Stereotypes

[MatthewM]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

IVikings (and any stereotypical drawing of a dwarf warrior certainly has the appearance of the commonly misconceived picture of a Viking -- complete with the horned helmets which no one actually wore).

Great, now my medievalist brain is confused. My Professor said that Vikings did indeed wear the horned helmets.

[Gwathagor]

Not into battle they didn't.

[McCaber]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

For instance, does your mental image of orcs look like this? Mine always sort of did I'm afraid...but I know that is not how Tolkien described them. (Actually, I'm afraid the first time I "saw" an orc it looked like this.)

I know the green orcs came straight from Warhammer. Actually, some of the dwarf and elf stereotypes probably came from there too.

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by McCaber

I know the green orcs came straight from Warhammer. Actually, some of the dwarf and elf stereotypes probably came from there too.

That certainly seems likely.

The popularity of the product undoubtedly helped in making its conceptions the norm...followed by the popularity of the Warcraft franchise, which is an offshoot of Warhammer and we now have the green vaguely boarish orcs we all know and love today...even though they barely resemble what Tolkien originally wrote.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by MatthewM

Great, now my medievalist brain is confused. My Professor said that Vikings did indeed wear the horned helmets.

There is no evidence to suggest that warriors of the Viking Era had pronounced horns jutting from their helms. Here is a decent cross section of notable helmets...

http://www.regia.org/helmet.htm

And another...

http://www.hurstwic.org/history/arti...ng_helmets.htm

The idea of horned helms is basically a misinterpretation of the historical record, and figments of Wagner's ostentatious 19th century operas (where Viking helms sprouted horns or wings); however, there is evidence that horns might have appeared atop helmets in Bronze Age Scandinavia (800 - 400 B.C.). The Viking Era is generally given as 700 or 800 to 1100 A.D.

Even the Sutton Hoo helm (500-600 A.D.), a great relic of the Vendel style, is beautifully ornamented, but has no horns whatsoever...

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main...y-thefinds.htm

I'd like to see your professor's evidence, as there are very few helmets of the Viking era still extant.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Originally Posted by MatthewM

Great, now my medievalist brain is confused. My Professor said that Vikings did indeed wear the horned helmets.

Your professor would be lynched if he said that at Finderup Lade (The history-bar at the University of Copenhagen)