In this blog post, we take you to Nordre Kjølen near Norwegian Solør. Here, the grave of a 10th-century Viking woman has been discovered. She was buried with a sword, spear, axe, and arrows. It is likely that her bow has deteriorated over time. During the funeral, her head was placed on a shield.
Women participated in military activities in Viking culture, and the female Viking warrior of Solør belonged to the Norwegian Viking elite.
The composition in this blog is inspired by the Viking woman's grave in Solør and is not a complete replica. This approach allows for more freedom of interpretation without reproducing the woman of Solør.
The woman of Solør was 18-19 years old when she died. She was buried in a central location, clearly marking her grave. When archaeologists discover a grave with weapons, it is usually assumed to be a male grave. Additionally, in graves, often no remains are present for DNA analysis to determine gender. For years, it was assumed that her weapons had a purely ceremonial function. However, this Viking woman reveals a different gruesome reality.
For this photoshoot, we chose to work with a female model of the same age as the woman found in the grave.
Female Viking Warriors
The woman of Solør is not alone. Graves in Birka and Bogøvej in Denmark have also been found containing women buried with weapons. Was this ceremonial?
Evidence is seen in the skull of the woman of Solør. At a younger age, likely around 16-17 years old, this woman experienced something terrible. During a battle, an enemy axe struck her directly in the skull. The trauma to the skull must have been enormous, causing at least a concussion and loss of consciousness. Her skull was dented during the impact. For the rest of her life, she would have carried a large, deep scar on her forehead, if this wound did not prove fatal.
Regardless, confronting evidence shows how violent, brief, and harsh life must have been in the Viking Age, for both men and women.
Written sources also mention female Viking warriors. Byzantine historian John Skylitzes wrote about the battle with Sviatoslav I of Kiev where Viking women fought. The Greenland saga tells how Leif Erikson's pregnant half-sister Freydís Eiríksdóttir confronted the Skrælings (Inuit) in Vinland (Canada). Saxo Grammaticus mentions Danish women fighting in the Battle of Brávellir. Åsa Haraldsdottir, in the Saga of the Ynglings, is described as a skilled seafarer who led sea expeditions and likely was both a captain and a warrior.
These written sources and these graves have one thing in common: the women in question were exclusively of aristocratic origin. Possibly, within aristocratic families, both men and women were trained to fight. And they did.
The woman in this composition is much less known than the female Viking warrior of Birka. But we can only look with the utmost respect at the sacrifice this woman made for her family and her tribe. In this reconstruction, we call her Ingibjorg.
About Ingibjorg
We know little about Ingibjorg's life, except that it was violent and short. Ingibjorg died at a time when the Solør region had just become part of the united kingdom of Norway. She lived just after the reign of the semi-legendary Viking king Harald Fairhair. Several rivers run through Solør. The Glåma River is Norway's longest river, a central artery in a time when land travel was difficult. Perhaps Ingibjorg's family had acquired land during Harald Fairhair's conquest.
A fun side note, Harald himself, according to Snorri Sturluson, was married for a few years to the powerful Ragnhild. Her nickname suggests that she, too, knew how to fight.
As a member of such a powerful family, Ingibjorg learned to fight. Enemies were numerous in the fertile Solør region. At the age of 16 or 17, she was hit in a battle against an enemy tribe with an axe. It is not clear whether she recovered or if the head wound proved fatal.
According to Scandinavian religion, she earned a place in Valhalla by falling on the battlefield. Valkyries descended from the sky, taking her from the battlefield. They brought her to the great feast hall. Until the day of Ragnarok, she fights here with other heroes and feasts every evening with the gods Odin and Thor.
Viking Tunic & Undertunic
According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, Æthelflæd wore men's clothing during the war against the Vikings. This provides more freedom of movement than a long dress. Ingibjorg did not always dress as a man. Outside of training and battles, Ingibjorg wore traditional Viking women's clothing, detailed in a separate blog.
In this reconstruction, Ingibjorg wears a long undertunic. This provides extra warmth. The additional layers displayed her wealth. The more clothing, the wealthier the Viking.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/undertunic-shield-maiden-greta-natural.html
Over her undertunic, Ingibjorg wears a light blue tunic. This is a relatively rich color. Remember, the brighter the color, the wealthier the person.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/viking-tunic-torsten-blue.html
Viking Pants
Ingibjorg wears a typical Viking harem pants as depicted in the 9th-century Oseberg tapestry.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/rusvik-viking-trousers-yaroslav-grey.html
Leg Wraps
Ingibjorg wears leg wraps that keep her lower legs and feet extra warm in the cold Norwegian climate.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/leg-wrappings-ubbe-yellow.html
Viking Shoes
Ingibjorg wears Viking shoes based on findings from the Oseberg ship burial. In this burial site, the tapestry depicting her harem pants was also discovered.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/viking-boots-oseberg.html
Viking Caftan
Ingibjorg is wearing a caftan that keeps her warm in the cold Norwegian climate. It is likely that not all Vikings wore caftans. They were based on an earlier type of Germanic overcoat or influenced by the steppe peoples with whom Scandinavians came into contact during their travels.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/viking-caftan-loki-grey.html
Viking Cloak
Although the Scandinavians traded in fur, only the wealthiest would have incorporated it into their clothing. Unfortunately, the cloak featured in this photoshoot is no longer available, but we do offer alternatives.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/viking-cloak-fjell-brown.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/viking-cloak-bjorn-black.html
Viking Sword
The sword in Ingibjorg's grave is placed in a remarkable manner. In most Viking graves, the sword was laid with the point towards the feet. In this grave, however, the sword point was directed towards the head.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/viking-sword-godegisel-battle-ready.html
Viking Shield
The shield also stands out. Instead of being placed beside the body or at her feet, Ingibjorg was laid with her head on the shield. The wood of the shield has decayed, but it was likely a round shield, similar to the well-known Viking shields.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/viking-shield-odo.html
Viking Axe
The axe in the grave was a Petersen Type A.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/viking-axe-hand-forged-steel-type-a.html
Viking bow
Only the arrows have been found in the grave, probably because the natural materials of the bow and any potential quiver have decayed. Recurve bows were used throughout the Viking world and were called "hornbogi," referring to the multiple layers from which the bow is constructed.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/buy-sword/archery/recurve-bow/
Do you want to know more about what Ingibjorg would have worn outside the battlefield? Click through to this next blog where we elaborate on what Norwegian Viking women wore