Honey Mead
As we’re already debunking myths, we can safely say that Vikings did not drink the blood of their enemies. They did, however, drink Mead. It is also known as the golden nectar of the gods or as metheglin. This drink was made of fermented honey, water, and occasionally yeast. They sometimes added spices and herbs like ginger, cloves, rosemary, hyssop, and thyme. The spices affected the drink as it had all kinds of variations to make it sweet, light, dry, rich, or bubbly. The Vikings definitely drank a whole lot of mead, and not just because of the fun side-effects, but because it had medicinal properties as well. Since they didn’t have the ability to make wine like the Greeks, they used the honey they had to make mead. Since honey is an antibiotic that tasted delicious, the nectar has blood-purifying properties, helping with digestion, and stimulating the immune system.
Honey Mead
Proper Hygiene
Despite being known for rowing massive ships, farming, and sailing across seas, the Vikings had surprisingly good hygiene for their time. In excavations, tweezers, razors, combs, and ear cleaners were found made of animal bones as well as antlers. It also says on History.com that Vikings enjoyed dips in hot springs and they showered once a week. In any case, we figure it must have been difficult to build up a sweat in the cold climates of Iceland and Scandinavia.
Proper Hygiene