. Social Scandinavia in the Viking age. candinavian branch duringthe Viking Age. In any event, it is a fact that the North-men by means of bleaches changed the color of theirbeards to a saffron yellow,^^ and in all probability the hairof their heads was transformed to a corresponding tint. 14 Keyser, Private Life, 76-80; Montelius, Civilization of Sweden, 164;Ibn-Fadlan, 5. 15 Historia Naturalis, XXVIII, 51. 16 Ibn-Fadlan, 5, 73. 84 SOCIAL SCANDINAVIA IN THE VIKING AGE The Northmen of the early Middle Ages were perhapsas careful in the matter of personal cleanliness as were the other inliabita
. Social Scandinavia in the Viking age. candinavian branch duringthe Viking Age. In any event, it is a fact that the North-men by means of bleaches changed the color of theirbeards to a saffron yellow,^^ and in all probability the hairof their heads was transformed to a corresponding tint. 14 Keyser, Private Life, 76-80; Montelius, Civilization of Sweden, 164;Ibn-Fadlan, 5. 15 Historia Naturalis, XXVIII, 51. 16 Ibn-Fadlan, 5, 73. 84 SOCIAL SCANDINAVIA IN THE VIKING AGE The Northmen of the early Middle Ages were perhapsas careful in the matter of personal cleanliness as were the other inliabitants of Western Europe atRifinemint ^^^^ ^i™^ though they were far below average present-day standards.^ All persons layingany claim to personal decency washed hands and facein the morning upon rising, and the more refined alsoused basin and towel before each meal. The betterclasses likewise combed their hair at least once a day,using for the purpose well-made combs of bone, horn,ivory, or metal (Fig. 7); but heads were perhaps washed. Fig. 7. Comb of Bone. (From Gustafsons Xorges Oldtid.) only occasionally.^^ Among some, attention was paidto the nicer details of the toilet; implements of silver formanicuring the nails were occasionally found among thepossessions of the wealthy, and also silver ear-spoons.^^But in the matter of cleanliness in clothes, the ancientswere especially far behind the people of the present;underwear as well as outer garments did long servicebefore being washed, and the average Scandinavian, likethe average person in the rest of Europe at the time, Avasinfested with vermin. 17 Ibn-Fadlan described the Scandinavian merchants whom he observedon the Volga as the dirtiest people that God had created (AraberBerichte, p. 5) ; but he, as an Arab, represented a culture on the wholehigher than that of Western Europe at the time; and, as a Mohammedan,to him cleanliness was a part of religion. 18 Ibn-Fadlan, 7, 21. laJohansen, K. F., Solvskatten fra Terslev, in A
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