Shieldmaidens in History or Legend?
One of the most hotly debated topics in Norse scholarship is the shieldmaiden — the Viking woman who fought alongside men in battle. While modern culture has embraced her fully, from Lagertha in Vikings to Freydís Eiríksdóttir in Vinland Saga, historians have only recently uncovered evidence that backs these stories.
A warrior grave uncovered in Birka, Sweden, once assumed to belong to a male Viking, was later confirmed via DNA testing to be female. Buried with weapons, a gaming board (used to symbolize strategy), and two horses, this grave was not symbolic. It was status. Leadership. Combat proficiency.
It proves that stories of women warriors weren’t simply sagas meant to entertain — they were echoes of lived realities.
Shieldmaidens remind us that courage isn’t bound by gender. Whether defending their homesteads or joining raids, Viking women could be as fierce as the men they stood beside.
Wisdom Was Power: The Volva and Seidr
Not all strength was shown in battle. Some wielded influence through wisdom, prophecy, and fear. Viking society revered the Völva, a female seer who practiced seidr, a form of Norse magic and divination. These women weren’t fringe mystics; they were central to spiritual life, consulted by kings, warriors, and even gods.
In Ynglinga Saga, Odin himself is said to have learned seidr from Freyja, the goddess who embodied beauty, war, and sorcery. The Völva wore cloaks of feathers, held staffs topped with iron knobs, and spoke the truths that men were often too afraid to hear.
They didn’t just interpret fate, they shaped it.
And in a world driven by chaos and war, the ability to guide fate was a power feared and respected by all.
Women of the Hearth and the Sea
While raiding and warfare define much of the Viking stereotype, a deeper look into Norse life reveals that Viking women also played pivotal roles in farming, crafting, trade, and even exploration.
Archaeological records show that some women owned property and ran farms while their husbands went abroad. Others traveled themselves. Viking-age artifacts of Norse origin have been found in places as far-flung as Ireland, Russia, and even the Middle East, including high-status female graves.
There’s strong evidence suggesting that Viking women helped settle Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland (North America), not as passive passengers, but as founders.
This wasn’t a world where women waited for men to return. This was a world they built together.
What They Teach Us Today
Viking women weren’t defined by limits. They walked roads as warriors, mystics, traders, and builders. They commanded respect, shaped their own destinies, and lived with courage in uncertain times.
Their legacy doesn’t just belong to the past — it belongs to anyone walking their own uncharted path.
Whether you’re fighting a battle no one sees, crafting something with your hands, or searching for meaning in the chaos, you carry the same fire.
Their strength is not a story of swords and fire alone. It’s the story of a spirit that never backed down.
Related read: Learn more in our full post, 10 Surprising Facts About Viking Women: Warriors, Leaders, and Myth-Breakers.