Viking Feasts and Drinking Customs

Feasting and drinking were important public ritual activities in Viking Age society that created relationships of reciprocal obligation between host and guests, as well as a sense of hierarchy such as who provides the meal, who consumes it, where an individual is seated, and who is served first. Such events were a place to establish social relationships and create associations, not to mention a time for competitive displays of generosity, power, and wealth. They provided an opportunity to attract admirers, form alliances, meet potential spouses, form trading partnerships, as well as build foundations for friendships and cooperation (Zori et al. 2013, pp.152). Feasts were not only organized for grand occasions such as celebrating victories or welcoming guests, but were also held to help lift spirits during troubled times and during winter months, or when there was an abundance of food and supplies (Pollington 2011, pp.23, 25). Cattle were a marker of status and an indicator of an individual’s wealth of resources. To be able to raise such an animal as well as have enough meat to spare made beef the most valued meat at a feast (Zori et al. 2013, pp.153).

There is not much evidence of women participating in feasts, as many of the sagas are focused on telling grand stories of men and gods (Pollington 2011, pp.29). However we do know that a very high status noble woman would serve the leader and any visiting dignitaries alcohol from a drinking horn as a way of establishing her rank before any others at the feast were served (Pollington 2011, pp.28, Ward 2013). Alcoholic drinks included imported wine, beer made from malted barley, cider made from apples or pears, and mead made from fermented honey; women made these drinks in the home (Graham-Campbell 1980, pp.124, Ward 2013). Each type of alcohol was likely reserved for different occassions: beer for large groups of people, mead for grand occasions, and wine (which was an expensive import) for sacrificial rituals (Ward 2013).

The importance of cattle to the Vikings may also be observed in the use of drinking horns, as they were only used by high status individuals or during ritual occasions, such as sacrifices or toasts to the gods (Ward 2013). Items used for drinking include drinking horns, metal bound cups, goblets, imported glass beakers and jars, and glamorous vessels for transporting and dispensing ale (Pollington 2011, pp.21, Ward 2013). Drinking horns were made from the horn of the cow and were polished and highly decorated, with precious metals and jewels around the mouth and sometimes at the point (Graham-Campbell 1980, pp.124, Ward 2013). Such horns would have been used by individuals with status and for special occasions (Ward 2013).

I took this photograph this summer at the British Museum in 
London, England. These are reconstructed drinking horns 
from the Sutton Hoo burial, mound 1in Suffolk, England

Bibliography

GRAHAM-CAMPBELL, J., 1980. Home Life. In: The Viking World. USA: Ticknor & Fields, pp. 113-129.

Pollington, S., 2011. The Mead-Hall Community. Journal of Medieval History, 37(1), pp. 19-33.

WARD, C., 11/11/2013-last update, Alcoholic Beverages and Drinking Customs of the Viking Age, The Viking Answer Lady. Available: http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/drink.shtml [Nov 11, 2013].

ZORI, D. et al, 2013. Feasting in Viking Age Iceland: sustaining a chiefly political economy in a marginal environment. Antiquity, 87(335) pp. 150-165.

-B