Nostalgic for a world I never got to experience

[kafkasdiariies]

Sunset reflections Duomo di Milano

[fr3nstimu1ator]

[hiraethfernweh]

"Real refugees wouldn't be adult men"

I don't want the women or children either

[brantheblessed]

[nature-hiking]

Autumn sunrise in the alps - Adlerweg, Tirol, Austria, October 2022

photo by: nature-hiking

Instagram: nature__hiking

[expressions-of-nature]

Lake Frolikha, Russia by Alexander Lavrentiev

[expressions-of-nature]

Multinsky Lakes, Russia by Lyudmila

[nordfemme]

[theminimalisto]

[90377]

Fjaðrárgljúfur, South Iceland by Bryan Coe

[nature-hiking]

Patagonian Waterfalls - Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile, March 2025

Photo by: nature-hiking

Instagram: nature__hiking  

[expressions-of-nature]

Ryusogataki Falls, Japan by Yamato Kimiko

[expressions-of-nature]

Alpe di Siusi, Italy by Tomáš Hirsch

[expressions-of-nature]

by Fabio Romano

[boomer-mythology-destroyer]

[norseminuteman]

Shieldmaiden. 

[fraucherylthestrange]

I had a student ask me about shieldmaidens recently and argue with me when I explained that it’s unlikely they existed as we know them.

To be clear, “shieldmaidens” as a concept only exists in stories and myths, most of which come centuries after the age of Vikings. These stories, like that of Hervör or Lathgertha, were written through a Christian perspective of women, which often serve as cautionary tales for why women shouldn’t go to battle or challenge traditional gender roles.

We have little to no archaeological evidence, barring some rare exceptions, that Viking women went into battle with the army. But I think, the concept of the “shieldmaiden” overshadows the fact that Viking women were leaders and landowners in the absence of the men. It’s not unlikely that some, or even many, were skilled in fighting, perhaps inspired by the many warrior women that are found in Old Norse myths.

Strength, bravery, and honour were major values for these cultures, but those values can present themselves in many ways, which we see throughout the story cycles in the Poetic Edda and Codex Regius.

I could go on, I have a whole rant in me, but I just needed to get this off my chest.

[hiraethfernweh]

I'm sure the average Norse woman was much more skilled in matters of combat than modern women (and indeed most modern men) because she had to be able to defend her household while her husband was away, but that's a far cry from women routinely partaking in raids and wars as depicted on tv.

Martial cultures require high birth rates to offset the mortality rates of combat. It would make very little sense to intentionally put young women in harm's way.

That's not even getting into the physical differences such as upper body and grip strength that would make it harder for women to maintain a shield wall. Including them would endanger everyone.

Women are amazing, not because they can do everything a man can do, but because of the things they can do that men cannot. Norse pagans were more equitable towards women than most cultures. Whether the shieldmaiden was a cautionary tale or their own or a Christian exaggeration meant to ridicule them, it should be not be treated as a literal telling of history

[hiraethfernweh]

[hiraethfernweh]

Yakutia, Russia