Check out this “surprising” finding …
“Vikings may not be who we thought they were, DNA study finds“
… Well, that kind of depends. Who did we think they were?
In the article, “who we thought they were” is a complete straw man where “we” thought that every single Viking was tall, blond and blue-eyed, and all of one monolithic genetic stock.
In fact, even before the age when they spread out across Europe, apparently the Vikings had genetic admixtures from Southern Europe. Also, some people who were not ethnically Viking were given Viking burials.
In other words, people move around a lot and intermarry with each other. And they influence each other culturally.
Also, no large ethnic group is genetically monolithic.
What a surprising finding.
Out of Babel 
Don’t think they had helmets with horns either…
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Aw. I kind of like the horned helmets. But I can see how they would be really really impractical …
History ain’t what it used to be. Marie Antoinette didn’t say “Let them eat cake,” either.
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Almost certainly not, given that she presumably spoke French…
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No, she said:
“Le let le them le eat le cake!”
you can tell its genuine because of the quote marks.
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That can’t be right.
I tried to say it, and suffered a tongue injury.
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“Le let le them le eat le cake!”
Sorry, can’t help myself … youtube.com/watch?v=S1oa9yYWo9s
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Oh, my gosh, that was great!!! Thank you so much for posting that! THIS is why I can’t speak French!
Also, I love that they included Tintin.
Now, here’s one from English:
“Dead-headed Ed had edited it.”
And one from Indonesian:
“Kuku-kuku kaki kakakku kaku.”
Meaning “My older sibling’s toenails are stiff.”
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I’m glad you liked it! 😀
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Sigh. I’m sure this finding is really important in the world of Anglo Saxon research … but, for those of us who aren’t experts, it feels like a bit of a “no duh” conclusion.
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Yeah, I agree completely.
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There is a legend that the ‘Vikings’ came marauding up the steep paths from Kinghorn Harbour but were slaughtered by the ‘Scots’ . Recent theories are that, because parts of England were at the time under Danish rule, that it wasn’t the ‘Vikings’ but the English. Of course, in todays world this theory is very popular with the Scots!!!
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I’m a little confused by all this. Which is normal for history.
My mother in law has a Scottish maiden name. She has traveled the whole world, and the only place she’s ever been taken for a local is in Scandanavia.
So, you know.
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Well, think about it. The Vikings were consummate voyagers, and sailors being sailors …
>
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Yes, not to mention the pillagin’, plunderin’, and … conquering Northumbria.
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