No Evidence Viking Helmets Had Horns
The Claim
Viking helmets had horns.
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People have believed that Viking helmets had horns for over hundreds of years. The claim recently recirculated following the Capitol insurrection, at which the self-proclaimed QAnon Shaman famously wore a horned helmet.
The idea that Viking helmets had horns inspired many media depictions, costumes, and even the Minnesota Vikings mascot.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation found that there is no evidence that Viking helmets had horns. Vikings were Norse pirates notorious for raiding and traveling throughout Europe from the 8th to the 11th centuries. According to History.com, “In depictions dating from the Viking age—between the eighth and 11th centuries—warriors appear either bareheaded or clad in simple helmets likely made of either iron or leather.” Only one complete Viking helmet has ever been discovered, and it had no horns.
The notion of a helmet with horns was solidified in the popular imagination when costume designer Carl Emil Doepler costumed Richard Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen” opera. An example of the costume is below.
Since the notion of Viking helmets having horns has been mythologized throughout the years, we rate this as a myth.
