Thread: My Avatar
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Sure, you can send any image to me as long as you specify what I gotta do with it.
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I woke up this morning to about a half inch of the nasty white stuff
I woke up this morning to about a half inch of the nasty white stuff
I guess old Terra is a bit upside down at the moment. Living in Norway, we are supposed to have fun or no-fun in the snow this time of year, but the temperature outside is +13Celsius this morning. So it will be a grey Christmas this year.
Btw I do like your Argonaths, Thorin.
ok i've sent both to you just try to make them look like the originals.
thanks rafael. what's your's? is it a viking ship?
thanks rafael. what's your's? is it a viking ship?
I would guess Rafael's avatar is a swanship, as viking longboats were square rigged and I think those sail-like protrusions are wings.
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I would guess Rafael's avatar is a swanship, as viking longboats were square rigged and I think those sail-like protrusions are wings.
I would guess Rafael's avatar is a swanship, as viking longboats were square rigged and I think those sail-like protrusions are wings.
It sure is Grondy and with help from our dear Loss who helped him
That's funny... I've always thought it was a dragon...
Dear Cloveress,
that is not so far besides the point. A viking ship, after all, was named 'drakkar' meaning 'dragonship' by the Vikings.
that is not so far besides the point. A viking ship, after all, was named 'drakkar' meaning 'dragonship' by the Vikings.
Oh, well, that's nice to know. Is that why the Vikings had those wierd helmets too?
I traced my family line a while back and it goes to Scotland, around the time the Vikings attacked, then traced to Scandinavia from there, so I'm partially a Viking 
<<<<<< I hereby name this smilie "Eric" 
Clover, I read somewhere that they didn't wear the Horned Helmets, if they did, then I'd be glad, gives them a good look........ but we shall have to get Mellon and Raffy in here to settle it; Did Vikings really wear Horned Helmets?
<<<<<< I hereby name this smilie "Eric" Clover, I read somewhere that they didn't wear the Horned Helmets, if they did, then I'd be glad, gives them a good look........ but we shall have to get Mellon and Raffy in here to settle it; Did Vikings really wear Horned Helmets?
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but we shall have to get Mellon and Raffy in here to settle it; Did Vikings really wear Horned Helmets?
but we shall have to get Mellon and Raffy in here to settle it; Did Vikings really wear Horned Helmets?
Don't forget about Amar’’ and the rest of the Scandinavians that are members of the PT...as for me .I'm not sure if the Vikings used helmets at all..Maybe they used some sort of protection on their heads in battles but helmets with horns ?????????? I don't think so...
And if they didn't, then where did those barbarian-looking helmets (which so many of you wore at the world cup, btw) come from?
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Apart from two or three representations of (ritual) helmets with protrusions that may be either stylized ravens, snakes or horns, no depiction of Viking Age warriors' helmets, and no actually preserved helmet has horns. In fact, the formal close-quarters style of Viking combat (either in shield walls or aboard "ship islands") would have made horned helmets cumbersome and hazardous to the warrior's own side. Therefore it can be ruled out that Viking warriors had horned helmets, but whether or not they were used in Scandinavian culture for other, ritual purposes remains unproven. The general misconception that Viking warriors wore horned helmets was partly promulgated by the 19th century enthusiasts of the G’tiska F’rbundet, founded in 1811 in Stockholm, with the aim of promoting the suitability of Norse mythology as subjects of high art and other ethnological and moral aims.
Apart from two or three representations of (ritual) helmets with protrusions that may be either stylized ravens, snakes or horns, no depiction of Viking Age warriors' helmets, and no actually preserved helmet has horns. In fact, the formal close-quarters style of Viking combat (either in shield walls or aboard "ship islands") would have made horned helmets cumbersome and hazardous to the warrior's own side. Therefore it can be ruled out that Viking warriors had horned helmets, but whether or not they were used in Scandinavian culture for other, ritual purposes remains unproven. The general misconception that Viking warriors wore horned helmets was partly promulgated by the 19th century enthusiasts of the G’tiska F’rbundet, founded in 1811 in Stockholm, with the aim of promoting the suitability of Norse mythology as subjects of high art and other ethnological and moral aims.
Source: Wikipedia
I love Wikipedia.
Can't argue with that now can I ?
Most of them are not even close to the original type , but I see what you mean Clover ...though nowadays we are not barbarian ..only silly fans from Scandinavia
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where did those barbarian-looking helmets (which so many of you wore at the world cup, btw) come from?
where did those barbarian-looking helmets (which so many of you wore at the world cup, btw) come from?
Most of them are not even close to the original type , but I see what you mean Clover ...though nowadays we are not barbarian ..only silly fans from Scandinavia
This is another version I heard, apart from the horns being a danger to themselves; when they came to "pillage", the religious figures of the land didn't want the people to go and join the Viking's religion, and worship their many gods. So, they told the people of their appearance, so they said things like, "They have fair hair, as to look appealing and gentle to you, they also wear horns on their heads, like the demons and other evil creatures" I think there were other things they said, but it was a long time ago since I heard it, it would seem true if you lived in those days, superstitious and all.
Of course I didn't forget, but if I put every person who is from Scandinavia, then the list would be long, plus, you were online at the time anyway
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Don't forget about Amar’’ and the rest of the Scandinavians that are members of the PT...as for me
Don't forget about Amar’’ and the rest of the Scandinavians that are members of the PT...as for me
Of course I didn't forget, but if I put every person who is from Scandinavia, then the list would be long, plus, you were online at the time anyway
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Of course I didn't forget, but if I put every person who is from Scandinavia, then the list would be long, plus, you were online at the time anyway
Of course I didn't forget, but if I put every person who is from Scandinavia, then the list would be long, plus, you were online at the time anyway
I know brother Loss
I'm just joking I'll wait for Rafael..I didn't know Raffy was Scandinavian...oh but I should have realized what with the ship and all... You know, a great thing about this site is that everybody speaks English so well you can't tell their nationalities!
Oh and Mellon, the Swedes were nowhere near as silly as the English fans...
Oh and Mellon, the Swedes were nowhere near as silly as the English fans...
Everybody knows Vikings did not wear horned helmets. Tis a known fact that the great pillagers and looters of old wore bull skulls and goat skulls instead.
The viking helmet was just a domed cap that had a decending strip that covered the bridge of the nose to make it harder to be bitten off. The horned helmet originated in the Wagnerian Opera "Die Valkyrie" which 'isn't over until the fat lady sings." The version I like best, is the Bug Bunny cartoon, where Elmer Fudd sings "Kill the wabbit! Kill the wabbit!"
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I would guess Rafael's avatar is a swanship, as viking longboats were square rigged and I think those sail-like protrusions are wings.
I would guess Rafael's avatar is a swanship, as viking longboats were square rigged and I think those sail-like protrusions are wings.
Ever so correct, and as a FRIEND of mine has already have told you, another friend Loss, got me the Avatar. The Swan-ship known by the elves of Lothlorien.
Point made, it is also to me a reminder that we were a seafaring nation, the city I come from Bergen facing the North Sea.
Repeatedly said the Vikings did not use horned or winged helms in any known battle. Been seen with horns may occur because some of them were described as devils in disguise.
It is also fair to say that they never avoided a battle if they knew their opponents were unarmed women, monks or children. What we do have reason to be proud of, is that they sailed most of the seven seas, explored and colonized continents.
I have also an alternative avatar made available from Amari’ showing a three masted clipper-ship named 'Statsraad Lemkuhl'.
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The horned helmet originated in the Wagnerian Opera "Die Valkyrie" which 'isn't over until the fat lady sings."
The horned helmet originated in the Wagnerian Opera "Die Valkyrie" which 'isn't over until the fat lady sings."
Die Walk’re = The Valkyrie.
It's part of Der Ring des Nibelungen and highly recommendable for any Tolkien fan (movie fans not included).
We studied Bergen in my fourth grade geography class back in 1950; the other Norwegian city we studied was Hammerfest. We also studied Iceland and Switzerland; I don't remember our text book visiting any other countries that year, but it must have done.
I never knew the Vikings wore that flap part down their noses so they would not have them bitten off. Honestly that is so beyond depressing to know that someone took the time in a fight to bite another human's nose off before he killed him.
I gues it was all that adrenaline. argh.......:{
I gues it was all that adrenaline. argh.......:{
Nose biters in horned helmets in ships shaped like swans... This is tragic.
I would worry more about having my head cut of than someone biting my nose. Horned helmets are very unpractical in battle (just look at the soccer fans...). Take a look at Eomer and the Rohirrim and ask yourself what you would wear to battle. A helmet which protects the head and face from blows and strikes and arrows or this:
I would worry more about having my head cut of than someone biting my nose. Horned helmets are very unpractical in battle (just look at the soccer fans...). Take a look at Eomer and the Rohirrim and ask yourself what you would wear to battle. A helmet which protects the head and face from blows and strikes and arrows or this:
I don't think a helmet is much effective against arrows. Arrows can pierce chain mail armour and armour plate and if you use a crossbow i better tell you that there is not much protection against that.
Would you rather wear NOTHING ?
If you used your mind sometimes to read you might have noticed that a solution was found for this problem.
the roman army developed a system called the testudo, meaning tortoise which was made by holding their shields over their head so that they overlaped (like the uruk band attackinf In the TT) but completely closed except at the back. this was especially useful when attacking enemy forts or advancing against formation of archers.
and you better shut your mouth elessar befor a fly gets in it.
the roman army developed a system called the testudo, meaning tortoise which was made by holding their shields over their head so that they overlaped (like the uruk band attackinf In the TT) but completely closed except at the back. this was especially useful when attacking enemy forts or advancing against formation of archers.
and you better shut your mouth elessar befor a fly gets in it.
Calm it down Thorin, it wasn't harsh, it wasn't even nasty, take the joke and swallow your pride............. before a fly gets stuck in it.......
That's how my sense of humour is!!!
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Thorin
the roman army developed a system called the testudo, meaning tortoise which was made by holding their shields over their head so that they overlaped (like the uruk band attackinf In the TT) but completely closed except at the back. this was especially useful when attacking enemy forts or advancing against formation of archers.
Thorin
the roman army developed a system called the testudo, meaning tortoise which was made by holding their shields over their head so that they overlaped (like the uruk band attackinf In the TT) but completely closed except at the back. this was especially useful when attacking enemy forts or advancing against formation of archers.
In the movie Troy Archillies and his band of men use the testudo method of attack when they are storming the Trojan's beach.
However on historical facts i doubt that they actually used this method for the Sack of Troy, because if that was the case it would be the greeks whom invented the testudo almost a couple thousand years before Rome was even founded.
Well, historically I do not think Achilles, Odysseus, Ajax the Great and Lesser, Diomedes, Nestor, Agamemnon, Menelaus et al. really existed...though the Iliad was most probably based on an actual war centered around Troy, though obviously of far lesser stature.
Considering Achilles was a demigod who could only be harmed in his heel (that's where his mother held him when she submerged him into the waters of the river Styx) but was otherwise impregnable, he might have well have stormed the Trojan beaches naked.
Considering Achilles was a demigod who could only be harmed in his heel (that's where his mother held him when she submerged him into the waters of the river Styx) but was otherwise impregnable, he might have well have stormed the Trojan beaches naked.
The Vikings weren't all that barbarian: they weren't nose biters during battle; that only occurred in the pubs when one or two of them got skunk-ugly-drunk. 
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The Vikings weren't all that barbarian: they weren't nose biters during battle; that only occurred in the pubs when one or two of them got skunk-ugly-drunk.
The Vikings weren't all that barbarian: they weren't nose biters during battle; that only occurred in the pubs when one or two of them got skunk-ugly-drunk.
That Sir , happens all the time ,specially in events as the WORLD CUP
As for you Thorin.. you knew I was only pulling your leg ..leave brother Loss alone or I'll put my costume on..
Very interesting to read ..all from the debate of Rafaels' avatar ..no wonder he changed it...I think virumor is right. The Illiad is only a poetical exageration of a minor skirmish. i read somewher that there had been several troys built on the same location thought the troy depicted in the illiad was way behind the last one. As for Achilles storming the beaches with his myrmidon i do not think that this really happened as the myrmidon were a greater army and i think were under the orders of odysseus.
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The Vikings weren't all that barbarian
The Vikings weren't all that barbarian
Not more than the other people in that era of European history (793-1000 AD), the darkest period of the Middle-ages.
What do you mean by the 'darkest' period , exactly, Vir?
Nose biters eh, eeeeeeeew. Honestly the low that human kind can sink to. The Hobbits were serious overeaters I am thinking, probably all needed to see someone about it, but they never purposely went out of their way to harm anyone. A lesson to all of us, eat like a Hobbit, then trek like Aragorn and the Elves and you will come out alright.
I don't know what is the purpose of this thread novadays, but as the name suggests, I shall speak a few words about my own avatar:
When I was looking for a suitable one, I immediately remembered Dandelion from The Witcher (RPG-game), for you see, in-game, he is a famous poet. So, it kind of suits me the best + Dandelion is very awesome as a character.
I couldn't come up with a better avatar, never.
