Allah Is Found on Viking Funeral Clothes

[Madam45for2923]

Source: NY Times

ENKOPING, Sweden — The discovery of Arabic characters that spell “Allah” and “Ali” on Viking funeral costumes in boat graves in Sweden has raised questions about the influence of Islam in Scandinavia.

The grave where the costumes were found belonged to a woman dressed in silk burial clothes and was excavated from a field in Gamla Uppsala, north of Stockholm, in the 1970s, but its contents were not cataloged until a few years ago, Annika Larsson, a textile archaeologist at Uppsala University, said on Friday.

Among the contents unearthed: a necklace with a figurine; two coins from Baghdad; and the bones of a rooster and a large dog.

Dr. Larsson discovered the Arabic characters in February, as she was preparing some of the items for an exhibition on Viking couture in Enkoping, Sweden. She had been trying to recreate textile patterns for the exhibits — by comparing motifs on the burial dress with a silk band found around the head of a skeleton in a Viking grave at Birka, Sweden — when she discovered Kufic characters of Arabic.


At first, she said, she could not make sense of the tiny geometric designs in both fabrics.

“Then I remembered seeing them in similar Moorish designs in silk ribbons from Spain,” she said. “I understood it had to be a kind of Arabic character, not Nordic.”

Upon closer examination of the band from all angles, she said, she realized she was looking at Kufic script. The words Allah and Ali appeared in the silk found in Boat Grave 36 and in many other graves — and, most intriguing, the word Allah could be seen when reflected in a mirror. The same patterns have been found in mosaic grave monuments in Central Asia.

Dr. Larsson has long noted the prevalence of silk from Asia in Scandinavian Viking graves. But the analysis of these materials, the weaving techniques and design indicated a combination of Persian and Central Asian origins.


An image taken from the analysis of the Kufic characters on bands found in graves in Sweden. Credit Annika Larsson



A reconstructed Viking boat grave from the Gamla Uppsala archaeological site in Sweden is part of a Viking couture exhibition at the Enkopings Museum. Credit Therese Larsson

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/14/world/europe/vikings-allah-sweden.html


NOTE: Title of OP is title of article.

[Madam45for2923]

1. Narrow ribbons of silk and silver with geometric Kufi characters found in the boat graves

Narrow ribbons of silk and silver with geometric Kufi characters found in the boat graves

[malaise]

2. K & R

Interesting - we're one people on this planet

[Abouttime]

3. Interesting

Just goes to show that all these right wing fear mongers are nothing but Islamaphobes.
It's only natural that refugees should return to Northern Europe since it has been proven that those areas were under the influence of Islam for at least the last 1500 years.

[Madam45for2923]

4. I remember a month or so ago learning that there were some linguistic connections.

I need to find where I heard/read this.

[Thor_MN]

5. I was unaware that the US was under Chinese influence...

[sarge43]

6. Thank you

The trading networks in Europe, throughout the Med, the Middle East were extensive and centuries old. That goods from the Middle East made it to northern Europe - quell surprise. How many hands those goods passed through on the way there and how long were they en route?

Having an attractive rare foreign object was as much a status symbol then as it is today - equivalent to owning an authentic Ming vase.

Imperial Rome traded with China via the Silk Road. Is there any evidence that Buddhism influenced Rome?

[Volaris]

10. Maybe not Rome, but my take is that it possibly influenced the

teachings and spirituality of Jesus of Nazareth..

[Johnyawl]

7. "...proven that those areas were under the influence of Islam..."? lol

One piece of fabric in one grave hardly indicates Islamic influence on Viking culture.

The Vikings were traders, and traded down the Russian rivers to the Black Sea, Constantinople, Persia and beyond. We know that furs and amber flowed down those rivers and silk and slaves flowed north. That may have been fabric that was traded for and taken home to Scandinavia; it may have been the robe of a middle eastern woman who was bought or captured and taken home.

That the Swedish Vikings were in contact with middle eastern cultures is indisputable, and has been known for centuries. But "under the influence of Islam" is a nonsensical overstatement of the facts.

[former9thward]

9. That has not been proven in the slightest.

[bitterross]

11. Yep, I'd question if the people who had that had any idea what the markings meant.

They are rather attractive geometric shapes. Just like so many collectors who own Oriental art I suspect these people had no clue as to the true meaning of the words or if they even knew those were words.

[sarge43]

13. Another good point

Arabic and Persian calligraphy is beautiful. We don't need to know Islamic theology or culture to admire it. Further, in order for the Vikes to know the meaning would require someone to translate, fluent in both Arabic and Old Norse. Doubtful there were many people at the time who were.

[milestogo]

8. I didn't know Vikings had funeral clothes.

[roamer65]

12. Im sorry, I just cant resist.

https://m.