The Vikings lived hundreds of years ago, back when they considered the Earth to be a place called “Midgard” and making it to the afterlife as a warrior or hero was the ideal way to end. See, back when the Vikings roamed the Earth, they had a pagan belief that once their died they would be sent to Hel, unless they died honorably in battle, then their soul would go to Valhalla, a type of warrior heaven where the souls forever train for Ragnarök, (the end of days). The Vikings believed that by dying in battle, they could prove one last time to the Gods that they have earned their place in Valhalla.

Although there is a belief that all Vikings utilized fire ships for their burial rituals, that is unfortunately not the case. There have only been a small handful of fire ships founded over the years, as many Vikings believed in cremation as their last ritual of life. While not common, there were some fire ships used, however those were reserved for those considered Viking royalty, or those that died extremely honorably in a battle to protect their people.

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Vikings believed that the boats symbolized safe passage, and that the spirit would need a way to get to the after life, so small boats or wagons were often placed with the body, to help guide the deceased to their next life. The smoke from the fire was supposed to help the souls find their way to Valhalla or Hel, which is why the fire aspect was so important in the burial ceremony, hence cremation being so popular to Vikings.

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While the Viking era only occurred for a short three hundred years, it was still a fascinating and influential part of history that should never be forgotten. The Vikings may have been one of the insightful cultures of its time, as they had a much deeper understanding of death and the concept of an afterlife than many other cultures during their time.