History of Central Asia and Khorâsan تاریخ خراسان
21 Feb,
6 tweets, 2 min read
It is interesting how Islamic sources give different portrayals of Norsemen, their culture and mentality.
The Arab traveler Ahmed bin Fadhlan in his "Risala" describes describes the hygiene of the Norsemen as disgusting and considers them vulgar and unsophisticated.
The Arab traveler Ahmed bin Fadhlan in his "Risala" describes describes the hygiene of the Norsemen as disgusting and considers them vulgar and unsophisticated.
He goes on and even calls them the “filthiest of God’s creatures” yet at the same time he claims they are the most physically beautiful people he had ever seen. He literally says Norsemen are ”tall as date palms, blond and ruddy”.
On the other hand, the Persian traveler Rustah calls them "friendly" people, who are good at trading, clean and culturally sophisticated. This is what he says: "They carry clean clothes and the men adorn themselves with bracelets and gold. They treat their slaves well and also...
they carry exquisite clothes, because they put great effort in trade. They have many towns. They have a most friendly attitude towards foreigners and strangers who seek refuge."
Both accounts agree that Norsemen loved tattoos. Fadhlan said Norsemen are tattooed from “fingernails to neck” with dark blue or dark green “tree patterns” and other “figures”. Both also agree Norsemen were always "well armed".
Rustah also mentions Vikings love for raiding and how they pretty much lived off the looting Slavic lands. He says:
"They (Norsemen) have no fields but simply live on what they get from the Slav's lands".
"They (Norsemen) have no fields but simply live on what they get from the Slav's lands".
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