Agnes Chang , Flickr
Built around2800 BCE , the ancient Scots entombment chamberMaeshowe(a.k.a . “ Maes Howe ” ) was broken into by some Scandinavian seafarer who shelter there during the 1100s . The Vikings left behind a lot of graffiti , not just the item on this leaning — and though most of these extract are fairly innocent , two might even make Hägar the horrifying blush .
1. “Thorni f***ed. Helga carved.”
Viking pornography at its fine ! Official guidebooks usually tone this one down to something more appropriate , like “ Thorni bedded . Helga carve . ”
2. “These rules were carved by the man most skilled in runes on the Western Ocean with the axe that killed Gaukr Trandkill’s son in the South of Iceland.”
Self - aggrandizinggraffiti artists were quite common back then .
3. “In the northwest, great treasure is hidden.”
well-chosen hunting !
4. “Jerusalem men broke into this hill.”
By “ Jerusalem men , ” the author mean “ reformer ” .
5. “Ingigerth is the most beautiful of all women.”
Most unflatteringly , asalivating dogwas carved nearby .
6. The “Maeshowe Dragon”
seaspirit.co.uk
This foreign creature is unremarkably distinguish as some variety of flying lizard — but since the artist did n’t irritate to sum up a caption , it might instead be a wolf , a king of beasts , or even aneagle attack a hare .
7. “Thorir.”
Ever see something along the origin of “ Melvin was here ” scribbled on a bathroom drag one’s heels ? Thorir would have okay .
8. “Benedikt made this cross.”
Because contemporary Christians would n’t swap with Pagans , many Vikings were driven toadopt Christianity(or , at least , Christian - like beliefs ) .
9. “Is to me said that treasure is here hidden very well.”
To date , nobody knows if 100 - onetime rumors abouttreasurein Maeshowe are true . It ’s potential that the legendary premium consisted of neither gold nor Ag , but instead precious flint .
10. “Thatir the Viking came here to weary.”
deplete from travel and/or combat , Thatir chronicled his tiredness before hopefully get some shuteye .
11. “Many a woman has come stooping in here, no matter how pompous a person she was.”
“ Stooping ” could be a credit to ducking one ’s head before entering the tomb . Or mayhap it meant something a little more , shall we say , romantic ? You be the jurist .
