"Odin's men went without their mailcoats and were mad as hounds or wolves, bit their shields...they slew men, but neither fire nor iron had effect upon them..."
Final "Berserker" Image |
One of the most famous and popular icons from the heathen Viking age is that of the berserker. The beserkers, referred to as "Odin's men" were Viking shock troops that were renown for their ferocity in battle. They are also associated with shamanism and would use various hallucinogenic plants, alcohol, and ritual practices to work themselves into a battle frenzy where they were reported by several historians to display feats of super human strength, and, reportedly, felt no pain. They would also not be able to distinguish friend from foe, killing indiscriminately.