The word "Viking" often conjures up an unmistakable picture of mind, the stereotype of intrepid Scandinavian invaders, frightening thieves with white skin and faded hair, who ruthlessly raided and traveled their way across the world for more than 1,000 years.

History books need updating

However, it seems that the crucial details in this ancient myth are wrong, as new research published in Nature reveals on September 16.

According to a large genetic analysis of more than 400 Viking skeletons spread throughout Europe, many of them were not of Scandinavian origin, and many of them had dark hair rather than blond.

"The results actually change our perception of the Vikings," says evolutionary geneticist Esk Willersliffe, affiliated with the University of Cambridge and University of Copenhagen, in the press release published on the first website.

He pointed out that there is a recurring problem for the publishers of history books after it has been proven that it "needs updating."

His studies have reshaped our understanding of the historical genetic makeup of people all over the world, from Australia to Southeast Asia, North America, the South Pacific, and more.

In the new study - the largest genetic analysis of the Vikings so far - Wellersleaf led a team of dozens of scientists to examine the remains of 442 Viking skeletons recovered from archaeological sites in Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, Russia and other places, most of which date back to the Viking Age (circa 793-1066 AD) ).

The DNA sequence of the remains, consisting of the bones of men, women, children and babies, indicates that before and during the Viking Age a variety of foreign genetic influences flowed into the strains of Scandinavia, from Asia, southern Europe and the British Isles.

The mental picture of the Vikings is that they are frightening robbers Scandinavian invaders with white skin and dull hair who ruthlessly raid and travel across the world (Facebook)

Falsify the mental image

"We didn't know genetically what it really looked like yet," says Willerslev.

And "This reveals the falsity of the modern image of the Vikings with blond hair, as many of them had brown hair, and were affected by the genetic flow from outside Scandinavia."

Within Scandinavia, the southern regions were likely to be hotspots of diversity, the results indicate, possibly because they were geographically closer to southern Europe and Asia.

In contrast, the gene flow within Scandinavia was more restricted, with some Vikings being more isolated than previously thought.

Elsewhere, during this period, Viking voyages not only spread conquest and trade, but also the genetic seeds that can still be seen in humans today, as it is estimated that 6% of people in the UK have Viking DNA, and in Sweden also 10%. %.

"The Danish Vikings went to England, the Swedish Vikings went to the Baltic Sea, and the Norwegian Vikings went to Ireland, Iceland and Greenland," said first author Ashot Margarian of the University of Copenhagen in the statement posted on its website.

"However, Vikings from these three countries rarely mixed genetically. Maybe they were enemies or maybe there is another correct explanation. We don't know."

The Scandinavian Diaspora created trade and settlement extending from the American continent to the Asian steppes (NASA)

Vikings concept and culture

But the results also revealed that during that era the Vikings were a concept and culture as much as it was a question of genetic inheritance, as the team found that two Viking skeletons buried on the northern islands of Scotland had what appeared to be relatively pure Scottish and Irish heritage, without any Scandinavian influence. , At least not genetically.

"The Scandinavian diaspora created trade and settlement extending from the American continent to the Asian plains," says archaeologist Soren Sendbeck of the Moesgaard Museum in Denmark.

"They have exported ideas, technologies, language, beliefs, and practices and developed new social and political structures."