Once again, racist viking myth proved mythic

**B. de Corbin** · 16 Oct 2017 11:12

‘Allah’ Is Found on Viking Funeral Clothes

From the article:

The next stage of the project includes the DNA analysis of human remains found in Viking graves, including the skeleton in Boat Grave 36. The results are expected in February 2018.

“When we get the results from the DNA analysis, I think we will be able to see that some of them have a Central Asian heritage,” Dr. Larsson said.

Not everyone accepted Dr. Larsson’s interpretation. She said she had been interviewed by an extreme right-wing publication questioning the exhibition and her reading of the material.

**Corvus** · 16 Oct 2017 18:19

We've known that nordic people had contact with the arabs for quite awhile now. It's hardly surprising given that both are exploring peoples. For example the article even mentions Ibn Fadlan who wrote some of the better documents regarding the vikings in the volga river valley, aka the Kievan Rus. It's not an uncommon meeting, though one that most would consider unexpected. Though, I'd caution that thinking of the nords as tolerant and open isn't correct either. Ibn Fadlan's accountings are filled with racist undertones on both sides. There was contact and cultural exchange, but the degree of acceptance of this surly varied by location. The notion of a pure race is a myth for tons of reasons but, racism (or at least ethnic discrimination, which might be more accurate) has existed essentially forever.

**B. de Corbin** · 21 Oct 2017 07:46

Rather than a term like "ethnic discrimination," I'd use the term "tribalism." The Norse were not a single cohesive group - they are a loosely defined category that was spread over a large swatch of the earth, with different customs, traditions, beliefs, attitudes, socially-sactioned behaviors, etc., much like the Celts.

These groups did not always get along with eachother, and (although I don't know for sure) I very much doubt if they always considered other groups that we, in the present, tend to lump into a single category, as being "like us."

That's tribalism, not ethnicity.

**Juniper** · 21 Oct 2017 19:14

Originally Posted by B. de Corbin

Rather than a term like "ethnic discrimination," I'd use the term "tribalism." The Norse were not a single cohesive group - they are a loosely defined category that was spread over a large swatch of the earth, with different customs, traditions, beliefs, attitudes, socially-sactioned behaviors, etc., much like the Celts.

These groups did not always get along with eachother, and (although I don't know for sure) I very much doubt if they always considered other groups that we, in the present, tend to lump into a single category, as being "like us."

That's tribalism, not ethnicity.

On that same note, isn't this also the case amongst native American tribes?

**monsno_leedra** · 21 Oct 2017 22:37

Originally Posted by Juniper

On that same note, isn't this also the case amongst native American tribes?

I think you get the same concept with the German (Teutonic) tribes. Many individual tribes with unique traits and identities though they shared some common ancestor heritages. Yet tended to be at war or conflict with one another except when confronted with a greater foe that caused them to unite for a common cause. Though historically they didn't stay untied once the catalyst was defeated and removed. So individually each tribal group did what was best for it's own survival and interest.