A recent study of a small ivory figurine is challenging the traditional image of Vikings as rugged warriors. Researchers at the National Museum of Denmark say the object offers rare visual evidence that Vikings were also style icons with a distinct focus on grooming and fashion, particularly in their hairstyles.
The figurine, only three centimeters tall and carved from walrus ivory, dates back to the late 10th century, during the reign of King Harald Bluetooth. It was originally discovered in 1797 at a Viking burial site near the Oslofjord in southern Norway and has remained in museum storage for over 200 years. Now, it’s part of the exhibition The Wolf’s Warning, which explores Viking symbolism and spirituality.
Curator Peter Pentz explains that the figurine presents a remarkably detailed look at male grooming in the Viking Age. The figure wears a middle-parted hairstyle with waves along the sides, short hair at the back, a thick moustache, a long braided goatee, and clean-cut sideburns. He notes that such details offer more than decoration—they provide clues to how the Viking elite portrayed themselves.
Figurine highlights royal identity and elite status
This gaming piece was once part of hnefatafl, a popular strategic board game played across Scandinavia from the 8th to 11th centuries. The figure represents the king, the most important piece in the game. Unlike most Viking art, which features animals or abstract patterns, this artifact stands out for its realistic human features, making it an exceptional find for historians.
Scholars also point to the figurine’s hand gesture and beard as culturally significant. Though its arms are partly damaged, the figure appears to be part of a known category of beard-stroking images in Viking art. These gestures, researchers believe, symbolized masculinity, fertility, and leadership—traits closely associated with royal identity.
The use of walrus ivory highlights the object’s elite status. As one of the most valuable materials of the era, ivory carvings were typically reserved for the wealthy or powerful. The craftsmanship and material together suggest that personal appearance held cultural and possibly political weight in Viking society.
Pentz describes the figurine as a rare visual document that brings the personal lives of Vikings into sharper focus. While the stereotype of the Viking warrior dominates popular imagination, this artifact suggests a more nuanced reality—one where appearance, symbolism, and identity were carefully crafted and deeply meaningful.
