[Luka Borscak]

I was thinking of getting a tatoo, but I would like it to be a historically accurate tatoo like vikings would have it. Ibn Fadlan wrote Rus had tatoos, is it know how they looked like?

[Marc Blaydoe]

I recommend you start with the Viking Answer Lady see here: http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/viktatoo.shtml

Marc Blaydoe
Gærmundr Rothskarl
Bosun aboard the Viking Ship Sae Hrafn

[David Hohl]

We talked about this a bit in a class I took, and aside from the mention in Ibn Fadlan, who said they were "covered" in tattoos, I don't remember any other description, and there hasn't been a body found with enough preservation to see a tattoo. Closest in time and geography would be some of the bog bodies from western europe and the british isles, which do have tattoos.[/i]

[Tjarand Matre]

This is way off on the timeline, but you should check out the "Ice princess" tattoos.

http://siberiantimes.com/culture/others/featu...d-tattoos/

Some of the tattoos are fairly similar to early Scandinavian wood carvings like Oseberg and Urnes.

[E. Storesund]

We don't have any reliable information to tell us what and whether any norse tattoo design would be "historically accurate". While Fadlan mentions something that might have been tattoos, we really don't know much else. Either way, if this was a common practice in Scandinavia at the time it certainly didn't leave any cultural or textual footprint to suggest anything along those lines.
Of course it is conceivable something of the sort may have occured (We didn't have any sources for filed teeth before excavations either: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jul/04...rset-grave ), but I doubt this would have been commonplace even if it occured in parts of society. I'll even have a couple of doubts untill we, by some miracle, should stumble across an inked piece of viking age skin.

[Daniel Wallace]

trying to remember my source but wasn't the name 'Pict' mean something of painted people? i know they are not Scandinavian, but they stand out when i think about body art in pre-christian europe.

i drew tattoo designs for a few people over the years, i would actually be careful about picking a Scandinavian themed tattoo. things like a thor's hammer can get you into trouble if you find yourself in the wrong crowd, runes can also bring unwanted attention because of the culture that is ignorant of what they once meant - and what their twisted to mean now. a valkyr, same thing. honestly it's your body put whatever you want on it, but just know that there a particular images that can flag you. i know your not in prison or anything - but i always gave a fare warning to whomever i was drawing for if it was something i knew would get them noticed in a way they were not planning.

personally, i've always liked the designs of the Yggdrrasil tree, and the stylised stage. the wolf is another image that comes to mind.



i never understood mandrin script tattoos either, 'can you read that' 'yeah it says courage' no - can - you - read - it, or understand it? it probably says sausage.

[Kurt Scholz]

While we have no preserved tatoos the Vikings have left us a lot of decorations in their style of art. Ancient stave curches are a living memory of how much artwork encompassed their lives. Get your inspirations from these artworks and take care not to hit the "Aryan race button" that goes along with neo-paganism and racial purity (a good joke if you look at the real genes and the effects of pure breeds). Tolkien was unfortunately very right about the damage done to Germanic culture by the Nazis and if you look closer at his narratives you'll find a lots of Germanic influence that has a positive spin via Lord of the Rings. The Rohans in book and film are very much modeled on Viking and Germanic templates. It might be sometimes safe to say that you like the Rohirrim in LoR and this is part of the artistic expression of the original cultures that were inspiring examples for their depiction in film. You just love that art, it looks so cool.

[Luka Borscak]

Thank you people for all the info. If I decide to go on with it I will probably go with some typical motifs of Scandinavian viking age artwork. I surely won't be accused of anything bad or get into trouble because of it, not in Croatia. Few will even recognize it.

[Jeremy A. Hart]

[Scott Woodruff]

According to Robert Ferguson, "Ibn Rustah also tells us that the Rus were covered to their fingertips in tatoos depicting trees, figures and other designs." Arab sources report that eye make up was used by the Rus and "once applied it never fades, and the beauty of both men and women is increased." Tattoing was banned in 787 by Pope Hadrian. Also" Ale runes you will want if another man's wife tries to betray your trust, scratch them on your drinking horn, the back of your hand and the need-rune on your nail. I'll teach you lore for helping women in labor, runes to release the child; write them on your palms and clasp her wrists, invoking the dirsir's aid." A bone pin with iron tip and iron-dressed hammer-shaped head found with a rune-inscribed comb in South Hordaland and dated to the 6th century has been theorized to have been part of the equipment of a right of passage for young women, which included ritual tattooing and combing of the hair into the coifure of an adult women. That is all the real info I can find on viking tattooing. Unfortuneately it is true that a lot of Germanic/Scandinavian motifs have been usurped by Asatru, white supremascists, neo-pagans and other modern groups. It would be worthwhile to research some of these modern uses of Germanic/Scandinavian art and runes so that you can avoid any confusion or conflict. The Mammen cloak embroidery might give you some good ideas for your tattoo.