UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL DE VENEZUELA Facultad de Humanidades y Educacin Escuela de Idiomas Mode nos De!

a tamento de In"l#s Cultu a$ Temas y Te%tos & &do la!so ' &()&*&()+ , o-eso . Rey"a /e nal January 06, 2010 http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/ibn !dln.shtml

Risala: Ibn Fadlan's Account of the Rus

Dear Viking Answer Lady:
I've heard that Michael Crichton wrote a book based on Ibn Fadlan's account of the Varangian Rus, describing Scandinavian traders in 900's Russia !owever, I'" also aware that Crichton is a well#known fiction writer $re Eaters of the Dead and the "ovie 13th Warrior reall% based on Ibn Fadlan's histor%&

Gentle Reader:
'ou are indeed correct to be ske(tical )hile undoubtedl% Crichton had so"e fa"iliarit% with Ibn Fadlan's account, his well known novel Eaters of the Dead is totall% fiction, "i*ing Ibn Fadlan with +eowulf and a bit of ! , )ells' Morlocks added for flavor -here are, however, translations of Ibn Fadlan's true account available, including the e*cer(ts discussing Ibn Fadlan's adventures a"ong the Rus as discussed below

Risala: Ibn Fadlan's Account of the Rus

Ibn Fadlan was an $rab chronicler In 9./ C 0 , the Cali(h of +aghdad sent Ibn Fadlan with an e"bass% to the 1ing of the +ulgars of the Middle Volga

Ibn Fadlan wrote an account of his 2ourne%s with the e"bass%, called a Risala -his Risala is of great value as a histor%, although it is clear in so"e (laces that inaccuracies and Ibn Fadlan's own (re2udices have slanted the account to so"e e*tent 3uring the course of his 2ourne%, Ibn Fadlan "et a (eo(le called the Rus, a grou( of Swedish origin, acting as traders in the +ulgar ca(ital -he first allusion to the Rus co"es toward the close of the descri(tion of the +ulgars )hen the Rus or (eo(le of another race ca"e with slaves for sale, the king of the +ulgars had a right to choose one slave in each ten for hi"self -he full descri(tion begins4 80. I have seen the Rus as the% ca"e on their "erchant 2ourne%s and enca"(ed b% the Volga I have never seen "ore (erfect (h%sical s(eci"ens, tall as date (al"s, blonde and rudd%5 the% wear neither tunics nor caftans, but the "en wear a gar"ent which covers one side of the bod% and leaves a hand free Note: $lthough Ibn Fadlan here sa%s the "en go without 6tunic or caftan,6 he later describes the funeral of a Rus chieftain, who is s(eciall% dressed in both tunic and caftan before cre"ation 78 99: -he tunic (robabl% corres(onds to ;ld <orse kyrtill, 6a knee#length tunic with sleeves which was worn belted 6 -he caftan is a heav% woolen overgar"ent, known in ;ld <orse as an lpa -he 6gar"ent which covers one side of the bod% and leaves a hand free6 "ust be the <orse rectangular cloak 7;ld <orse mttull, skikkja, or feldr: which was worn (inned at the right shoulder leaving the sword#hand free

 81. 0ach "an has an a*e, a sword, and a knife and kee(s each b% hi" at all ti"es -he swords are broad and grooved, of Frankish sort 0ver% "an is tatooed fro" finger nails to neck with dark green 7or green or blue#black: trees, figures, etc 82. 0ach wo"an wears on either breast a bo* of iron, silver, co((er or gold5 the value of the bo* indicates the wealth of the husband 0ach bo* has a ring fro" which de(ends a knife -he wo"en wear neck rings of gold and silver, one for each /0,000 dirhe"s which her husband is worth5 so"e wo"en have "an% -heir "ost (ri=ed orna"ents are beads of green glass of the sa"e "ake as cera"ic ob2ects one finds on their shi(s -he% trade beads a"ong the"selves and the% (a% an e*aggerated (rice for the", for the% bu% the" for a dirhe" a(iece -he% string the" as necklaces for their wo"en I. In (lace of gold the Rus use sable skins <o standard "easure is known in the land5 the% bu% and sell b% dr% "easure -he% are ver% fond of (ork and "an% of the" who have assu"ed the garb of Musli"is" "iss it ver% "uch II. -he Rus are a great host, all of the" red haired5 the% are big "en with white bodies -he wo"en of this land have bo*es "ade, according to their circu"stances and "eans, out of gold, silver, and wood Fro" childhood the% bind these to their breasts so that their breasts will not grow larger 0ach "an (uts a chain around his wife's neck for each thousand dinars of his wealth Note: -he (receeding two (aragra(hs are fro" the />th centur% C 0 ?ersian geogra(her $"in Ra=i, who has taken Ibn Fadlan's observation and atte"(ted to devise a reason for the observation, thus "istakenl% assu"ing

that Ibn Fadlan's 6breast bo*es4 ## actuall% the tortoise#shell sha(ed brooches of the <ordic wo"an's costu"e ## are used to control breast si=e, rather than being si"(le orna"entation : 83. -he% are the filthiest of ,od's creatures -he% have no "odest% in defecation and urination, nor do the% wash after (ollution fro" orgas", nor do the% wash their hands after eating -hus the% are like wild asses )hen the% have co"e fro" their land and anchored on, or ties u( at the shore of the Volga, which is a great river, the% build big houses of wood on the shore, each holding ten to twent% (ersons "ore or less 0ach "an has a couch on which he sits )ith the" are (rett% slave girls destines for sale to "erchants4 a "an will have se*ual intercourse with his slave girl while his co"(anion looks on So"eti"es whole grou(s will co"e together in this fashion, each in the (resence of others $ "erchant who arrives to bu% a slave girl fro" the" "a% have to wait and look on while a Rus co"(letes the act of intercourse with a slave girl 84. 0ver% da% the% "ust wash their faces and heads and this the% do in the dirtiest and filthiest fashion (ossible4 to wit, ever% "orning a girl servant brings a great basin of water5 she offers this to her "aster and he washes his hands and face and his hair ## he washes it and co"bs it out with a co"b in the water5 then he blows his nose and s(its into the basin )hen he has finished, the servant carries the basin to the ne*t (erson, who does likewise She carries the basin thus to all the household in turn, and each blows his nose, s(its, and washes his face and hair in it Note: Ibn Fadlan's "ain source of disgust with the Rus bathing custo"s have to do with his Isla"ic faith, which re@uires a (ious Moha""edan to wash onl% in running water or water (oured fro" a container so that the

rinsings do not again touch the bather -he sagas often describe a wo"an washing a "an's hair for hi", often as a gesture of affection It would be likel% that the basin was actuall% e"(tied between each bath4 Ibn Fadlan would still have felt the basin conta"inated b% (revious use It does see" here that Ibn Fadlan "a% be e*aggerating a bit for effect 85. )hen the shi(s co"e to this "ooring (lace, ever%bod% goes ashore with bread, "eat, onions, "ilk and into*icating drink and betakes hi"self to a long u(right (iece of wood that has a face like a "an's and is surrounded b% little figures, behind which are long stakes in the ground -he Rus (rostrates hi"self before the big carving and sa%s, 6; "% Aord, I have co"e fro" a far land and have with "e such and such a nu"ber of girls and such and such a nu"ber of sables6, and he (roceeds to enu"erate all his other wares -hen he sa%s, 6I have brought %ou these gifts,6 and la%s down what he has brought with hi", and continues, 6I wish that %ou would send "e a "erchant with "an% dinars and dirhe"s, who will bu% fro" "e whatever I wish and will not dis(ute an%thing I sa% 6 -hen he goes awa% If he has difficult% selling his wares and his sta% is (rolonged, he will return with a gift a second or third ti"e If he has still further difficult%, he will bring a gift to all the little idols and ask their intercession, sa%ing, 6-hese are the wives of our Aord and his daughters and sons 6 $nd he addresses each idol in turn, asking intercession and (ra%ing hu"bl% ;ften the selling goes "ore easil% and after selling out he sa%s, 6M% Aord has satisfied "% desires5 I "ust re(a% hi",6 and he takes a certain nu"ber of shee( or cattle and slaughters the", gives (art of the "eat as al"s, brings the rest and de(osits it before the great idol and the little idols around it, and sus(ends the heads of the cattle or shee( on the stakes In the night, dogs co"e and

eat all, but the one who has "ade the offering sa%s, 6-rul%, "% Aord is content with "e and has consu"ed the (resent I brought hi" 6 86. $n ill (erson is (ut in a tent a(art with so"e bread and water and (eo(le do not co"e to s(eak to hi"5 the% do not co"e even to see hi" ever% da%, es(eciall% if he is a (oor "an or a slave If he recovers, he returns to the", and if he dies, the% cre"ate hi" If he is a slave, he is left to be eaten b% dogs and birds of (re% If the Rus catch a thief or robber, the% hang hi" on a tall tree and leave hi" hanging until his bod% falls in (ieces 87. I heard that at the deaths of their chief (ersonages the% did "an% things, of which the least was cre"ation, and I was interested to learn "ore $t last I was told of the death of one of their outstanding "en -he% (laced hi" in a grave and (ut a roof over it for ten da%s, while the% cut and sewed gar"ents for hi" If the deceased is a (oor "an the% "ake a little boat, which the% la% hi" in and burn If he is rich, the% collect his goods and divide the" into three (arts, one for his fa"il%, another to (a% for his clothing, and a third for "aking into*icating drink, which the% drink until the da% when his fe"ale slave will kill herself and be burned with her "aster cu( in hand Alt: -he% burn hi" in this fashion4 the% leave hi" for the first ten da%s in a grave !is (ossessions the% divide into three (arts4 one (art for his daughters and wives5 another for gar"ents to clothe the cor(se5 another (art covers the cost of the into*icating drink which the% consu"e in the -he% stu(if% the"selves b% drinking this beer night and da%5 so"eti"es one of the" dies

course of ten da%s, uniting se*uall% with wo"en and (la%ing "usical instru"ents Meanwhile, the slave girl who gives herself to be burned with hi", in these ten da%s drinks and indulges in (leasure5 she decks her head and her (erson with all sorts of orna"ents and fine dress and so arra%ed gives herself to the "en )hen a great (ersonage dies, the (eo(le of his fa"il% ask his %oung wo"en and "en slaves, 6)ho a"ong %ou will die with hi"&6 ;ne answers, 6I 6 ;nce he or she has said that, the thing is obligator%4 there is no backing out of it Bsuall% it is one of the girl slaves who do this 88. )hen the "an of who" I have s(oken died, his girl slaves were asked, 6)ho will die with hi"&6 ;ne answered, 6I 6 She was then (ut in the care of two %oung wo"en, who watched over her and acco"(anied her ever%where, to the (oint that the% occasionall% washed her feet with their own hands ,ar"ents were being "ade for the deceased and all else was being readied of which he had need Meanwhile the slave drinks ever% da% and sings, giving herself over to (leasure 89. )hen the da% arrived on which the "an was to be cre"ated and the girl with hi", I went to the river on which was his shi( I saw that the% had drawn the shi( onto the shore, and that the% had erected four (osts of birch wood and other wood, and that around the shi( was "ade a structure like great shi('s tents out of wood -hen the% (ulled the shi( u( until it was on this wooden construction -hen the% began to co"e and go and to s(eak words which I did not understand, while the "an was still in his grave and had not %et been brought out -he tenth da%, having drawn the shi( u( onto the river bank, the% guarded it In the "iddle of the shi( the% (re(ared a do"e or (avillion of wood and covered this with various sorts of fabrics

-hen the% brought a couch and (ut it on the shi( and covered it with a "attress of ,reek brocade -hen ca"e an old wo"an who" the% call the $ngel of 3eath, and she s(read u(on the couch the furnishings "entioned It is she who has charge of the clothes#"aking and arranging all things, and it is she who kills the girl slave I saw that she was a stra((ing old wo"an, fat and louring )hen the% ca"e to the grave the% re"oved the earth fro" above the wood, then the wood, and took out the dead "an clad in the gar"ents in which he had died I saw that he had grown black fro" the cold of the countr% -he% (ut into*icating drink, fruit, and a stringed instru"ent in the grave with hi" -he% re"oved all that -he dead "an did not s"ell bad, and onl% his color had changed -he% dressed hi" in trousers, stockings, boots, a tunic, and caftan of brocade with gold buttons -he% (ut a hat of brocade and fur on hi" -hen the% carried hi" into the (avillion on the shi( -he% seated hi" on the "attress and (ro((ed hi" u( with cushions -he% brought into*icating drink, fruits, and fragrant (lants, which the% (ut with hi", then bread, "eat, and onions, which the% (laced before hi" -hen the% brought a dog, which the% cut in two and (ut in the shi( -hen the% brought his wea(ons and (laced the" b% his side -hen the% took two horses, ran the" until the% sweated, then cut the" to (ieces with a sword and (ut the" in the shi( <e*t the% killed a rooster and a hen and threw the" in -he girl slave who wished to be killed went here and there and into each of their tents, and the "aster of each tent had se*ual intercourse with her and said, 6-ell %our lord I have done this out of love for hi" 6 90. Frida% afternoon the% led the slave girl to a thing that the% had "ade which rese"bled a door fra"e She (laced her feet on the (al"s of the "en and the% raised her u( to overlook this fra"e She s(oke so"e

words and the% lowered her again $ second ti"e the% rasied her u( and she did again what she had done5 then the% lowered her -he% raised her a third ti"e and she did as she had done the two ti"es before -hen the% brought her a hen5 she cut off the head, which she threw awa%, and then the% took the hen and (ut it in the shi( I asked the inter(reter what she had done !e answered, 6-he first ti"e the% raised her she said, '+ehold, I see "% father and "other ' -he second ti"e she said, 'I see all "% dead relatives seated ' -he third ti"e she said, 'I see "% "aster seated in ?aradise and ?aradise is beautiful and green5 with hi" are "en and bo% servants !e calls "e -ake "e to hi" ' 6 <ow the% took her to the shi( She took off the two bracelets she was wearing and gave the" both to the old wo"an called the $ngel of 3eath, who was to kill her5 then she took off the two finger rings which she was wearing and gave the" to the two girls who had served her and were the daughters of the wo"an called the $ngel of 3eath -hen the% raised her onto the shi( but the% did not "ake her enter the (avillion Alt. $fter that, the grou( of "en who have cohabitated with the slave girl "ake of their hands a sort of (aved wa% whereb% the girl, (lacing her feet on the (al"s of their hands, "ounts onto the shi( -he "en ca"e with shields and sticks She was given a cu( of into*icating drink5 she sang at taking it and drank -he inter(reter told "e that she in this fashion bade farewell to all her girl co"(anions -hen she was given another cu(5 she took it and sang for a long ti"e while the old wo"an incited her to drink u( and go into the (avillion where her "aster la% I saw that she was distracted5 she wanted to enter the (avillion but (ut her head between it and the boat -hen the old wo"an sie=ed her head and "ade her enter the (avillion and entered with her -hereu(on the "en began to strike with the sticks on the shields so that her cries could not be heard and

the other slave girls would not seek to esca(e death with their "asters -hen si* "en went into the (avillion and each had intercourse with the girl -hen the% laid her at the side of her "aster5 two held her feet and two her hands5 the old wo"an known as the $ngel of 3eath re#entered and loo(ed a cord around her neck and gave the crossed ends to the two "en for the" to (ull -hen she a((roached her with a broad#bladed dagger, which she (lunged between her ribs re(eatedl%, and the "en strangled her with the cord until she was dead 91. -hen the closest relative of the dead "an, after the% had (laced the girl who" the% have killed beside her "aster, ca"e, took a (iece of wood which he lighted at a fire, and walked backwards with the back of his head toward the boat and his face turned toward the (eo(le, with one hand holding the kindled stick and the other covering his anus, being co"(letel% naked, for the (ur(ose of setting fire to the wood that had been "ade read% beneath the shi( -hen the (eo(le ca"e u( with tinder and other fire wood, each holding a (iece of wood of which he had set fire to an end and which he (ut into the (ile of wood beneath the shi( -hereu(on the fla"es engulfed the wood, then the shi(, the (avillion, the "an, the girl, and ever%thing in the shi( $ (owerful, fearful wind began to blow so that the fla"es beca"e fiercer and "ore intense Alt: $fter the girl is slain, two relatives of the dead take brands and set the shi( on fire, so that the dead "an and the shi( are shortl% burned to ashes If in this "o"ent a wind blows and the fire is strengthened and the ashes are dis(ersed, the "an is accordingl% one who belongs in ?aradise5 otherwise the% take the dead to be one unwelco"e at the threshold of bliss or even to be conde"ned )hen two (eo(le a"ong the" @uarrel and the

dissention is (rolonged and the king is unable to reconcile the", he co""ands that the% fight with swords5 he who wins is right 92. ;ne of the Rus was at "% side and I heard hi" s(eak to the inter(reter, who was (resent I asked the inter(reter what he said !e answered, 6!e said, ''ou $rabs are fools ' 6 6)h%&6 I asked hi" !e said, 6'ou take the (eo(le who are "ost dear to %ou and who" %ou honor "ost and (ut the" into the ground where insects and wor"s devour the" )e burn hi" in a "o"ent, so that he enters ?aradise at once 6 -hen he began to laugh u(roariousl% )hen I asked wh% he laughed, he said, 6!is Aord, for love of hi", has sent the wind to bring hi" awa% in an hour 6 $nd actuall% an hour had not (assed before the shi(, the wood, the girl, and her "aster were nothing but cinders and ashes -hen the% constructed in the (lace where had been the shi( which the% had drawn u( out of the river so"ething like a s"all round hill, in the "iddle of which the% erected a great (ost of birch wood, on which the% wrote the na"e of the "an and the na"e of the Rus king and the% de(arted 93. It is the custo" of the king of the Rus to have with hi" in his (alace four hundred "en, the bravest of his co"(anions and those on who" he can rel% -hese are the "en who die with hi" and let the"selves be killed for hi" 0ach has a fe"ale slave who serves hi", washes his head, and (re(ares all that he eats and drinks, and he also has another fe"ale slave with who" he slee(s -hese four hundred "en sit about the king's throne, which is i""ense and encrusted with fine (recious stones )ith hi" on the throne sit fort% fe"ale slaves destined for his bed ;ccasionall% he has intercourse with one of the" in the (resence of his co"(anions of who" we have s(oken, without co"ing down fro" the throne )hen he needs to

answer a call of nature, he uses a basin )hen he wants to ride out, his horse is brought u( to the throne and he "ounts If he wishes to dis"ount, he rides u( so that he can dis"ount onto the throne !e has a lieutenant who co""ands his troo(s, "akes war u(on his ene"ies, and (la%s his role vis#C#vis his sub2ects ;utstanding "en a"ong the" are inclined to occu(% the"selves with tanning and are not asha"ed of this lowl% occu(ation -he cloth of these lands and localities is fa"ous, es(eciall% that of their ca(ital, which is called 1%awh Fa"ous and noted cities of the Rus are Crsk and !r@h Note: !ere Ibn Fadlan is re(orting hearsa% about the distant ca(ital of the Rus and the state in which their king resides )hile the 2ewel#encrusted throne is certainl% an e*aggeration, the war#band that surrounds the king is re"iniscent of the comitatus of ,er"anic (ractice )hile it does see" e*tre"el% unlikel% that the Rus king would "ount and dis"ount fro" his horse directl% fro" his high seat in the hall, Yngvars saga tells of one instance in which warriors ride into a hall and u( to the king's throne there -he Rus king's delegation of war# "aking and civil ad"inistration to a lieutenant is not a <orse (ractice, but rather see"s to be borrowed fro" the (ractice of the 1hagan 71ing: of the 1ha=ars or other -urkish tribes, who would a((oint an official ter"ed a be% for these activities

-he translation of the Rus section Ibn Fadlan's Risala, as given above, is a co"(osite of the handful of surviving "anuscri(t versions For the full te*t and co""entar% of Ibn Fadlan's account of the Rus, (lease see4 S"%ser, ! M 6Ibn Fadlan's $ccount of the Rus with So"e Co""entar% and So"e $llusions to +eowulf 6 ranciplegius! "edieval and #inguistic $tudies in

%onor of rancis &ea'ody "agoun( )r* eds Dess + +essinger Dr and Robert ? Creed <ew 'ork4 <ew 'ork Bniversit% ?ress /9>E (( 9.#//9 $nother e*cellent translation and discussion4 Montgo"er%, Da"es 0 6Ibn Fadlan and the Rusi%%ah6 )ournal of +ra'ic and ,slamic $tudies vol F 7.000: (( /#.E ISS<4 090>#/99G

Questions and Answers About Eaters of the Dead and 13th Warrior
I""ediatel% after the release of 13th Warrior, the Viking $nswer Aad%'s "ail volu"e tri(led with @uestions ins(ired b% the "ovie Aet "e re#e"(hasi=e, and it doesn't see" I can do this enough, Eaters of the Dead and 13th Warrior are FICTION!!

Eaters of the Dead beca"e available again on bookstands retitled as -he 13th Warrior to allow book tie#in sales to benefit fro" the "ovie's (o(ularit%

Eaters of the Dead /999 re(rint edition

Eaters of the Dead /99F re(rint edition

Eaters of the Dead $udio Cassette $bridged edition 7Ma% /999: Aet "e take a "o"ent to list the "ost co""on @uestions that I receive about the book or "ovie, and answer the" here4 "... !t Cr"#$ton %a&% t$e oo' "% t$e real I n Fadlan. (o!)re

*+"#' one or ,ore- %t!+"d.an "d"ot.!n"n/or,ed.don)t 'no0 0$at &o!)re tal'"n1 a o!t..." If %ou go to the back of the book and read Crichton's afterword, %ou will find the author's own words e*(laining that he used the Ibn Fadlan te*t to build the first three cha(ters of the book, and even Crichton can't re"e"ber what (arts are fiction and what are real $bsolutel% nothing (ast

that (oint is fro" the real Ibn Fadlan $nd it's dirt si"(le to figure out what is fiction and what is not, b% reading the real Risala of Ibn Fadlan, (resented above "... I 0ant to 'no0 ,ore a o!t t$e #!lt!re o/ t$e 2ear 3eo+le!" ;nce again, the book is fiction If %ou read the book or (a% attention to the "ovie, %ou @uickl% notice that the 6wendol6 are su((osed to be so"e sort of (re#hu"an or earl% hu"an, (robabl% <eanderthals $side fro" their a((earance, there's the .lan of the .ave /ear thing going on with the bear s%"bols, there are Aascau*#like cave#(aintings, and the Venus of )illendorf goddess i"ages which all should give %ou a clue that these are su((osed to be 6cave"en6 with a((alling dietar% (references I'" not (ositive where Crichton (icked u( the ter" 6wendol6 It has obvious rese"blances to the na"e 6,rendel6, which is in kee(ing with the +eowulf tie#ins throughout the tale !owever, the "odern archaeological ter" Vendel see"s a "ore likel% source of the word ## this being the ter" for the Iron $ge ,er"anic culture of full% hu"an (eo(le who i""ediatel% (receeded the Viking $ge (eo(les, na"ed after the t%(ical artifacts found at the ce"etar% at Vendel, Sweden $s it is, Crichton's 6wendol6 see" "ore closel% allied with ! , )ells' Morlocks than with either <eanderthals or Vikings -he onl% 6bear (eo(le6 of the Viking $ge would have been the hu"an, non# <eanderthal bersarks, the Viking $ge e@uivalent of the "odern Marine 'ou can read "ore about these warriors in "% article +erserkergang

"... tell ,e t$e 0ord% o/ t$e 4"'"n1 5arr"or 3ra&er !%ed at t$e end o/ t$e ,o6"e. I 0ant to 'no0 ,ore a o!t 0arr"or +ra&er%!" -he 6(ra%er6 is a (art of the ritual described b% the real Ibn Fadlan where a slave girlHconcubine of a deceased Rus chieftain is about to be sacrificed to acco"(an% her "aster to the grave It is not used b% an% of the Rus warriors the"selves -he "ovie uses it twice, once during the chieftain's funeral, and again towards the end of the "ovie in the "ouths of the warriors -he book echoes the real words as used b% the real Ibn Fadlan 7co"(are to the Ibn Fadlan te*t above:4 -he (ra%er as recounted in the "ovie, -he 13th Warrior4
Ao, there do I see "% father. Ao, there do I see "% "other, "% sisters and "% brothers Ao, there do I see the line of "% (eo(le back to the beginning Ao, the% do call to "e -he% bid "e take "% (lace on $sgard in the halls of Valhalla, )here the brave "a% live forever

-he (ra%er as recounted in the book, Eaters of the Dead4

Ao, I see here "% father and "other Ao, now I see all "% deceased relatives sitting Ao, there is "% "aster, who is sitting in ?aradise ?aradise is so beautiful, so green )ith hi" are his "en and bo%s !e calls to "e, so bring "e to hi"

-he (roble" with using 6$sgard6 and 6Valhalla6 is that Ibn Fadlan never actuall% learned to s(eak the language of the Rus Instead, he has an

inter(reter, who translated the conce(ts into words in Ibn Fadlan's own language, hence 6?aradise6 instead of 6Valhalla6 Regardless of the for", the (ra%er used in Eaters of the Dead and 13th Warrior are not at all like actual (agan invocations of the <orse gods fro" the Viking $ge )e do not have "an% e*a"(les, but two runic inscri(tions give a good idea of what Viking (ra%ers "ight reall% have been like4
%ail to you and good thoughts* "ay -hrr receive you( may 01inn o2n you* 7<+F90 inscri(tion fro" <orwa%: "ay -hrr protect you 2ith that hammer 2hich came from out of the sea and may the lightning hold all evil a2ay from you* 7IlE. inscri(tion, Iland, Sweden:

"... 0$at +art% o/ t$e ,o6"e %$o0 a##!rate 4"'"n1 %t!//7" <one, al"ost -his isn't a historical (iece 13th Warrior was "eant to be a fantas%#es@ue ro"( of full#bore 1ick +utt -heater, not histor% 3irector Dohn Mc-iernan has said4
6)e were "ostl% concerned that we sta%ed accurate to the geogra(h% of the i"agination,6 relates Dohn Mc-iernan 6;ne of the best e*a"(les of how this conce(t (la%s out is with the costu"ing for the warriors -hese were twelve (rett% tough gu%s who "ade their living as "ercenaries, traveling all over 0uro(e Conte"(orar% audiences bring their own connotations to inter(retation of costu"ing For instance, there was no notion that these warriors were "en in tights 0ven if a (iece of costu"ing "ight be historicall% accurate, it "ight have been e"otionall% wrong ;ur ai" was alwa%s to create an authentic feel and environ"ent for the stor%, and one that su((orted the de(iction of the characters and the action 6

-he intre(id director doesn't sa% how his Viking warriors were ti"e#tri((ing to the 0li=abethan 0ra and "eeting u( with Ro"an gladiators and S(anish Con@uistadores $s one ,entle Reader has said, 6Isn't that the la"est 0V0R e*cuse for not bothering about historicall% accurate costu"es&6 +efore I go on, let "e (oint out that des(ite Mc-iernan's "isconce(tion, the Vikings were not 6"en in tights6 I have to agree, therefore, that the e*cuse is 2ust that, and (rett% la"e -he reall% glaring errors include4 2ad #lot$"n1 For e*a"(les of what +uliw%f's warband and the ha(less inhabitants of Rothgar's hall should have been wearing, consult the resources on "% clothing (age 2ad ar,or -he Viking $nswer Aad% has a fairl% co"(rehensive article on Viking $r"s and $r"or Start there in %our search for what real Viking ar"or and wea(ons should look like -here were several reall% glaring inconsistencies in the 6Viking6 ar"or as shown in the "ovie It's i"(ortant to recall that the "ovie is su((osedl% occurring between 900#/000 $3 In the $nglo#Sa*on e(ic (oe", the wea(ons and ar"or of +eowulf's "en are described as being "ail shirts, boar#crested hel"s, and ash s(ears4
* * * 3u1'yrne scan

heard hondlocen( hringiren scir song in sear2um( 4a hie to sele fur1um in hyra gryregeat2um gangan c2omon* $etton s5me4e side scyldas( rondas regnhearde( 2i1 45s recedes 2eal( 'ugon 4a to 'ence* /yrnan hringdon( gu1searo gumena6 garas stodon( s5manna searo( samod 5tg5dere( 5scholt ufan gr5g6 25s se iren4reat 25pnum ge2ur4ad* 4a 15r 2lonc h5le1 oretmecgas 5fter 54elum fr5gn! %2anon ferigea1 ge f5tte scyldas( gr5ge syrcan ond grimhelmas( heresceafta heap7 J ,ood b%rnies glistened ring#iron bright , and ste((ed to the hall the% "arched along the% set shields along the wall their broad shields, down, the b%rnies rang,

hand#forged, hard5 sang as the% strode in "ail of battle -here, sea#wear%

the% set their bucklers, war#gear of "en5 gra%#ti((ed ash4 asked of the heroes 6)hence, now, bear harness gra% s(ears in "ultitude&L 7/eo2ulf, ll F./b#FFEa:

and bowed the" to bench4 s(ears of the seafarers was worthil% wea(onedK

their wea(ons stacked, stood together, ## $ warrior (roud that iron band their ho"e and kin %e burnished shields,

and hel"ets gri",

Contrast this descri(tion to the gear being used b% the warriors in Mc-iernan's "ovie4

T$e 3ea%#od 2rea%t+late

?eascod breast(lates were

develo(ed ca /E90 b% the fa"ous ,reenwich ar"orer of 0li=abeth I's ti"e, Dacob -o(f -he (eascod breast(late was sha(ed to i"itate the fashionable doublet of the (eriod In other words, this is the ar"or that does go with 6"en in tights6K

T$e 8or"on 9el,et -he "orion hel"et was i""ortali=ed b% the S(anish Con@uistadores but was in use in "an% countries during the si*teenth and seventeenth centuries

T$e :a,n"te ;lad"ator 9el, !alga the )ise is shown wearing a Sa"nite gladiator !el" 7galea: fro" ancient Ro"e, about a "illeniu" before the beginning of the Viking $ge In#orre#t attr" !t"on o/ <="nn a% #ontroll"n1 ,en)% /ate> "n#orre#t el"e/ t$at 0&rd #annot e #$an1ed

-he conce(t of fate and destin% or w%rd is a unified the"e of belief in ,er"anic thought -he e(ic (oe" +eowulf (laces these words in the "outh of the heroic warrior4
3a1 8 2yrd s28 h9o scel* J,oeth ever )%rd as she shall L 7/eo2ulf, l MEEb: * * * Wyrd oft nere1 unf5gne eorl( 4onne his ellen deah* J For )%rd oft saves if he dought% beKL

the undoo"ed earl

7/eo2ulf, ll EN.b#ENF:

)%rd or fate is not under the rule of OPinn, as 13th Warrior would have %ou believe Instead, fate is in the kee(ing of goddesses called the <orns4

:a1an koma meyiar( margs vitandi( 4r8r( r 4eim s5( er und 4olli strendr6 ;r1 h<to eina( a1ra =er1andi >>sc8ro sc91i>>( $kuld ina 4ri1io6 45r lg lumlg1o( 45r l9f kuro alda 'ornom( ?rlg seggia* 7-hence co"e the "aidens, -hree fro" the (lace, )%rd is called one, Scored the% on wood, -here Aaws the% laid, -o "en's sons, 7=lusp8 .0#.E: Might% in wisdo",

Bnder the tree, $nother VerPandi Sc%ld is the third5 -here life chose,

$nd s(oke QrlRg :

-he <orns lg lg1o 6laws la% down6 or "ore literall% 6la% la%ers 6 -he% also ?rlg seggia 6sa% QrlRg 6 -he word, ?rlg is 6ur#law, ancient law6, but it is e@uall% ancient la%ers of fate and destin% -here is a sense here of 6weight of histor%6 ## the la%ers are like literal 6logs6 in a wood(ile ## it is eas% to "ove the to( logs, but ver% difficult indeed to shift the whole (ile at once, or to "ove onl% the botto""ost la%ers Recent la%ers of w%rd or fate, the recent 6la%ers laid down6 or lg lg1o, "a% therefore be changed, for e*a"(le b% the valor of a warrior, as seen in the +eowulf @uote above +ut fate which involves "an% (eo(le, the destinies of whole fa"iles, entire nations, or all the <ine )orlds, the 6ur#law6 or ?rlg has "uch "ore de(th, and is therefore "uch "ore difficult to shift 7?aul C +auschat= -he Well and the -ree $"herst Bniversit% of Massachusetts ?ress /99.:

6JManL has no (ower over w%rd 7'fate':, the destin% of the world, but he has freewill concerning his own destin% -he burden is (laced fir"l% on the shoulders of the individual6 7,raha" 3 Caie, -he )udgment Day -heme in @ld English &oetry ?ublications of the 3e(art"ent of 0nglish, Bniversit% of Co(enhagen Michael Chesnutt, ,raha" 3 Caie, Ais Christensen and <iels 3avidsen#<ielsen, eds Co(enhagen4 <ova, /9N> ( //. :

T$"rteen 5arr"or%7 -he 6/Fth )arrior6 conce(t was a (lot device in the "ovie used to e*(lain 2ust e*actl% how Ibn Fadlan ended u( trailing along with this band of dought% <orse warriors $ctuall%, the real +eowulf set out for !rothgar's hall with a (art% totalling /E "en ## hi"self and fourteen "en in the war# band, none of who" was an $rab, and definitel% not Ibn Fadlan4
45t fram ham gefr5gn %igelaces 4egn( god mid 3eatum( 3rendles d5da6 se 25s moncynnes m5genes strengest on 45m d5ge 4ysses lifes( 54ele ond eacen* %et him y1lidan godne gegyr2an( c251 hu gu1cyning ofer s2anrade secean 2olde( m5rne 4eoden( 4a him 25s manna 4earf* 1one si1f5t him snotere ceorlas lyth2on logon( 4eah he him leof 25re6 h2etton higerofne( h5l scea2edon* %5fde se goda 3eata leoda cempan gecorone 4ara 4e he cenoste findan mihte A=na sum sund2udu sohte6 secg 2isade(

lagucr5ftig mon(

landgemyrcu* !%gelac's thane, "an of valor $ stout wave#walker 7a shi(: 'on battle#king, said he, he fain would seek, who needed "enK b% (rudent folk though the% loved hi" dear5 and hailed good o"ens fro" bands of ,eats

J-his heard in his ho"e great a"ong ,eats, !e was the "ightiest in that sa"e da% stalwart and statel% he bade "ake read% far o'er the swan#road the noble "onarch -he (rince's 2ourne% was little bla"ed, the% whetted the hero, $nd now the bold one co"rades chose, e'er he could find5 led the" on

of ,rendel's doings of this our life,

the keenest of warriors with fourteen "en and, sailor (roved,

the sea#wood 7the shi(: he sought, 7/eo2ulf, ll /9M#.09:

to the land's confines L

4"'"n1 ?ra/t 9or%e%77 Vikings didn't ride draft horses It would have been a whole lot "ore reasonable for Ibn Fadlan to be teasing the Vikings about their dog#like horses than the other wa% around For "ore infor"ation about Viking horses and horse"anshi(, see the Viking $nswer Aad% article !orses in the Viking $ge $lso see4 Sundkvist, $nneli 6!erding !orses4 $ Model of ?rehistoric !orse"anshi( in Scandinavia ## and 0lsewhere&6 &E.;$* "an and +nimal in +ntiBuity* &roceedings of the .onference at the $2edish ,nstitute in Rome( $eptem'er

C>1D( DEED* 0d +arbro Santillo Fri=ell 7-he Swedish Institute in Ro"e ?ro2ects and Se"inars, /:, Ro"e .00M (( .M/#.M9 7$ccessed /9 3ece"ber .00E: 9or%e 9erd% /or ?a&%... -he average horse re@uires . acres of (asture for gra=ing -he average cave has no (astures So e*actl% where were the wendol kee(ing the enor"ous herd of cavalr%#trained horses& $nd wh% hadn't 1ing Rothgar's (eo(le noticed that there was an enor"ous horse herd nearb%, or noticed the cavalr% training necessar% to get the horses to charge fortifications, fire, and ar"ed "en& 9o0 8an& ?ead 2ear%7 +ear (o(ulation densit% is de(endent u(on the @ualit% and availabilit% of food resources in a given locale, as well as the s(ecies of bear, and how territorial 7or not: the bears are Still, "% research tends to indicate that average bear (o(ulation densities for brown bears and gri==lies tend to be one bear in a .0 to M0 s@uare kilo"eter area For ever% "e"ber of the wendol tribe to have a full bear skin, not to "ention all of the "an% bear bones used in the wendol villiage as o'jets de art, the%'d have had to have co"(letel% e*ter"inated all the bears of Scandinavia Still, there were a few good (oints4 ;ood #lot$"n1 In general, the e*tras were wearing fairl% reasonable Viking clothing I saw a nu"ber of @uite accurate Viking outfits, "ale and fe"ale, a"ong the

e*tras <ote however that the wo"en who %ou see the "ost of ## Sueen )eilew, ;lga, the seeress ## never are 6full% dressed6 as Viking wo"en -he% should be wearing a dress or che"ise, over which would be an a(ron# dress or (e(los#dress, and over that the% "ight have a caftan, a shawl, or a coat ;ood ar,or and 0ea+on%

Strangel% enough, it is the foreigner Ibn Fadlan who co"es closest to being ar"ored as an authentic Viking, wearing a "ail hauberk -he onl% other halfwa% authentic ar"or in the fil" is the scale or la"ellar ar"or worn b% !erger the Do%ous Aa"ellar scale "a% have been the ar"or used b% the +%=antine 0"(eror's Varangian ,uard -he Viking swords used in the fil" are the "ost authentic note -he% are correct in general sha(e -he one reall% bad bit of 6sword#fu6 in the "ovie was when Ibn Fadlan su((osedl% takes a te"(ered steel sword and grinds it down into a saber ## which would of course totall% destro% the te"(er and "ake it about as useful as a crowbar thereafter For "ore infor"ation on Viking swords, see the following4

Viking $ge Swords <orwegian Viking Swords

Regia $ngeloru" $nglo#Sa*on and Viking $r"s and $r"or ?ages ## $lso includes a great (hoto of Viking $ge warriors with the (ro(er clothing, ar"or, and wea(ons

;ood 4"'"n1 :$"+%

-he big flaw in the Viking shi(s were the fantas% (row and stern(osts $ctual Viking $ge 6dragon (rows6 were "uch "ore st%li=ed $ ver% good ele"ent was that the sailors re"oved the dragon heads when a((roaching friendl% shores ## an accurate bit of detail ## which was done to avoid affronting the local landvTttir, the 6land wights6 or s(irits of the land 0arl% Icelandic laws (rohibited shi(s with dragon#heads on their (row fro" co"ing into the harbor lest the land#s(irits were offended b% a threat of hostilit% -he shi(s were re@uired to take the dragon#head off the (row before the% could enter the harbor4 6<o one shall have shi(s on the sea bearing figure#heads u(on the (row5 but if an% one have such, he shall re"ove the heads before co"ing in sight of land, and not sail toward the land with ga(ing heads and out#stretching snouts, lest the landv5ttir should be frightened thereb% 6 Intere%t"n1 Ca%t"n1 C$o"#e

-he tattooed

Celt, Skeld the Su(erstitious is a

reasonable addition to this Viking crew -attoos in so"e for" are authentic for the Rus as a start, according to the actual words of Ibn Fadlan 7see above: $nd there were large Viking settle"ents and ar"ed ca"(s all over Ireland b% the ti"efra"e of the "ovie, and (lent% of Irish#3anish and Irish# <orwegian crossbreeds to go around I've seen (eo(le co"(laining about the 6Celt in the Crew6 but reall% the onl% (oint of co"(laint is in the fact that he's wearing a Scottish kilt ## which were not develo(ed until "uch later, around the /Nth centur% -he t%(e of kilt seen in 13th Warrior is even later, being the 6walking kilt6 of the /9th centur%, long after the end of the Viking $ge A @eal 9ol,1an1 -he hUl"gang or duel between !erger and one of !%glak's "en was ver% "uch in kee(ing with Viking $ge accounts of duels For a co"(rehensive look at the <orse custo" of duelling, see the Viking $nswer Aad%'s article on !Ul"gang