5 myths about Vikings that everyone believes - Stephanie H. Smith (Level 1)

Many people think they know the history of the Vikings. Movies often show them as big men wearing helmets with horns. They are famous for sailing ships and fighting. However, the real story is different. The Viking Age started around the year 793 and lasted for 300 years. It began because life became hard in Scandinavia. Men sailed away to find money and land for their families. Some famous stories about Vikings are actually myths. For example, they did not wear horned helmets. That idea came from a play written in the 19th century. Real soldiers wore simple hats made of iron or leather. Also, they did not drink from cups made of skulls. This was a mistake made by a translator long ago. Vikings were violent fighters, but they were also traders. They bought and sold goods all over the world. They had wine from Germany and silk from China. Recent science also shows that some powerful warriors were women. Today, we are still learning new things about who the Vikings really were.