Research: Not A Cause Of Death
A couple of things have been bugging me lately (okay, lots of things have been bugging me, but I haven't got all day) and they have much to do with doing research. People who don't bother to do research before spouting off really drive me crazy. Seriously, it's not that hard to check your facts before you open your mouth (or type on the computer), and a little research is not going to kill you! But not doing research is certain to make you look like a fool. A couple of recent examples follow.
The other day I'm Not Right In The Head posted a photo of a school in North Carolina. The photo gave enough information to Google it and find out if it's real. But how many people do you think bothered to check it out? Apparently just two: me and one other person. Instead of checking on it, or even following the links the two of us provided, many people jumped to the conclusion that it's Photoshopped. Hello! Not everything is Photoshopped!
Okay, so that was a fairly minor situation...although it happens all too often. The next example is a bit bigger and, unfortunately, shows just how entrenched certain fallacious beliefs are. The following responses are to specific beliefs about the Norse that have recently been expressed. Belief 1: Scandinavia was far colder than it is today. Belief 2: The Norse didn't have proper clothing. Belief 3: The Norse were more badass than everyone else.
Let's begin.
1. The so-called "Viking Age" ranged from about 793-1066 AD. This overlaps what is known as the "Medieval Warm Period" (9th-13th centuries). According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), "Norse seafaring and colonization around the North Atlantic...indicated that regional North Atlantic climate was warmer during medieval times than during the..."Little Ice Age" of the 15th-19th centuries...[a]s paleoclimatic records have become more numerous, it has become apparent that "Medieval Warm Period"...temperatures were warmer over the Northern Hemisphere than during the..."Little Ice Age", and also comparable to temperatures during the early 20th century...In summary, it appears that the late 20th and early 21st centuries are likely the warmest period the Earth has seen in at least 1200 years."
Scandinavian weather in the 21st century is generally comparable to that of North America. According to Sweden's official internet gateway, Sweden isn't nearly as cold as most people believe, thanks to the Gulf Stream, which "delivers [Sweden] from freezing." According to About.com the weather in most parts of Scandinavia is generally mild and pleasant, though the climate varies from north to south and east to west.
Erroneous belief 1: strike one.
2. Norse clothing was made primarily of wool and linen. Both wool and linen possess certain qualities that make them perfect fabrics for any weather or climate.
Wool, from the fleece of sheep, has the following qualities that make it a perfect material:
Erroneous belief 2: strike two.
3. Although much has been made of the viking raids through Europe, the Norse were not the first group of people to raid, nor were they necessarily the worst. Compared to such groups as the Romans, Huns, and Mongols, the Norse actually acquired very little territory from their endeavors.
The following maps show the land area acquired by each of these groups. As you can see, they were quite adept at subjugating large areas.
As you can see, the area "conquered" by the Norse is significantly smaller than those areas conquered by others, both before and after. New research is also suggesting that the Norse were not as bloodthirsty and fearless as the (non-Nordic) legends claim, and that the Norse were actually wary of their non-Nordic neighbors. According to Orkney Island historian Tom Muir, the raiders tended to prey on easy targets such as monasteries, and "the Norse had every reason to fear Celtic neighbors." According to advice handed down to Norse travelers in the 13th century, those making the journey to Scotland did so at their own risk. Analysis of the Icelandic Sagas (Islendingasagur) revealed the following counsel: "Icelanders who want to practice robbery are advised to go [to Scotland]...but it may cost them their life."
When taking the sagas into consideration it must be noted that they were written sometimes hundreds of years after the events they profess to illustrate. Another point to consider is that many of the qualities exhibited by the Norse, are still exhibited by cultures today. One of the principle attributes mentioned by Magnus Magnusson in the introduction to his translation of Njal's Saga, is that of honor. The story of Njal is one of revenge. The Icelanders at that time believed that if honor was slighted revenge must be taken. Interestingly enough, the indigenous people of Papua New Guinea still practice this type of revenge. It is known as "payback." The concept is, if someone wrongs you then you have the right to exact revenge (usually in the form of homicide).
Another consideration with regard to the sagas is the fact that they were designed as entertainment. According to Magnusson, "[w]here strict historical accuracy could be vouchsafed, by reference to contemporary witnesses, it was valued: but artistic values were no less warmly appreciated where historicity could not be claimed." About the author of Njal's Saga, Magnusson states, "...it can be shown that he used his sources with considerable freedom and occasional mistakes, which can be accounted for by both garbled oral traditions and the natural tendency of an author to manipulate material for aesthetic purposes...The chronology of events in the saga is at times wildly inconsistent and cannot bear too close a scrutiny...There are...some striking similarities to certain events of the thirteenth century." This shows, clearly, that the sagas were not necessarily meant to be accurate historical narratives and to take them as such would be a huge mistake.
The Heimskringla by Snorre Sturlason, is a chronicle of the kings of Norway. The stories in it are no more violent than anything you can read in the newspaper or see on TV, and they are far less violent than many horror movies. They also don't show the Norse to be any more welcoming of harsh conditions than anyone today.
Erroneous belief 3: strike three. You lose.
Clearly, the Norse did not have some sort of corner on the violence market. They were simply doing the exact same thing that people have done ad infinitum. Countless examples of "viking" style behavior can be cited from the beginning of time (re: Cain and Abel) to present day. To suggest they were somehow more violent than any other group or that they lived through colder, harsher climatic conditions, or didn't have appropriate clothing for their climate is to ignore the blatantly obvious. The reason these fallacies have continued into the present is because of a misguided devotion to an ideal that never existed! Isn't it about time we stopped perpetuating these myths?
Oh, and do some freaking research!
The other day I'm Not Right In The Head posted a photo of a school in North Carolina. The photo gave enough information to Google it and find out if it's real. But how many people do you think bothered to check it out? Apparently just two: me and one other person. Instead of checking on it, or even following the links the two of us provided, many people jumped to the conclusion that it's Photoshopped. Hello! Not everything is Photoshopped!
Okay, so that was a fairly minor situation...although it happens all too often. The next example is a bit bigger and, unfortunately, shows just how entrenched certain fallacious beliefs are. The following responses are to specific beliefs about the Norse that have recently been expressed. Belief 1: Scandinavia was far colder than it is today. Belief 2: The Norse didn't have proper clothing. Belief 3: The Norse were more badass than everyone else.
Let's begin.
1. The so-called "Viking Age" ranged from about 793-1066 AD. This overlaps what is known as the "Medieval Warm Period" (9th-13th centuries). According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), "Norse seafaring and colonization around the North Atlantic...indicated that regional North Atlantic climate was warmer during medieval times than during the..."Little Ice Age" of the 15th-19th centuries...[a]s paleoclimatic records have become more numerous, it has become apparent that "Medieval Warm Period"...temperatures were warmer over the Northern Hemisphere than during the..."Little Ice Age", and also comparable to temperatures during the early 20th century...In summary, it appears that the late 20th and early 21st centuries are likely the warmest period the Earth has seen in at least 1200 years."
Scandinavian weather in the 21st century is generally comparable to that of North America. According to Sweden's official internet gateway, Sweden isn't nearly as cold as most people believe, thanks to the Gulf Stream, which "delivers [Sweden] from freezing." According to About.com the weather in most parts of Scandinavia is generally mild and pleasant, though the climate varies from north to south and east to west.
Erroneous belief 1: strike one.
2. Norse clothing was made primarily of wool and linen. Both wool and linen possess certain qualities that make them perfect fabrics for any weather or climate.
Wool, from the fleece of sheep, has the following qualities that make it a perfect material:
- It does not trap heat. It has the capacity to keep the body at an even temperature and insulates, as opposed to trapping heat. This means that in hot weather it keeps you cool and in cold weather it keeps you warm.
- It does not cling to the skin. This allows air circulation next to your skin and is part of the insulation property.
- It absorbs 30% of its weight in water but it also releases it. This prevents moisture from being held at the skin and producing a cold, clammy feeling. If the lanolin is left in the wool it is also waterproof.
- It is naturally fire resistant.
- It is strong and durable because of its natural elasticity.
- Natural antibacterial and antifungal properties.
- Protection from UV rays.
- Anti-allergenic characteristics.
- Anti-static characteristics.
- Will not attract or trap dust particles.
- Good sound insulation and acoustic properties.
- Absorbs up to 20% of it's own dry weight in water and moisture.
- Quick drying.
- One of the fibers that holds the most heat resistance.
- Thermal/cooling regulation which allows skin to breathe which keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
- Woolen shirt and long cloth trousers.
- Sleeved jerkin or three-quarter coat.
- Socks and leather shoes or long leather boots.
- Long linen dress.
- Long woolen tunic.
- Shawl.
- Woolen socks and leather shoes.
Erroneous belief 2: strike two.
3. Although much has been made of the viking raids through Europe, the Norse were not the first group of people to raid, nor were they necessarily the worst. Compared to such groups as the Romans, Huns, and Mongols, the Norse actually acquired very little territory from their endeavors.
The following maps show the land area acquired by each of these groups. As you can see, they were quite adept at subjugating large areas.
(left to right: Roman Empire, Hun Empire, Mongol Empire)
(Click on maps to enlarge)
The map to the left shows the "Norse Empire."
As you can see, the area "conquered" by the Norse is significantly smaller than those areas conquered by others, both before and after. New research is also suggesting that the Norse were not as bloodthirsty and fearless as the (non-Nordic) legends claim, and that the Norse were actually wary of their non-Nordic neighbors. According to Orkney Island historian Tom Muir, the raiders tended to prey on easy targets such as monasteries, and "the Norse had every reason to fear Celtic neighbors." According to advice handed down to Norse travelers in the 13th century, those making the journey to Scotland did so at their own risk. Analysis of the Icelandic Sagas (Islendingasagur) revealed the following counsel: "Icelanders who want to practice robbery are advised to go [to Scotland]...but it may cost them their life."When taking the sagas into consideration it must be noted that they were written sometimes hundreds of years after the events they profess to illustrate. Another point to consider is that many of the qualities exhibited by the Norse, are still exhibited by cultures today. One of the principle attributes mentioned by Magnus Magnusson in the introduction to his translation of Njal's Saga, is that of honor. The story of Njal is one of revenge. The Icelanders at that time believed that if honor was slighted revenge must be taken. Interestingly enough, the indigenous people of Papua New Guinea still practice this type of revenge. It is known as "payback." The concept is, if someone wrongs you then you have the right to exact revenge (usually in the form of homicide).
Another consideration with regard to the sagas is the fact that they were designed as entertainment. According to Magnusson, "[w]here strict historical accuracy could be vouchsafed, by reference to contemporary witnesses, it was valued: but artistic values were no less warmly appreciated where historicity could not be claimed." About the author of Njal's Saga, Magnusson states, "...it can be shown that he used his sources with considerable freedom and occasional mistakes, which can be accounted for by both garbled oral traditions and the natural tendency of an author to manipulate material for aesthetic purposes...The chronology of events in the saga is at times wildly inconsistent and cannot bear too close a scrutiny...There are...some striking similarities to certain events of the thirteenth century." This shows, clearly, that the sagas were not necessarily meant to be accurate historical narratives and to take them as such would be a huge mistake.
The Heimskringla by Snorre Sturlason, is a chronicle of the kings of Norway. The stories in it are no more violent than anything you can read in the newspaper or see on TV, and they are far less violent than many horror movies. They also don't show the Norse to be any more welcoming of harsh conditions than anyone today.
Erroneous belief 3: strike three. You lose.
Clearly, the Norse did not have some sort of corner on the violence market. They were simply doing the exact same thing that people have done ad infinitum. Countless examples of "viking" style behavior can be cited from the beginning of time (re: Cain and Abel) to present day. To suggest they were somehow more violent than any other group or that they lived through colder, harsher climatic conditions, or didn't have appropriate clothing for their climate is to ignore the blatantly obvious. The reason these fallacies have continued into the present is because of a misguided devotion to an ideal that never existed! Isn't it about time we stopped perpetuating these myths?
Oh, and do some freaking research!
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