Buy this book today! Their different functions and roles—such as Published January 16, 2018. / Karras, Ruth M. T1 - Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age, Powered by Pure, Scopus & Elsevier Fingerprint Engine™ © 2021 Elsevier B.V, "We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content. Raffield, B., Price, N. & Collard, M. 2017. Ways to Become a Viking Slave. Women could legally divorce men who didn’t satisfy them, and men suffering from impotence or small penis sizes were often ridiculed. ... each provided with two slave girls (Mon tgomery 2015, 253). Karras, Ruth M. "Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age." ‘Polygyny, concubinage and the social life of women in Viking-Age Scandinavia’, Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, 13, 165-209. Mar 18, 2013 - An online resource for historians bringing rare British and world history sources to the desktops of academics, librarians, teachers and students @article{8b9994bccac446339948da3754ff3f76. ‘A River of Knives and Swords': Ritually Deposited Weapons in English Watercourses and Wetlands during the Viking Age - Volume 17 Issue 4 - Ben Raffield. See also Ruth Mazo Karras, “Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age,” Scandinavian Studies, 62 (1990) 141-162. Our survey found that many of these behaviours might have been prevalent among Viking-Age societies. Elina Screen. For example, a woman who stole could be punished by being forced to become her victim’s slave. Given the genetics of Iceland and the nature of the people who settled it, it’s possible that a large percentage of the first women on Iceland were taken there as slaves. Semantic Scholar is a free, AI-powered research tool for scientific literature, based at the Allen Institute for AI. Their different functions and roles—such as Brink, S 2008, Slavery in the Viking Age. It followed the Migration Period and the Germanic Iron Age. Before the advent of Christianity throughout Scandinavia and Viking territories around 1000 CE, concubinage (often connected to slavery), and plural marriages occurred at least among the royals. Updated December 18, 2018. notions of what constitutes valid marriage have been shaped by the teaching of the medieval Church. Introduction: Viking women are commonly portrayed in the media as strong warriors in their own right. SLAVERY IN THE VIKING AGE. … 17. Check out our resources for adapting to these times. Our survey found that many of these behaviours might have been prevalent among Viking-Age … It contained skeletons of two persons who had been decapitated. Gitte Tarnow Ingvardson. Alternately, in ancient (Pagan/Pre-Islamic) times, sale and purchase of human slaves was a socially legal exercise. This double grave from the Viking era at Grimsta in south-eastern Sweden was exhumed in 1974. Karras, Ruth M. Slavery and Society in Medieval Scandinavia. Our survey found that many of these behaviours might have been prevalent among Viking-Age societies. The end of the Viking economy ... Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age. 62 [1990]: pp. Ruth Mazo Karras’ article, "Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age” was written in 1990. Slavery was an integral part of Viking culture, as attested by a variety of contemporary sources such as the observations of the tenth-century Arab envoy Ahmad Ibn Fadlān, which describe the capture, trafficking, sexual exploitation, and employment of slaves amongst Scandinavian societies, including their role in ritual and their treatment after death. One could be termed a fostne, which indicated that you were a hereditary fostered slave. 13, p. 165-209 Article in journal (Refereed) Published Abstract [en] In this paper we utilize evolutionary theory, anthropological data, and historical sources to explore how marriage practices shaped social behaviours and attitudes towards gender in Viking-Age Scandinavia. Markey, T.L. The right to divorce was one of them. polygyny, concubinage, and the social lives of women 169 Marriage Practices and Sexual Relationships in Viking-Age Scandinavia During the Viking Age in Scandinavia, both marriage unions and more informal relationships represented a means by which family structures, identities, and both social and political hierarchies were formed and adapted. Introduction: Viking women are commonly portrayed in the media as strong warriors in their own right. We focus primarily on the normative practices of polygyny and concubinage, which have been shown by anthropological studies to legitimize behaviours that reinforce male power. We focus primarily on the normative practices of polygyny and concubinage, which have been shown by anthropological studies to legitimize behaviours that reinforce male power. Scandinavian Studies, 62: 141–62. gender in Viking-Age Scandinavia. Filling a gap in the literature for an academically oriented volume on the Viking period, this unique book is a one-stop authoritative introduction to all the latest research in the field. frilla). Concubinage was practiced in elite Rajput households between 16th and 20th centuries. Ann Arbor: Yale Univ. ‘Male-biased operational sex ratios and the Viking phenomenon: an evolutionary anthropological perspective on late Iron Age Scandinavian raiding’, Evolution and Human Behavior , 38 (3), 315-24. Their children of the slaves could not rid of being a slave just like their parents. See also Eric Oxenstierna. 75-85. Viking Sex Slaves – The Dirty Secret Behind The Founding Of Iceland. e Viking-Age . 49-56. The Viking Achievement. “Slavery studies in the Viking Age have been attracting more … Silver hoarding on Bornholm and Gotland: Hoards as windows onto Viking-Age life . Karras, Ruth M. "Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age," Scandinavian Studies. Found on the island of Saaremaa in the town of Salme, the two war boats served as graves for 40 men. publisher = "Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study", Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age. A 14th-century poem—the original likely dates from the end of the Viking era—gives an idea of how Vikings saw their slaves. A Viking woman (Image: lifeinnorway.net) Contrary to the popular belief, Viking women had a lot of rights compared to women in the rest of Medieval Europe. It is suggested here that ‘liminal' depositions in Viking Age Scandinavia provide an interpretative model for these finds. title = "Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age". Viking raiders captured slaves all over Europe, and those slaves included many women indeed, may have been predominantly female.3 As in all slaveholding societies male slaveholders had sexual access to their slaves, and they often purchased women for that purpose alone. An example of this would be America Ferrera’s Astrid in the film How to Train Your Dragon, who is initially the most promising student in dragon Vikings travelled far out of Scandinavia, west as far as present day Canada and east through Russia to Constantinople. We focus primarily on the normative practices of polygyny and concubinage, which have been shown by anthropological studies to legitimize behaviours that reinforce male power. Updated December 18, 2018. Slaves, known as thralls in the Viking world, were used for labour and also as a currency to pay off debts. 62 [1990]: pp. Found on the island of Saaremaa in the town of Salme, the two war boats served as graves for 40 men. Ruth Mazo Karras’ article, "Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age” was written in 1990. You are currently offline. Evidence as to what constituted marriage in pre-Christian Scandinavia has also been shaped by the Church, in that the surviving material was committed to writing only after the advent of Christianity brought literacy. These women were called frillur (sing. The place of slavery in Viking culture isn’t something that always gets referenced in popular history, so I asked Professor Price why that was when I interviewed him for the HistoryExtra podcast. 2017 (English) In: Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, ISSN 1782-7183, E-ISSN 2030-9902, Vol. Ben Raffield, Neil Price, Mark Collard, Male-biased operational sex ratios and the Viking phenomenon: an evolutionary anthropological perspective on Late Iron Age Scandinavian raiding, Evolution and Human Behavior, 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.10.013, 38, 3, (315-324), (2017). There was a huge demand for slaves around the world. The term that Vikings used for slavery was generally ánauð, and a slave was referred to as a þral or thrall. 19. 49-56. 14. Concubinage (/ k ə n ˈ k juː b ɪ n ɪ dʒ / kəng-KYOO-bih-nij) is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want to or cannot enter into a full marriage. Posted on January 25, 2011 by michaelngorman | Leave a comment. Viking men were very sensitive and insecure about their private parts. gender in Viking-Age Scandinavia. Slavery in the Viking Age Slaves were one of the important commodities that were traded by the Vikings. Viking raiders captured slaves all over Europe, and those slaves included many women - indeed, may have been predominantly female.3 As in all slaveholding societies male slaveholders had sexual access to Sørenson, Preben M. Viking Slave Trade. Courtesy of burials and their accompanying grave goods, we know that most women seem to have worn outfits comprised of two or three layers, the first of which being a linen or woollen sleeved shift or underdress fastened at the neck with a small disc brooch and sometimes pleated there, too. Although women in the Viking Age (c. 790-1100 CE) lived in a male-dominated society, far from being powerless, they ran farms and households, were responsible for textile production, moved away from Scandinavia to help settle Viking territories abroad stretching from Greenland, Iceland, and the British Isles to Russia, and were perhaps even involved in trade in the sparse urban centres. A 14th-century poem—the original likely dates from the end of the Viking era—gives an idea of how Vikings saw their slaves. Although women in the Viking Age (c. 790-1100 CE) lived in a male-dominated society, far from being powerless, they ran farms and households, were responsible for textile production, moved away from Scandinavia to help settle Viking territories abroad stretching from Greenland, Iceland, and the British Isles to Russia, and were perhaps even involved in trade in the sparse urban centres. Raffield, B., Price, N. & Collard, M. 2017. Slavery in the Viking Age was a common practice throughout Scandinavia and the Scandinavian diaspora with the use of slaves socially, culturally, and economically, depending on the region in which they existed. London: Sidgewick & Jackson. 62, pp. Concubinage and Slavery in Early Ireland. Please wash your hands and practise social distancing. 1st edition (2005) translated as Sexualität im Mittelalter, trans. 141-162. suggest that both polygyny and concubinage were practised by Viking-Age . Slavery in the Viking Age was a common practice throughout Scandinavia and the Scandinavian diaspora with the use of slaves socially, culturally, and economically, depending on the region in which they existed. Scandinavian Studies, 62: 141–62. Viking homes were stranger than fiction: portals to the dead, magical artefacts and ‘slaves’ March 13, 2019 11.26am EDT Marianne Hem Eriksen , University of Cambridge Published January 16, 2018. For example, one of the leading explorers of Viking-Age women's lives, Judith Jesch, has made extensive use of the sagas and developed effective approaches for doing so (e.g. We focus primarily on the normative practices of polygyny and concubinage, which have been shown by anthropological studies to legitimize behaviours that reinforce male power. One of the less cloudy areas when it comes to the lives of women in the Viking Age is their clothing and jewellery. in S Brink & N Price (eds), The Viking World. The place of slavery in Viking culture isn’t something that always gets referenced in popular history, so I asked Professor Price why that was when I interviewed him for the HistoryExtra podcast. On top of this, a strapped gown or overdress was worn, made of a rectangular piece of usually wool which was wr… Brink, S 2008, Slavery in the Viking Age. This indicates that these women were most likely slaves captured by the Vikings. Scandinavian elites. ‘Polygyny, concubinage and the social life of women in Viking-Age Scandinavia’, Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, 13, 165-209. 13, p. 165-209 Article in journal (Refereed) Published Abstract [en] In this paper we utilize evolutionary theory, anthropological data, and historical sources to explore how marriage practices shaped social behaviours and attitudes towards gender in Viking-Age Scandinavia. In Viking-Age Scandinavia this responsibility of the wife meant much more than it would today; in fact, many women held a key position: 8 Birgit Sawyer: Scandinavia in the Viking Age While women may not have had power over people like men, we must be allowed to assume that in the domestic sphere women had power to make decisions of far-reaching consequences to the entire household. They could be captured during raids, purchased – it is likely that slaves taken during battle by warring Irish tribes were sold on to the Vikings in Dublin, and certain crimes could be punished by slavery. Viking Sex Slaves – The Dirty Secret Behind The Founding Of Iceland. in S Brink & N Price (eds), The Viking World. Coins as an indicator of communications between the British Isles and Scandinavia in the Viking Age . Among their names were Bastard, Sluggard, Stumpy, Stinker, and Lout. One of the skulls lies at the foot end at the left of the picture. Bond servants (bondi) could pay off their owner if they could raise enough money. Some were part of a rich upper class, such as the lady – perhaps a queen – who was buried in the ostentatious Oseberg ship… Our survey found that many of these behaviours might have been prevalent among Viking-Age … Our survey found that many of these behaviours might have been prevalent among Viking-Age societies. Press. We focus primarily on the normative practices of polygyny and concubinage, which have been shown by anthropological studies to legitimize behaviours that reinforce male power. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies. Peter G. Foote and David M. Wilson. 1970. Slavery in the Viking Age was a common practice throughout Scandinavia and the Scandinavian diaspora with the use of slaves socially, culturally, and economically, depending on the region in which they existed. Vikings abused and beheaded their slaves. Concubinage was an accepted feature of family life, and even the advent of Christianity did not break down the institution. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. The definition of slavery during the long Scandinavian Viking Age (AD c.750–1100) is far from simple. Brink S. Slavery in the Viking Age . However, on embracing Islam, it was encouraged to free slave women or bring them into formal marriage. Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age . The Viking Age (793–1066 AD) was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest and trading throughout Europe, and reached North America. In one, 33 men were stacked atop one another and covered with wooden shields. Our survey found that many of these behaviours might have been prevalent among Viking-Age societies. Captured in war. The Viking Age started in the late 700s and lasted until the year 1050. Vikings in the Middle Ages used the Baltic and Norwegian Seas for sea routes to the south. Wives in Old Icelandic society were usually of the same economic and social rank as their husbands, but they were not the only women in their husbands’ lives….In the earliest period after the settlement, many married men, whether farmers or chieftains, kept slave women as concubines. Slavery in the Viking Age Slaves were one of the important commodities that were traded by the Vikings. Many of these slaves came from the British Isles and Eastern Europe. Stay safe and healthy. This article proposes that in the Viking Age concubinage and slavery were intimately and intricately connected. As far as the accounts retold, there were three main ways for a person to become a Viking slave: Born as a slave. The Viking Age. The entry into concubinage was marked by a ritual; however, this ritual differentiated from rituals marking marriage. "Nordic Níðvisur: an Instance of Ritual Inversion?" 141-162. Karras RM. Kershaw, J. in press. See also Ruth Mazo Karras, “Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age,” Scandinavian Studies, 62 (1990) 141-162. Some features of the site may not work correctly. Nevertheless it is possible to step aside from the modern definitions of marriage and legitimacy and to look behind the documentary remnants of pagan times as recorded by Christians…, The history of marriage and the myth of Friedelehe, Before They Were Vikings: Scandinavia and the Franks up to the death of Louis the Pious, The Church, intensive kinship, and global psychological variation, The slave markets of the Viking world: comparative perspectives on an ‘invisible archaeology’, ‘A River of Knives and Swords’: Ritually Deposited Weapons in English Watercourses and Wetlands during the Viking Age, Male-biased operational sex ratios and the Viking phenomenon: an evolutionary anthropological perspective on Late Iron Age Scandinavian raiding, The study of slavery in the early and central middle ages: Old problems and new approaches, By clicking accept or continuing to use the site, you agree to the terms outlined in our. Kershaw, J. in press. “Slavery studies in the Viking Age have been attracting more … Scandinavian Studies 62 (1990): 141-162. Brink S. Slavery in the Viking Age . Viking economies and the Great Army: Interpreting the precious metal finds from Torksey, Lincolnshire . 141-162. The concubine was never eligible to become her lover's wife due to this difference in social class, and thus was tolerated by the man's wife, since a concubine could be no threat to the wife's position (Ruth M. Karras, "Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age," Scandinavian Studies. Material reflections of Viking-Age slavery are meager but significant. ... Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age. in Studies in Medieval Culture 10 (1977) pp. Even less pleasantly, groups of northmen were not averse to raiding within their own country, they would often sell fellow Norse folk into slavery. Female slave-servants or slave-performers could be elevated to the rank of concubine (called khavas, pavas) if a ruler found them attractive. Slave trading also existed before the Viking period, but with the numerous territories that the Vikings conquered and their extensive trading networks, slavery could now operate within a system and bring them great wealth. 18. In one, 33 men were stacked atop one another and covered with wooden shields. By Wyatt Redd. 2017 (English) In: Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, ISSN 1782-7183, E-ISSN 2030-9902, Vol. The Routledge Worlds, Routledge, Abingdon, United Kingdom, pp. This article proposes that in the Viking Age concubinage and slavery were intimately and intricately connected. Karras, RM 1990, ' Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age ', Scandinavian Studies, vol. But who were their slaves and what can we learn from the archaeological findings? e Viking-Age . suggest that both polygyny and concubinage were practised by Viking-Age . They could be captured during raids, purchased – it is likely that slaves taken during battle by warring Irish tribes were sold on to the Vikings in Dublin, and certain crimes could be punished by slavery. Viking Slave Trade. Scandinavian elites. In one historical account of Viking-era slavery, an early-medieval Irish chronicle known as The Annals of Ulster, described a Viking raid near Dublin in A.D. 821, in which “they carried off a great number of women into captivity.” This is one of numerous written sources referring to slavery in the Viking world, which include historical chronicles produced within northern … Similarly, leprosy is believed to have spread to Scandinavia during the Viking Age via the slave trade. Among their names were Bastard, Sluggard, Stumpy, Stinker, and Lout. Given the genetics of Iceland and the nature of the people who settled it, it’s possible that a large percentage of the first women on Iceland were taken there as slaves. We focus primarily on the normative practices of polygyny and concubinage, which have been shown by anthropological studies to legitimize behaviours that reinforce male power. ... each provided with two slave girls (Mon tgomery 2015, 253). Sexuality in Medieval Europe:  Doing Unto Others, third edition (Routledge 2017). An example of this would be America Ferrera’s Astrid in the film How to Train Your Dragon, who is initially the most promising student in dragon Concubinage and Slavery in the Viking Age. Jesch 1991Jesch , 2015.In our paper we will discuss a number of sagas, of differing date and provenance but all of course from the centuries after the Viking Age. The Viking Slaves might be traded for money or products. From the 9th to the 12th century Viking/Norse-Gael Dublin in particular was a major slave trading center which led to an increase in slavery. No modern and serious discussion of slavery in prehistoric Scandinavia has, however, seen the light so far. In recent years scholars have pointed out that the terminology for slaves, and the attitudes towards unfree labourers, found in Icelandic Sagas, on rune stones or in law codes, actually reflect a … By Wyatt Redd. Primarily, non-Muslim women taken as prisoners of war were made concubines as happened after the Battle of Bani Qariza. 1988. In Scandinavian history, the period from the late eighth century until the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 is known as the Viking Age. The Routledge Worlds, Routledge, Abingdon, United Kingdom, pp. By Stefan Brink. Buy this book today! Concubine ( called khavas, pavas ) if a ruler found them attractive their private parts for adapting these! Meager but significant Behind the Founding of Iceland Viking-Age life by continuing agree... May not work correctly that many of these behaviours might have been attracting more … of! Age slaves were one of the Viking Age Concubinage and Slavery in the Age. 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