Norse question..

Hey, this might be a bit off topic for a tattoo board, but im not sure where else to ask this- Ive been considering getting a norse/viking type of tattoo for a while, becuase I thought being German kind of connected me with that. But the more I look into this stuff, the more "confilicting" things i find, saying how Germans aren't really connected with it, to things saying that Germans are (Having the same mythological gods, using runes, etc). Anyone know anything about this? I'd really appreciate it if someone could help me out if they happen to know anything about this.

Due to quite extensive seafaring skills and conquest, we are learning that the vikings, (Norse) people touched many, many more societies than previously thought. I fact, it's possible that those cranky bastards had a hand in a lot of societies, including, even possibly North America. I would not be surprised at all to find a Germanic, Norse link. In fact, it sorta seems inevitable.

Alright, thanks. Heard about the North America thing before. I just want to at least make sure my ancestors were part of the whole "norse" thing before I started getting tattoo's about it. (Well it's very cool nonetheless, but still, i'd like to have it for my heritage as well). Anyone else know anything?

Hey man...I think its safe to say that those pesky Norsemen went everywhere and pretty much raped and pillaged all over so its a pretty good bet that one of your relatives somewhere had a horny viking spreading his seed and hidin in the closet...sounds like a cool tattoo...will ya send a pic when its done?...TAz OH YEAH>>>thanks for the post!...Keep in touch and great tattooing!!!

I sure hope so; norse mythology and nordic tihngs in general have a lot of possibilities for really cool tattoo's, but im not sure if I would really want them if I didn't have much of a connection with the people who used it. Im like, 80-90% german so it's a large part of me =P. Just cant seem to find a straight answer on whether germans were part of that, but it does say "Germanic people" ususally, but i'm not sure what to make of that.

I sure hope so; norse mythology and nordic tihngs in general have a lot of possibilities for really cool tattoo's, but im not sure if I would really want them if I didn't have much of a connection with the people who used it. Im like, 80-90% german so it's a large part of me =P. Just cant seem to find a straight answer on whether germans were part of that, but it does say "Germanic people" ususally, but i'm not sure what to make of that.

I'll ask ol Jwerk to do some research for ya man...gimme a day or two and check back!...TAz

Both Germans and Norse belong to the same "tribe" they are Germanic People, as opposed to Romanic people in the south of ancient Europe.

Thanks a lot, thats what I thought. And i'd appreciate any other information you could find me as well Taz.

Bump, i'd like to know this as well. I'm mostly German as well..

Hey Alex, if you could elaborate some more if you know anything else? The more I try to put this all together and research on it, I can't figure it out. I read a lot about "Germanic people" as people being from all kinds of places, (which norse mythology seems to be connected with), yet sometimes I find descriptions of "Norse mythology" that say "The collective myths of the Scandinavians (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland).". Whats the deal? I can't figure out if me, being german, is part of this norse/viking thing. Ive been lookin for days and I still cant find a straight answer. Anyone else who could clear this up for me finally I would really appreciate as well.

Tactical, I believe that this link should answer your questions/ some or most.... regardless there is a buttload of info. Good luck and happy tattooing!....J http://www.hyw.com/books/history/Vikings_.htm

Excellent piece of history Sir J-Werk!!!

Dave, Got your e-mail lastnight. Sorry that I didn't reply to it as I was quite intoxicated by that hour....But I dygress, I will take some more time to see if I can find some more concrete answers for you. I actually like this stuff anyway being that I was a history major back in my college days.... hell in the course of looking up some stuff for you I ran across traces of my family history! I think I have some ideas for my next set of tattoos!.... Don't worry Taz, I'll wait for my sleeves to get done first.

Dave, found this link. http://history-world.org/vikings.htm Pay particular attention to the 4th paragraph under "Vikings." The 1st paragraph under "Nordic Peoples." 4th paragraph under "Trade is Developed." 1st and 5th paragraph under "Influence." It does not, however, directly link the Vikings to the Germans or vice versa. I would think that after you read this that you could draw an educated conclusion that based on the areas that the Vikings covered in their conquests, their trade routes, where they settled, etc that there could be a very valid agruement that there could be Viking bloodlines in people of German descent.

And in response to Alex's post; "Few written records exist of the Vikings before their conversion to Christianity. As a result, knowledge of the Germanic peoples of Scandinavia in the pre- and early-Viking period is limited. It rests on chronicles and records created by those who were frequently their enemies and victims, on archaeological and physical evidence, and on their own later literary reconstructions of their heroic past."

Jason...you are a fuggin genius! Hell I'd love ya even if ya DIDN"T swallow!... Your Daddy...TAz

More sites to check out for ya Dave. http://www.northvegr.org/lore/history_viking/018.php http://members.aol.com/skyelander/intro15.html Between 1000 BC and 500 BC the Germanic people split into three larger groups; North, East and West-Germanic. Archeological evidence suggests the North Germanic people had spread through Scandinavia and along the North sea. The East Germanic people are believed to have located themselves between the middle Oder and the Vistula rivers, while the West Germanic people could be found along the middle Rhine and Weser through to the Elbe. You might be a viking if.... you can someway establish if your family line descended from the North Germans who were believed to have immigrated north as mentioned above....

Ha! I am a dumby!.... Sorry Tactical, I got you and Dave confused! Nonetheless I think you get the idea..... Good grief I guess I really did drink to much lastnight!....J

There are a few things that are being missed in the nuances of his question. For instance, many of the norse gods are the same, they just have slightly differing names. Wotan is the germanic for Odin and things like that. The term Viking is actually a very specific action that the norse (notice I didn't say Germans) would do. To "go a viking" was pretty much an act of piracy. Now everyong is correct that they ravaged the lands all over and were in Germany. But true "Vikings" as he is thinking about were most likely nordic. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to email me at [email removed] Jimmy

Germans has no connection what so ever with Norse Mythology. The Vikings were Scandinavians...Germans were Germanic.

The Germans has a lot in common with us Norwegians, in fact we have more in common with the Germans than the Swedish and Danish pepole when it comes to genetics. Although the romans had at some time a piece of north germany. The Germans did not convert totaly to the roman relgion and culture, they also where defeated and slaughtered around year 9. Sorry for my bad english regards

And by the way, i know most pepole think of Vikings as a pretty stupid pepole who sailed across the world to rape and pilage. This is not true at all. The Vikings where probably the most inteligent pepole at that period, some of it can be proved with their skills of metalurgy and navigation methods. They whare also known as good tradesmen, shown in writings all the way down in turkey. The raping and pilaging stories usualy comes from england and the reason for that was simply retaliation for what the englishmen did to us, they tryed to force upon us their christianety, they sailed to norway, raped our women, burned down our sacred places and built churches on the same ground as our aincent sacred places, forced the chirstianety ontp us with violence. Actualy the storys about us raping and pilaging comes only from monasterys at the sea line of england, in some of them it is written on the walls "God help us from the wrath of the Norwegains" There is also stories of Vikings sailing up the Hudson river in the US long before anyone else, the story says also that they settled there and lived in peace with the indians, but something happened and the story tells aomething about 100 Vikings slaughtered 1000 indiands in a giant battle. Sorry again for my bad english regards