Pregnancy in the Viking Age was a challenging experience that has been largely overlooked in historical records. Archaeologist Marianne Hem Eriksen from the University of Leicester has led a new analysis of Viking art and literature to shed light on this fascinating aspect of history.
While there are thousands of Viking burials uncovered by archaeologists, there are very few mother-infant, and especially infant, burials from this period. This suggests that infants and mothers were not buried together, indicating high rates of birth- and pregnancy-related deaths.
In Viking literature and art, pregnant women were often excluded from the narrative. However, there are two notable depictions in the sagas that stand out. In Eirik the Red’s Saga, Eirik’s daughter FreydÃs EirÃksdóttir finds herself in a battle with indigenous peoples of Greenland and Canada while heavily pregnant. Despite her condition, she displays incredible courage by picking up a sword and defending herself against the attackers, ultimately forcing them to retreat.
Eriksen emphasizes that while we should not simplify narratives about pregnant warrior women, the art and stories circulating during the Viking Age depicted pregnant women with martial equipment, suggesting a different perspective on pregnancy in that era.
Another story from The Saga of the People of Laxardal tells of Guðrún ÓsvÃfrsdóttir, who is provoked by her husband’s killer, Helgi Harðbeinsson, while pregnant. This story reflects the complex relationships of feuds, alliances, and revenge in Viking society, highlighting the significance of pregnancy within the kinship system.
The authors of the study note that these stories reflect the experiences and attitudes towards pregnancy of women with high social status. They acknowledge that attitudes towards pregnancy would vary depending on the pregnant person’s position in the highly hierarchical Viking society, which included slaves.
Eriksen points out that pregnancy could leave bodies vulnerable to volatility, risk, and exploitation, especially for enslaved women or children born to subordinate peoples. The exploration of the experiences of pregnant women in the Viking Age provides valuable insights into past civilizations beyond traditional political and military narratives.
This research, published in the Cambridge Archaeological Journal, offers a fresh perspective on pregnancy in the Viking Age and its implications for understanding the complexities of ancient societies. the perspective of a travel journalist who recently visited a popular tourist destination:
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