the memory of the encounter would be life long, would be passed on, to our kids, and so on down or up the line, become part of shared local culture, and someone somewhere in that community would end up with a pictorial version of such a tale, I bet! I did.
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I think my last comment on a previous video may have insulted you, and many others..I said I wanted a more Viking style sleeve, instead of a Celtics style. I'm Canadian, but I know my family ancestry from my great grandmother's well kept family tree. My ancestors lived in Northern Europe. There are documents and letters from Scotland, Ireland and Northern Germany. So I wanted something to represent that history, and since many historical stories mention the Gauls were situated there in Roman times, and Gauls were associated in my mind with Vikings, I figured it would be appropriate get a Viking style tattoo. After watching this video, I realize I misspoke. Thank you for educating me on the difference between Nordic, and Viking and what's appropriate for us to use. I'm completely binge watching all your videos lol, loving the content and your attitude. Especially how you speak plainly and call *shit* out!! 🤩
I'm from Brazil, descendent from Tupimambá (from the Tupi Nation, which is one of the South American Nations that thrived here before the Portuguese come along and the rest we know), and they were headhunters culture that the warriors would get a tattoo after bringing the head of an enemy back to the village, as well the name itself from who he has killed. 300 years ago the portuguese "found" a warrior that had his whole body tattooed and had 34 names. They took him to Rome and put him in front of the Pope to discuss if he was a human being or "an animal" (that was also to "know" if they could be catechized).
The motifs (that are still present manly in the body painting form, due to european cultural interference) are many, like the Jaguar, but the thing is: part of the reason of a warrior being tattooed is a recognition between deferent groups, but also to cause fear to the enemy and also to cause fear to evil spirits.
Our brothers of other jungles, like those in Borneo, Kalinga (who were also headhunters and also share the ancient tattoo art) also use fearsome figures as a form of protection, both for other humans and spirits.
300 years ago there were more people tattoo in South America than any other place in the world.
As a brazilian tattoo artist that studies much more South American rather than Northern European cultures I can't say much regarding Vikings, but I can assure you that "Warriors Tattoos" are probably meant to give protection and to cause fear to others.
As a curiosity: in Peru, they have mummified tattooed people, I think one at least from Paracas culture. I know as well that in north Italy they also have mummified tattoo people (Ötzi, I think). I wonder if you guys (who live in a place that has ice and snow) don't have it as well. In the study of ancient tattooing, the best form of evidence is by far the body itself. So... there is none Viking mummies? (i'm not saying like Egyptian that put straps and so on, just frozen bodies like Ötzi.
Great art you are doing, keep it on :D
king regards from another corner of this planet
Actually, I just remembered that In Venice at piazza di san marco (I think) there's a statue of a Lion (the name of this statue is Piraeus Lion, if you research using this name you find it quickly) that before Venice was in Athens. When this statue was in Athens it was posted in one its gates. The Vikings seized the city and in their occupation, they carved in the lion shoulder a Viking stylized dragon-like figure with writings inside. This is one of the closest things to tattoo that I can think about (because when you see it you realize that it has proper body placement as you as a tattoo artist like me would expect from another, even tho I know that skin and stone are almost opposite "materials")
That's awesome Enzo.
Thanks for sharing that info!
Honestly I'd bet its only a matter of time before we run across a well preserved viking era body somewhere. Never know when one'll just pop up....
Great video!, totally agree. You should post this on IG, i think you'll reach a lot more people that need to get this idea out of their heads.
We will post it at some point, but we try to keep some content exclusive to our TH-cam :)
Makes a lot of sense. I think the most authentic Nordic tattoo someone can get is an expression based on their on knowledge of the culture. With respect, obviously.
I love this video. You hit it right on the nail And thinking about what tattoos vikings would have like the dragons/serpents I do think certain vikings would have them as a certain (fear factor) If they did had tattoos that is.
I'm an American with Nordic blood but I plan on getting a old norse inspired sleeve from designs of norse art either way its paying tribute to your family's roots and history that matters to me at least it's beautiful art and expression
"Real viking tattoos"... There has been ONE solid encounter of rus vikings being tattooed from fingertips to the top of the head. One encounter, one rus tribe. No pictures, no skin found. So freaking nice to hear someone talk about our story and culture, and actually having the historical knowledge to back it up
The Anglo Saxon chronicle talks about “the heathen” having tattoos also. This, of course, referring to Dane and Norwegian.
@@sigurdfenrisson2446 to what extent? :)
Very true that's the problem with our pagan history, a lot is lost as it all was passed down through word of mouth and by certain individuals and then the church destroyed almost all of it, there is no way to definitely know what the art and symbols meant 100 %. For me personally with my tattoos it's about connecting to my ancestors and our ancient culture and showing my heritage, I love the art and mythology and have researched it and chosen styles and symbols that have meaning to me and my tattooist has put the art together with her own twist, at the end of the day it's all inspired by the past we don't live in those times any more so it can't be authentic in my opinion.
good video
What are your thoughts on runes tattoos ? I thought about them a lot and I like them and even thought about a tattoo of one but I am the person that doesn’t want something written on me when I think it means something cool and finding out it means a weird or completely something else.
I feel there may be some helpful interpretations to be made from the types of designs one might find on ancient apparel. Though there's a definite possibility that themes on such items as swords and armour plates may have meanings more specific to the item itself rather than as a design on the body in the same way a tattoo or war paint would be (for example a sword with a wolf figure on it because it slays wolves, or a helmet having a family story with the intent to be passed down to kin etc) it may well be a good starting point if you're getting a norse/germanic design, as both a tattoo and a worn item display similarly and ususally in the same contexts. It would definitely serve the basis for design inspiration for me if I were to get (further) norse/germanic inspired work done.
this is a good video and a bit sad too. that we don´t know about vikings and if they had tatoos
I think the beggining of this video comes across a bit wrong. But watching through it you make your point a lot clearer; and i completely agree with your take on this.
Get your tats, thats cool, do you. But dont pretend what you do is something thats impossible to know.
I have the tree Yggdrasil tattooed i think it might be a theme vikings might also would use for tattoos if they had them, and it seems to be sacred. now Yggdrasil or the tree of life as its also called, is mentioned all over the world in different cultures, making it not so much viking, but something more meaningful.
I'm getting one on the 18th and It'll be good to see what people say lol
Hell, I know mine isn’t authentic, I designed it myself based on things I liked about the style and what it personally meant to me, before I had learnt more about the separate styles over the years, but I love it, it’s mine. That’s really interesting what you say about the different types of Viking art we see. You’re right, who’s to say their tattoos are based on what we see in their wood carving designs for example, when textile and are mediums can all be different to each other, and everything is so much based on the way that medium physically reacts as a material. There is no historical evidence to say. Yet that’s what I see a lot of, and also what I like. It’s our interpretation always of what we think the Scandinavians would have done.
😢 me knowing that this explanation shows a lot of history was lost and we’ll never know
Where the thumbnail image from?
It's so difficult to decide what i want,i got another tattoo appointment tomorrow and I still can't decide,about your video i totally agree with you,hand poke doesn't make it anymore Viking I've only got one handpoke tatt.Rest are done by the gun.I have one question, is there anything wrong with tattooing a Swedish Runestone on your skin exactly as it looks,same Runes and everything knowing it's probably a headstone for a Norsemen who died?As long as it's done with respect?
Nothing wrong with any of it, my point with the video is that there is nothing more wrong or right :)
No bullshit, intelligent, well read. Absolutely excellent video
My Nordic tattoo is a half sleeve on the inner-side of my right forearm that goes to my elbow, its of a forest that starts at my wrist, mostly solid, with the Valknut in the bottom of it, and Huginn flying above the trees, Im going to get one on my left to match, thatll have the Helm if Awe in the bottom of it, with Muninn flying above, it was originally going to have the Vegvisir in it
I know this is an older video but I’m very intrigued by this video. I am an American with German/Czechoslovakian origin with a little Dutch on my fathers side. My mother’s side is not very well known besides typical Mutt mix of European backgrounds. I tend to be drawn to your style of tattoo work and was wondering since you seem to have great knowledge on the topic. Is there a traditional Germanic or Czech regional style? I’d like to stay somewhat true to my roots but would love to have a piece done like you do one day.
There are Germanic styles, and any of the Slavic regions have their own as well. It can be tricky to track down, as many historical books are in local languages, but not impossible.
liked this follow you and waiting for a book plzz think about it
Please think about what sorry?
@@NorthernBlack I believe they would like you to write a book. Not sure
@@NorthernBlack FYI love your work. Looking to rearrange my budget to fit a sleeve into it done by you. Stay good
Where are you based ??
Whitley Bay, in the North East
I for the most part agree with you across the board as to hand poked vs machines, historical accuracy (or lack of it since there are no examples available currently) as well as themes and so on.
Don’t really dig on the chuckle at the ridiculousness of people feeling Nordic (“Dear Americans, stop that”) … only thing I really had an issue with, but whatever.
Feel free to have an issue. I cannot help but chuckle at Americans feeling so rootless and lacking history and culture, considering all that has been made, forged, invented and pioneered there.
@@NorthernBlack thank you! I share this opinion with you it feels to me that some of the American people are just people that feel somehow threatened and lost
I might be wrong about it, maybe not
While the question if vikings were tattooed at all has to be left unanswered, all that nowadays´ visual "viking stuff" like tattoos, jewelry, a beard, sometimes clothing, other accessoires... - is kind of an "allday-reenactment". And as you point out here and there, there is a lot of guesses and phantasy, meanwhile mostly sparse solid historical information about "vikingship" at all. As an amateur reenactor I know one has to be creative to "be a viking", trying to stay rigidly historical correct leaves you so to say half naked at the convention at all.
"Creative allday-reenactment" - let´s tell it what it is, it´s a matter of style, a shot on individualizing oneself. And therefor, creativity should be over any historical correct, yet just repetitive copyism anyway.
Don´t get me wrong, this "style" approach leaves a wide spectrum of interpretation on what you see in it. If you decide for a "viking tattoo" just to look impressive, why not? And if you feel like finding an adequate view on the world, mankind, being as such within nordic/germanic mythology and want to express your commitment with corresponding depictions on your body, why not?
But never forget, it´s just your own story, you´re not part of any historical tradition at all. You just borrow ancient symbols and ornaments for some body art (tattooing) that´s in vogue and considered "cool", "hot" etc. nowadays. Make sure you don´t try to avoid admitting the "style aspect" by ostenatiously overdoing the matter of "meaning" and "historical connection". It´s a lie.
I have some inspired on , is it authentic hell no but i do not care .
To be honest I am more wondering how the hell they avoided infections more then anything in all these early cultures and places that still do dot work
By using antiseptic
Not really that controversial. If there isn’t historical evidence there’s no way to possibly say what did or did not exist, and even in historical areas where there is evidence, doesn’t mean that because A existed, B did not.
it was dye not tattoos... inks and oils.. its like bleach but some other acidic texture that stained the flesh for long periods of time.
If you can Grow a read full beard … you should be allowed to get a Viking tattoo lol jk
Why is there no proof? What happened in the timeline of information about why this portion of the culture has been lost?
We have no mummified vikings, and not many written records in Scandinavia. And what we do have tends to be written by churchmen, who were generally not fond of such things as tattoos.
Great video, just common sense if you have any basic knowledge of history.
13:47
I never say i have a real viking tattoo because we indeed have no proof they did that. i say my tattoo's are inspired by the the viking lore and culture.
imho avikingr is/was a profession and not a people (so I agree, they were pirates/slavers/pillagers).
Liked the video, subbed.
Viking came from the word vikingr that mean raider and nobody raid those days so not viking at all whatever it is, so maybe u meant norse?
Maybe you should watch my other videos before commenting ;).
One day I would want to get tattood by Kai Uwe Faust or any of his colleagues in that Nordic Bronze Age rock carvings style. I mostly want that kind of a tattoo because it has to do with my Heritage since I'm Dutch or well Germanic. And that Germanic peoples (Dutch and German mostly) eventually all originate from Scandinavia and ofcourse because of the Viking Age history and such.
The Germanic people do not originate in Scandinavia, but i get what you are trying to say 😂
@@NorthernBlack They did, or it is believed they did. Take a look at this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migration_Period#:~:text=Origins%20of%20Germanic%20tribes,-Further%20information%3A%20Proto&text=A%20later%20wave%20of%20Germanic,the%20Vistula%20near%20the%20Carpathians.
@@NorthernBlack So yes. eventually all Germanic people have their origins in Scandinavia but very long ago yes. They migrated to what would eventually be called Germania
its good for these discussions as with such normalisation and mediocre use of norse/viking runes and bind runes its getting so convoluted.
id like to mention how every culture evolves. the common Christian these days aren't crucifixing anyone and your average norse pagan arent raiding england so the idea of "authentic" Viking tattoo is just kinda cringe.
Hence why i wrote Viking, and not Pagan.
@@NorthernBlack lol idk if you are being hostile or not, but I am on your side -I agreed with everything u said. that is an interesting thing to point out though. Let's say that the Vikings never had tattoos but pagans did today. I mean, in theory, it could be literally anything. And if there was just 1 specific style of pagan tattoo, who the fuck would have the right to say that one specific style of tattooing is correct while others are not. A norse pagan shaman? I mean, idk just spit balling here.
that was a misstake😱 plzz think about it was not for you 😔ctrl v misstake s o r r y
Your work is amazing but im in the u.s. :(
40% of my clients are, it does not stop them ;)
and in reality there is no true viking tattoos it's all per person in my mind if you want a nordic tattoo not viking that's fine
i don't think it important unless you really want something they would have wear. we are modern Scandinavian so modern interpretation is OK .Religion and custom change you want a clean tattoo and not a hand poke tattoo that ok don't worry about elitist or other people taste.
Well in reality there are no viking how we think of them viking is just a title of work falling under raiders explorers or traders so in reality your all wrong bahahaha
Also: if you want a viking tattoo, for the love of Loke, don't use the old norse runes. By the viking age the younger futhark was what was used.
But Odin pre-dates the Viking age, and the runes were granted to Odin!
@@NorthernBlack Sure, you could say that, but that's what Himler said. I actually don't care that much. Or rather I care a bit because I don't like the old futhark aesthetically so I'm forever bummed out when I go looking for cheap crap to decorate my home with because there's only ever the old runes. The one that actually irks me a bit is when there's the vegvisir galdr stave with old norse runes around it. The pedant in me chafe at the anachronism.
Pointless video of you ranting about people ranting.
Well thank you for adding to the pointless ranting kitten ;)
@@NorthernBlack 😅 good
one
You do realise not every Germanic pagan is trying to larp as a Viking raider?
Yeah, I thought this too, but even though the way he puts it at the beggining of the vid is like he's calling out all old norse style tattoos when he's actually just commenting on people who are pretending to be "genuine vikings".