Humans and animals have lived together or side by side throughout the ages. Modern human society is largely organized on the principle that people are separate from animals and have a unique existence, but this has not always been the case, especially in Scandinavian culture.
During the Viking Age, the relationship between animals and humans was more complex than what is reflected in the modern viewpoint.
“The hierarchy we see today, where people dominate animals, did not exist,” explained Hanne Lovise Aannestad, an archaeologist and researcher at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, in an interview published by Science Norway.
Transformations into Wolves and Bears
According to Aannestad, the Vikings believed in metamorphosis, a concept where humans and gods could take on the form of animals, and vice versa. This belief reflected a world where animals and people shared attributes, strengths, and even souls.
Fittings shaped like the heads of birds of prey from Åker, in Hedmark. The fittings were located on the back of a shield. (Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo).
“In Norse mythology, this special quality is attributed to the greatest of all the gods, namely Odin himself,” said Aannestad.
Artifacts from the Iron Age further demonstrate that this perspective on animals predated the Viking Age. This suggests that a unique bond existed between humans and animals that was deeply rooted in Scandinavian culture.
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Power Animals in Art
The artistic expression of the time revealed which animals held the most significance in Viking and Iron Age societies.
“Most often, they made art of what they would call the power animals. These are wild animals with great powers,” Aannestad explained. Among these creatures were wolves, bears, wild boars, eagles, and falcons. Additionally, mythological beasts such as serpents and dragons were common artistic themes.
“These are animals we find in mythology, such as the Midgard serpent and the Fenris wolf,” she added.
Odin, the supreme god of Norse mythology, was said to possess the ability to transform into different creatures, including snakes, fish, and birds. Mythological accounts also depict the Midgard serpent and the Fenrir wolf as brothers and the offspring of Loki. These beings were formidable opponents to the gods, with the Fenrir wolf ultimately devouring Odin.
Belt buckle from Åker in Hedmark, half human, half wild boar. Eagle heads are seen on each side of the man's face, and two eagles form the belt itself. (Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo).
Animals and Human Identity
Metamorphosis was not limited to gods; humans, too, could embody the traits of animals. This connection granted them power and insight.
According to Norse beliefs, five primary animals influenced human abilities: birds of prey provided keen vision and awareness, wolves inspired warriors’ thirst for battle, wild boars granted fearlessness, bears bestowed strength, and serpents symbolized the unity of the world.
Individuals were believed to have personal guardian spirits, known as fylgje, which provided guidance and strength. If someone called upon their fylgje, they could channel its abilities and characteristics.
“A berserker was, for example, a warrior who turned into a bear—big, strong and invincible,” Aannestad states.
Beyond mythological and power animals, everyday creatures such as cows, horses, and dogs played crucial roles in Viking society. Archaeological discoveries reveal that humans were often buried alongside their animals. One such example is a fire grave where archaeologists found a human skeleton surrounded by the remains of fourteen different animal species, including a squirrel.
“When you are buried with something, it clearly suggests a very intimate relationship,” Aannestad said.
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Horse Burials and Sacrificial Rituals
Asbjørn Engevik, a researcher and head of the Department of Cultural History at the University of Bergen, also emphasized the importance of animals in Viking life beyond their role as a food source.
“The archaeological material shows us that animals have also had an important ideological significance,” he said.
The sacrifice of domestic animals—particularly horses—was common in high-status Viking burials. The Gokstad ship burial contained the remains of twelve horses, while at least fifteen horses were found in the Oseberg ship.
Costume buckle found at Bjølstad, Vågå in Oppland, decorated with fox head in upper center. (Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo).
Some archaeologists interpret these remains as representations of transportation to the afterlife, while others believe they served as equipment for use in the next world.
The Origins of Sophisticated Animal Art in Scandinavia
Animal depictions have been present in Nordic artistic traditions since the end of the Roman era. However, Engevik notes that the Migration Period, spanning from the 400s to the late 500s, saw the rise of highly sophisticated animal art.
“This was an art form found on weapons and jewelry, but also on organic materials such as bones and wood,” he said. While this artistic style may have been influenced by classical Southern European traditions, it evolved into a uniquely Nordic aesthetic.
Many artifacts from the Iron Age and Viking Age feature carvings of animals that resemble dragons. For instance, the famed Oseberg ship is adorned with intricate carvings that resemble serpent heads, along with other imaginative creatures.
Serpent head from Viking Ship Museum, found on Oseberg ship. (Balou46/CC BY-SA 4.0).
“These are hybrid species that have traits from different animals,” Aannestad explained. Some figures even blend human and animal characteristics, showcasing the Viking fascination with shapeshifting and transformation.
The Shift in Perspective with Christianity
Aannestad noted that the Vikings viewed animals as integral to the human soul, a belief that changed dramatically with the arrival of Christianity in Norway around the 1000s.
“As early as in the Bible’s first book of Moses it says: ‘Ye shall have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth,’” she observed. As Christianity spread, the notion of humans as spiritual equals to animals faded. Instead, animals were categorized as subservient to people, either as laborers or adversaries.
“In the world God created, the animals lost their divinity and were seen as man’s servants or enemies,” Aannestad states.
Understanding Society Through Animal Ornamentation
The artifacts displayed at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo feature elaborate animal ornamentation, a decorative style used on weapons, jewelry, clothing, tools, and buildings from approximately 400 to 1100 CE in Northern Europe and Scandinavia.
Buckle with snake-like animals from the Merovingian period 550-800 AD), made of copper alloy and is gilded with gold. (Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo).
“Animal ornamentation tells us about what the world looked like before Christianity came to Scandinavia—at a time when the Norse faith dominated,” Aannestad said.
Researchers have long been intrigued by the significance of this artistic tradition. In the past, they primarily documented the animals depicted and the materials used. However, in recent decades, scholars have shifted their focus to understanding why these objects were created.
Unraveling the Past Through Sagas and Burials
In addition to analyzing artifacts, researchers have turned to Norse literature, including sagas, poetry, and Eddic poems. These texts reveal that naming traditions in the Iron Age often incorporated animal names, such as Geirulv, which combines “Geir” (spear) and “ulv” (wolf).
Burial sites also provide crucial insights into human-animal relationships.
Viking arm ring from ninth century, featuring stylized animal heads on the end. (Walters Art Museum/Public Domain).
“We have few preserved sources that tell us about life in the Iron Age. Animal ornamentation represents only hazy shadows of this reality,” Aannestad stated.
From the artifacts and burial sites, a picture emerges of a society where humans and animals were deeply intertwined, with the ability to channel animals’ qualities and strengths playing a fundamental role in human survival. The special relationship between animals and people in Viking Age Scandinavia can be ascertained by the study of ancient artifacts retrieved during archaeological explorations, which have made it clear that the Vikings were fascinated by animals and built a culture that reflected this in many ways.
Top image: The Norse god Thor battles the Midgard serpent at the end of time, as foretold in Norse mythology (illustration by Emil Doepler from around 1905).
Source: Public Domain.
By Nathan Falde
