Nordic This atmosphere comes from a concept in the Scandinavian culture called Jantelov which basically means that everyone thinks of themselves as being no better or worse than the rest of the community. Malm In summary, it seems Scandinavians from before the Viking age looked a bit different from todays Scandis, with multiple migration waves that settled in the region up until the iron age being quite diverse in looks and origins. This means that Scandinavians are the earliest Europeans. They are a people who prefer to be left alone until they are ready to engage socially. When someone is dealing with a Swedish person, they can rest assured that they are dealing with someone who is likely to deal with them in a fair and forthright manner. I consent to the privacy policy and terms and conditions. ), How the Dutch & Scandinavians Are Connected (Complete Guide), Norse vs. Norwegian vs. Nordic: Differences Explained, Average Height in the Nordics (Data & Graphs), https://kaw.wallenberg.org/forskning/atlas-med-forhistoriskt-dna-ger-ny-bild-av-manniskans-ursprung. About 125 inscriptions dated from ad 200 to . On the other hand, further north, theres a more subarctic climate similar to the weather youd find in Finland. However, the genome also indicates that many European traits, including those from the Middle East, were already present in the first Europeans. Get in to the Scandinavian spirit at home with our premium museum-quality prints and original apparel sent right to your doorstep with free shipping worldwide. In fact, a lot of people have a much higher percentage than they expected. Viking identity was not limited to people with Scandinavian genetic ancestry. And while theres definitely an element of truth to that, there are other Swedish traits that youll definitely see more of than others when visiting this amazing country. A genetic study of Viking-age human . When you go to a Scandinavian house, expect to remove your shoes in the hallway. You can view the incredible sparkling of the sky from countless locations across Finland, Iceland, and other locations in Scandinavia. The UK royal family gets all of the press in the United States and many other parts of the world, but Sweden actually has one of the longest-running monarchies in the world. An interesting thing about this is the fact that pale skin is considered highly desirable among many types of people. Scandinavian Copenhagen red light district: Where is it, and is it safe? Spring and Autumn months are definitely best for bird watching. For instance, Scandinavian people could leave a baby stroller on the street outside of a store . Since freckles are thought to be connected to the same genes as red hair, we can assume that between 1-10% of the Scandinavian populationagain depending on where in Scandinavia you arehas freckles, which means they are also more sensitive to UV light. 1. When it comes to writing, there are two different versions of written Norwegian; Bokml and Nynorsk. When it all comes down to it the classic Nordic/Scandinavian stereotype seems to hold true still. Scientists are now able to create eerily realistic facial reconstructions, getting us closer than ever to finding out who they were and what the Vikings looked like. . Still, genealogists from Stockholm university believe modern Swedes are most closely related to the hunter-gatherers from the so-called Pitted Ware culture when it comes to physical appearance. Ive written an analysis of The Last Kingdom if you want to find out if its worth watching or not. During the Viking Age, DNA analysis of skeletal remains suggests that the majority of Danish Vikings had red hair, so it seems to have been a prevalent trait in the region for a long time. The other 15 percent uses Nynorsk, which translates to 'new Norwegian.'. People in Scandinavia dont have to pay to get assistance from a doctor, and there are benefits available if you cant find work. Scandinavian people do not have a very high prevalence of the EDAR gene, thought to be connected with thicker hair (among other traits). All living humans who descended from Africa have about 2% Neanderthal DNA, and this includes Scandinavians. This is a common trait of people from Sweden as they are more shy than most other people from around the world. I have dark hair and dark eyes. The Culture of Sweden. Fashion I then categorized the colors as either light or dark: In other words, 85% of my friends and family in southern Scandinavia have light hair (ranging from blonde to light brown), and 75% have light eyes (blue, green, hazel, or grey). The Egyptian Foot. Another wave of migrants came into Scandinavia around 4800 years ago from the Russian steppes, originating from the northern shores of the Black sea and commonly called the Western Steppe Herders. Except when there's a party (although, please ask first and never wear heels on our nice wooden floors). Not only does Scandinavia have some of the happiest people on the planet, but it also has some of the most appealing landscapes too. This will help you to find more time to go out hiking and sightseeing which is essential given the beautiful landscapes available to explore. How Nordics and Scandinavians see each other, an article where I go into detail about Viking traits and looks, which languages each Nordic nationality actually uses when communicating with fellow Nordics, how Vikings actually looked (how big they were, how they wore their hair, where they came from, their hair and eye color, etc. Guests are given thermal sleeping bags to help keep themselves comfortable as they sleep in these iceboxes. Whether they got tested by Ancestry DNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage, or some other company, anyone with European ancestors is likely to show some degree of Scandinavian ancestry. Swedish personality characteristics include humbleness, open-mindedness, honesty, creativity, quietness, competitiveness, and fairness. You can see this every Swedish National Day, when the royal women come out in full Swedish traditional clothing which looks great! Top Articles Located just a short distance away from Stockholm, Swedens capital city, this cluster of amazing islands and rocky cliffs is a must-see. To an outsider, Scandinavia can seem like a group of small, difficult-to-tell-apart Nordic countries. This may sound like quite a generalization (then again, isnt everything on this list!) Scandification is a participant in Amazon Service LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites. Finally, the fjord region of western Norway will give you a Scandinavian landscape sure to stay in your dreams for years to come. So there is at least something to the myth from a North American perspective (beauty standards differ around the world, after all). Please read our. The reasons for this are similar to the reasons why they often have pale skin as well. Not every piece is hung up in a museum somewhere. This means Scandinavian hair mostly fall into these categories: So Scandinavian hair color is mostly light in character, but what types of characteristics does Scandi hair have? It is because of the lower than average exposure to the sun. Scientists are now able to create eerily realistic facial reconstructions, getting us closer than ever to find out who they were and what the Vikings looked like. https://www.svt.se/nyheter/vetenskap/de-var-de-forsta-svenskarna, https://www.myheritage.se/ethnicities/sweden/country-ethnicity-distribution, https://jeffwerner.se/SKIASCOPE+6%20JW%20texts.pdf, https://www.ifau.se/globalassets/pdf/se/2016/r-2016-17-arbetsformedlares-beslutsfattande-och-stereotyper-kopplade-till-utseende.pdf, https://www.thelocal.se/20200918/why-not-all-vikings-were-blond-haired-and-blue-eyed/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10086866/, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002929709004649#fig1, https://www.wcrf.org/dietandcancer/skin-cancer-statistics/, https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-05/tjnj-ser052314.php, https://academic.oup.com/hmg/article/17/6/835/601141, https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1006616, http://hmg.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/10/16/1701, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2795070/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Strongest_Man, https://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/hotels-com/pressreleases/svenskar-vackrast-i-norden-1015389, https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2015.0211, https://si.se/bilden-av-sverige-i-norden/, https://fof.se/tidning/2015/5/artikel/darfor-blev-vi-plotsligt-langre, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ics.12328, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1474704916631614, https://www.svd.se/samiskt-arv-skulle-doljas, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1473-2165.2007.00333.x. However, it offers a very different kind of appeal that makes it a must-see for anyone with a passion for beauty. Although most Swedes look naturally sun-kissed, the reality is that they spend much of their time living in darkness (like beautiful Scandinavian moles). Hello, slow tv. A survey by Hotels.com and Match.com asked 5000 Nordic singles in 2014 which Nordic country has the most attractive people, and here are the results: Singles in Norway, Denmark, and Finland all voted for Swedes as the most attractive (you could not vote for your own country), while the Swedes overwhelmingly seem to prefer Norwegian women and men. Did you know that Alfred Nobel (for whom the Nobel Prize is named) was Swedish? DNA analysis from specimens from this period has shown people with dark hair, a mix of light and dark skin, and most likely blue eyeswhich sounds like a lot of modern-day Scandinavians I know. That said, beards are currently fairly popular in the Nordics, as they were during the Viking Age (when insulting another mans beard could lead to death). Norwegians breathe in when saying yes. Get some Scandi spirit in your home with our premium museum-quality prints sent right to your doorstep with free shipping worldwide. That said, blue eyes are also rare throughout the world, and that makes them more desirable to many others. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Scandification explores and celebrates the magic of Scandinavia. During the depths of winter, Swedes experience just seven hours of sunlight each day. People trust that youre doing your job well, and things just work. What are typical Swedish characteristics when socializing? Europe had been split up into smaller sub-regions, as these countries are among the tallest in the world. We wanted to share some of the most interesting and impactful things that Swedish people are known for. Nordic Traits One of the Swedish characteristics that people sometimes take for granted is how humble they are as a people. Blue eyes are most common in Europe, especially Scandinavia. Theres something to be gained from this mindset particularly in the work environment. The people are rude. All Scandinavians are wealthy. I mean, that's just practical. Swedish people are known for being conflict-avoidant when socializing. In fact, when it comes to Scandinavian nature, there are a handful of things that you simply have to add to your bucket list. For Denmark, youre looking at May to August, when the temperatures are mild, and the countryside is gorgeous. They reside in Norway (pop 50-65,000), Sweden (pop. For instance, Scandinavian people could leave a baby stroller on the street outside of a store, and they wouldnt be worried that something would happen to it. If they are not the ones doing the talking even if there are some truly beautiful words in the Swedish language they could use they can observe more. Fika These are the people that are happy to let people have their own opinions and continue with life as normal without a debate. Despite their unique roots, nowadays Finns share more cultural traits with the neighboring Scandinavian countries than with their eastern neighbors; for example, Finns have an unshakeable belief in the social welfare system. Lets keep digging and see exactly how different ancient Scandinavians were from us modern Scandis. The Scandinavian Personality Traits have been under investigation since the late 1800's. There have been multiple publications that have looked at how the Scandinavian Personality Traits are prevalent as much as the light hair and light eyes are prevalent in people with heritage in this region of Europe. It may be hard to name some of the top Swedish bands right now, but you have likely heard their music or their influence on music in your life. There are other subtle Swedish design influences throughout the world. Norwegian people think really boring things are interesting. Denmark This continues to cycle through the population as new generations come along, and pale skin remains a defining feature of Swedish people. Are Scandinavians and Nordics especially strong? Some of the main staples of traditional Scandinavian food include: Scandinavian countries arent always at the top of a persons wish list when it comes to vacations. Recommendations While Scandinavian people indulge in sweet treats and fatty foods, they don't binge too often. Swedish girl names: Your list of top Swedish female names, Swedish boy names: Popular Swedish male names, Viking video games: Video games with Viking and Norse mythology, The Best Bike Tours in Copenhagen, Denmark. The first inhabitants of the Scandinavian peninsula came from the south with darker skin and blue eyes (known as Western Hunter-Gatherers), later joined by migrants from the east (known as Eastern Hunter-Gatherers) who had lighter skin but darker eyes. This means hotter summer and longer days. There are also 9,000 Swedish citizens living in Finland. Danish shoe brands: Fall head over heels for these Danish shoes, The best Scandinavian Christmas tree decorations and ornaments, two regions share a very similar way of life, Norway covers around 125,020 square miles, Sweden covers around 173,860 square miles, concept in the Scandinavian culture called Jantelov, AWNL Stockholm: The meteoric rise of Swedish jewellery design, VEJRHJ Watches wood, steel & Nordic minimalism, Meet Larsen and Eriksen: The watch designers from Denmark, Urbanista audio: Scandi designs to suit your lifestyle, Triwa watches: Transforming the watch industry forever. They prefer to keep their heads down and continue to work on making the planet a better place. Stockholm If you include Finland and Iceland in the Scandinavian Peninsula, they add even more diversity to the landscape. Most of these traits of Swedish people are highly desirable and highly appreciated. but for many Swedes, this is something that they consider necessary in order to brace themselves for a major social gathering. So, where does the controversy about Scandinavian countries come in? Culture However, its fair to say that its the Scandinavian people that really capture the attention of the media. It should be noted that human length, in general, is determined by a mixture of nature (genes) and nurture (diet), and there are also regions of the world that are believed to have a taller or shorter average height due to primarily genetic reasonssuch as the short Pygmee people of central Africa, and the tall Dinka people of South Sudan. There are major works of art that are placed in places as routine as the metro stations that people use every day. Most of these traits of Swedish people are highly desirable and highly appreciated. The terms Scandinavian and Nordic are closely related and often erroneously used interchangeably. Many of the people in Scandinavian countries are defined as compassionate and accommodating. So other than the color of the eyes, lets look at which other eye characteristics are unique or interesting in the Scandinavian region. Todays Scandinavians are about 65%-80% Scandinavian as far as DNA goes, with the rest of the DNA being primarily Finnish, Western European, British, Eastern European, and Irish (all are > 1%). The country has produced many great scientists and thinkers. Scandinavian women have very clean stances in their professional and personal lives. Below the neck, this body hair is generally concentrated on the arms and legs in the Nordics. Design The social events that they do attend are planned well in advance, and they are given notice so that they can prepare themselves for this type of socializing. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Facts about Scandinavia: Everything you need to know (and more). Scandinavians as a whole are part of a group of ethnicities (along with Finns, English, Irish, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Polish, Hungarians, and Russians) where the Epicanthic fold is occurring more than in other European populations, but still at a much lower frequency than for example Asian ethnicities. They are a global leader in organic agriculture, recycling, and renewable energy. This idea symbolises social. It is believed that the Denisovans had certain physical characteristics, including facial features, that people commonly associated with Asian populations. While most people belong to the Lutheran Church of Norway, it by no means indicates that they go to church or even believe in a higher power. They're all socialists. Because we don't like dirt being dragged all over the house. So What Do Scandinavian People Actually Look Like? People dont expect you to put in overtime. Read Article Now. It should also be added that the countries around the Dinaric Alps in Western Balkans would place in the top if S.E. Interestingly enough, religion just isn't an issue in Norway. Even so, Swedish DNA lives on in those of us who are descended from people who lived in those places once ruled by Sweden, including . Do Scandinavians have a lot of body hair? Norwegians are not religious. When the Battle Axe culture group fused with the groups already present in Scandinavia this eventually spawned the Nordic Bronze Age people, who are seen as the ancestors of all Germanic people. The average Viking was 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) shorter than we are today. It seems the research project is well-funded too (https://kaw.wallenberg.org/forskning/atlas-med-forhistoriskt-dna-ger-ny-bild-av-manniskans-ursprung), so they seem to have the best tools available to analyze this type of scientific data. Specifically, the number of women in Swedens parliament has been roughly half of the entire parliament for many years now. Blue eyes are not as resistant to sunlight as other colors (such as brown). This goes back to the fact that they are a humble group of people who are not keen on boasting about their accomplishments. Finland is a Nordic Country with Baltic Finnic Heritage. This makes them the second-rarest color (behind green), and that is what is so enticing about them. Research surrounding the EDAR gene indicates that Scandinavians (along with most Europeans) generally have thinner hair, than for example East Asians and Native Americans. People here don't partake in the rest of the Western world's paranoia that, if you leave your baby's stroller unattended for a second, someone will probably steal it - so they'll routinely just leave it on the pavement while . Many of the Scandinavian countries are becoming increasingly diverse but they remain to be some of the safest places on the planet.