Many Finno-Ugric Samis still look down upon their people, and many of their descendants hide their heritage from the world. Lets dig a little deeper and look at what we know about the first Scandinavians: The first inhabitants of the Scandinavian peninsula came from the south with darker skin and blue eyes (known as Western Hunter-Gatherers), later joined by migrants from the east (known as Eastern Hunter-Gatherers) who had lighter skin but darker eyes.During the following centuries, these two hunter-gatherer groups intermingled and produced one of the most diverse populations of the stone age, with a population at the time of about 10 000 to 20 000 in all of Scandinavia. Vikings were proud of their beards, and facial hair in archeological findings see a sudden increase during the Viking age (compared to the bronze age), suggesting there was a strong cultural preference for beards. This percentage is exceptionally high because light eyes generally are not dominant in most countries outside of Scandinavia. When you couple this with the opportunity to spend time on athletic endeavors and have access to a protein-rich and generally plentiful diet it is easier to see why some Nordic people tend to generally do well in muscle competitions. Some of the familiar Scandinavian personality traits include: reticence, a highly skeptical personality, general mistrust of strangers, cautious behavior, somewhat reserved personality and a lack of empathy. As far as I know, the advanced DNA analysis of skeletal remains scientists can do today has proven to be very reliable (the same scientific method has been used to establish the physical traits of Vikings also, and they seem to agree with written records), and its not so hard to imagine Scandinavians skin adapting from dark to light over a long period of time due to changing sunlight exposure, as we are all descendants of dark-skinned Africans (if we go even further back in time) no matter how light our skin color is today. Yli-Kuha, Kari. There are plenty of famous Scandinavians with notably high cheekbones, a trait which is commonly passed down in the Nordic region through families with Sami heritage. I have never seen more perfect physical specimens, tall as date palms, blonde and ruddy; they wear neither tunics nor caftans, but the men wear a garment which covers one side of the body and leaves a hand free. Korean people often have wide, open eyes. This is a result of a founding effect or a bottleneck effect. Research surrounding the EDAR gene indicates that Scandinavians (along with most Europeans) generally have thinner hair, than for example East Asians and Native Americans. History In life Swedish people can generally act calm and reserved, seem a bit cold, like to keep things professional, prefer a well-planned approach, and believe maybe is a conflict-free way to say no. Thanks Jonna for your comment, and Im happy to hear you enjoyed the article! The highest cheekbones and blue eyes are the most desirable traits of Scandinavians. It was also due to the Finns and Smis tendency to have a phenotypic resemblance to the Mongoloids. Additionally, there is also a lack of melanin in the skin, causing it to turn pale. It is likely that people in the saga age routinely had strength capabilities greater than those typical of modern people. 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Sweden I would say 5050, there has always been mosty people with brown hair in Sweden, the vikings did dye their hair blonde. But most have blue eyes, no Genes and Languages in Europe: An Analysis of Mitochondrial Lineages. 1995. However, more recent work in genetics shows there is a relation among the Smi that comes from more than just sharing a lifestyle. Who is this group of people? People in Europe have many contrasting facial features that can create them stand out from one another. Pale pink skin often with moles, blue eyes, thin to rounded lips, high not that sculptured cheekbones, a bit fat on cheeks(not visable chin/cheek m Science Consequently, people wanted to hide their ethnic heritage and had traditionally inherited blue eyes. In very recent studies, some overwhelming new evidence has challenged the myth of the Finns and the Smi as having a strictly Asian origin. Swedish people are generally tall, like many individuals in Nordic countries (like Denmark and Norway). However, its not uncommon for Swedish people to have dark brown (or sometimes even black) hair. One was Finnish and the remaining five were Karelian. There are no scientific studies suggesting Scandinavians, or any other people for that matter, are considered more attractive than others. The cheekbones are a distinctive feature of Swedish men, with several examples of prominent people in the entertainment industry. It may be a result of northern Sweden and Norway being the domain of Finno-Ugric Smi reindeer herders, a group that was out of the cultural grasp of the Indo-Europeans that seem to have succeeded in imposing their language only on areas with some level of agriculture. The size and strength of Vikings are discussed further in William Shorts Icelanders in the Viking Age where he writes the following: One significant way in which Viking-age Scandinavians differed from modern people is in their physical strength. While most Swedes have pale skin and other light features, some may have darker features, like Swedish actress Alicia Vikander, who has brown hair and eyes. The Scandinavian facial features are unique in terms of appearance. Lets take a more detailed look at how the Nordic peopleboth male and femalestack up against each other and the world when it comes to height: The Danish are the tallest people in the Nordics, with the average male Dane reaching 182 cm / 512, followed by the Icelandic men at 181 cm, and finally the Swedes, Norwegians, and Finns at 180 cm. This ice age did not officially end until 9500 BCE with larger population growth not occurring until 8000 BCE. Hooded eyes are prevalent in the Scandinavian population, and studies have shown that about 18 percent of northern Europeans have so-called sagging eyelids (which is related to hooded eyes but more specifically excess skin over your eye that may or may not disrupt your vision). The Swedish have a blue eye and are taller what we know of Viking hair and hairstyles, Read more about how The Last Kingdom, Vikings, and Game of Thrones compare, modern-day Scandinavia have a specific gene-makeup that is linked to more facial hair growth, the origin of Vikings before they came to Scandinavia, Viking Age Hairstyles & Beards: Historical & Modern Takes, How Tall & Strong Were Vikings? Genetic and linguistic data of 1995 seemed to show that the Finns arrived in Smi territory a mere 2,000 to 4,000 years ago, while at the same time adopting the Smi way of speaking. (Carpelan), [4] Finland link to 5 Great Places To Stay in Iceland. Finland It seems the research project is well-funded too (https://kaw.wallenberg.org/forskning/atlas-med-forhistoriskt-dna-ger-ny-bild-av-manniskans-ursprung), so they seem to have the best tools available to analyze this type of scientific data. According to Swedish scientific magazine Illustrerad Vetenskap, this type of microevolution developed as a response to the cold and snowy climate in the Arctic region, as the fatty fold isolates against freezing temperatures and shields the bright reflection of the snow somewhat. In Norse mythology, the thunder god is primarily described as a red-haired, pot-bellied, temperamental, and fiercely strong warrior, who loves to knock down vast quantities of mead and even known to dress up as a lady (!) Vikings vs. Last Kingdom vs. Game of Thrones, Curious how The Last Kingdom compares to Vikings, and how they both compare to Game of Thrones? March 22, 1996. Even the Vikings were known for bleaching their hair, although the main reason to do so may have been primarily to kill hair lice. Chinese people have rounder eyes, while Japanese people usually have almond-shaped eyes. By Chris Drew (PhD) / February 26, 2023. (Julku 191), [13] Between 1-10% of the population of Scandinavia have red hair according to studies that have mapped out the so-called red hair genes. The Swedish and Danish samples were similar with regard to age distribution, sample size, dental conditions and radiographic procedures. Enjoy your visit! One of the few written accounts we have on specific Viking hairstyles is an Old English text where an Anglo-Saxon man is angry at his brother for adopting a heathen haircut and forgetting his own customs. Facts Tattoo is the first movie in the Millenium trilogy, arguably the best example of modern Nordic Noir in movie form. This data may not be representative of the Nordic region as a whole, but at least it gives you an insight into what actual Scandinavian people look like in 2023. Modern Swedes are closely related to hunter-gatherers of the Pitted Ware culture. Still this does not answer the underlying question of where the Smi originally came from. Fika Get some Scandi spirit in your home with our premium museum-quality prints sent right to your doorstep with free shipping worldwide. Required fields are marked *. While there are some that feature High cheekbones werent always seen as a positive trait in the Nordic region though, as it was fairly common for the Germanic Scandinavians to look down upon the Finno-Ugric Samis as less civilized, at least up until the late 20th century. The Nordic/Scandinavian physical stereotypes are as cliche as they are well-knownthe stereotypical Scandis are expected to be a bunch of tall, blonde-haired, and blue-eyed Vikings in most peoples mindsbut can those stereotypes actually be true in modern-day Scandinavia? The sagas often tell tales of exceptional strength, which is supported by several forms of archaeological evidence. Oslo Curious how Vikings actually looked like? When the Battle Axe culture group fused with the groups already present in Scandinavia this eventually spawned the Nordic Bronze Age people, who are seen as the ancestors of all Germanic people. In general, Vikings were genetically disposed to be tall on average and started training to become capable warriors from a very young age. A high and narrow face with marked features, mildly They also exercise more than the average person. Historians believe that most Norse men had facial hair, and those who didnt were even mocked for it according to the sagas. DNA analysis from specimens from this period has shown people with dark hair, a mix of light and dark skin, and most likely blue eyeswhich sounds like a lot of modern-day Scandinavians I know. The taller Vikings reached around 190 cm and the shorter around 170 cm. Ive noticed that surgeons in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark all offer surgery to counteract this condition in case it disrupts your eyesight, or as an elective procedure for cosmetic reasons, and this procedure isnt as commonly seen in other areas of the world. Both groups speak a Finno-Ugric language that causes them to be singled out among their Indo-European neighbors and associated historically with each other. However, this doesnt mean that all Swedes are tall. Only approximately 17% of the worlds population has blue eyes, a stark contrast with Swedens 78% [3]. Nordic and Scandinavian Physical Traits Today. A study comparing the facial profile of young adult Swedes and Danes found that the Scandinavians have slightly higher cheekbones than the Danish population. Did Vikings Wear Eyeliner and Other Makeup? Their eye color is correlated with their perceived attractiveness. The study of these Y chromosomal polymorphisms shows two major founding male lineages in not only the Smi, but the Finns as well. This means that the Smi could very well have been almost completely isolated for several thousands of years. Though they speak a Finno-Ugric language, they are genetically distinct from other Finno-Ugric and Indo-European people. Mythology Stereotypical Scandinavian traits and facial features have since the early 20th century included straight, blonde hair; blue eyes; tall figure; a straight nose; thin lips; and non-prominent cheekbones, according to Werner & Bjrks 2014 book Blond and As such, it was common that people wanted to hide their Sami heritage, with some even being ashamed of typically Sami features such as high cheekbones and wider eyes (SvD 2012). , arguably the best example of modern Nordic Noir in movie form distribution, sample size dental! Strength, which is supported by several forms of archaeological evidence still this does not the. 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