5. Despite their frequent representation as wearing horned helmets, Viking warriors did not wear such armaments at all.
Throughout popular representations of Vikings, one consistent theme is ubiquitous: horned helmets. From television and film to the Minnesota Vikings American football team, the Nordic peoples are depicted as wearing horned headgear. However, there is no evidence whatsoever that Vikings did ever wear such attire. Vikings rarely wore helmets, with just one Viking helmet ever discovered; on the rare occasions they did, it is believed they commonly wore helmets made from iron or leather. The dangers of heavy armor whilst traveling across open bodies of water are apparent, and thus the lightening of the person in case of sinking was vital for survival.
The origin of this myth is far more recent that one might imagine, beginning in the 19th century. Horned helmets did exist during the Middle Ages, appearing in ancient Germanic culture and becoming popular features in tournament armor. Drawing inspiration from these German traditions, when Carl Emil Doepler designed the costumes for a performance at the Bayreuth Festival of Wagner’s legendary opera “Der Ring des Nibelungen” in 1876, he decided to include horned helmets for the Viking characters. The success of the opera was enduring, with the influential representation of Vikings becoming an indelible, if erroneous part of popular imagination.