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'The Vikings' weren't a people; it's a term. The people who went a-viking were from several countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Frisia, some others), and were (

'The Vikings' weren't a people; it's a term. The people who went a-viking were from several countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Frisia, some others), and were (of course) somewhat varied in their genetic makeup. And, they often took wives from other lands, and had children with them. It's a familiar story throughout history--peoples intermingling, defying easy modern classification. The stereotype of 'blonde Vikings with horned helmets' wasn't perpetuated by historians or scientists, it was perpetuated largely by 19th century artists and others. Yet pop media seems to write false antagonisms like this: "They also found considerable genetic variety in the ancient remains, indicating migration of Southern Europeans, before the Viking Age, to the area of Denmark, which undermines any idea of a single Nordic genetic identity."

rbecker 6y ago
Of course. If even a single foreigner mixes with a population, that populations genetic, ethnic identity becomes entirely invalid, and using it as something to unite around becomes illegitimate. After all, if a thing has fuzzy edges, that's the same as the thing not existing at all. Fortunately every other ethnicity will be equally rigorous on what they use as a basis for common identity, so there's no risk this approach leaves you atomized against a unified competitor.