Part 3/12:
Contrary to Hollywood stereotypes of feral, unwashed barbarians, Arab diplomat Ahmad ibn Fadlan described Norse traders as remarkably clean. They bathed daily, combed their hair, and packed grooming kits into their graves—clues that hygiene was more than vanity; it was part of their identity. State-of-the-art archaeological finds, like the Oseberg and Gokstad ships, show no evidence of waste areas or chamber pots, unlike their medieval European counterparts.