Did the Vikings Use Pizza Axes? Did Vikings even Eat Pizza?
Did the Vikings Use Pizza Axes, did the Vikings Eat Pizza? Well, basically YES!
Although the 'Pizza' as we know it was supposedly invented in the 1800s for a Royal Visit to Naples, flat bread with toppings has been eaten for centuries before that with documented evidence as far back as 997CE. OK so theoretically they were around in the Mediterranean, but what about Scandinavia and Northern Europe
As we know the Norse were great traders, it was a very good way of checking out areas to attack if they were rich and under-defended! With trade routes throughout Europe and down to Constantinople and Baghdad, these areas were especially profitable for selling their slaves. OK.... how is that relevant to Pizza?
Trade meant not only exotic items like silk, precious metals and fruit but also herbs and spices. Surprisingly the Norse diet consisted of a lot of herbs and spices that we now consider Mediterranean tastes today.
That still doesn't mean they ate Pizza!
The Icelandic historian, poet, and politician Snorri Sturluson (AD 1178-1241) mentioned the bread dish – brauddiskar – in his sagas.
Astrid Riddervold, (an eminent ethnologist who researched and disseminated ethnic food traditions in Norway) believed that the bread-dish was the main grain-based food used in everyday life. The Italians base their pizza dough is wheat, however, the Norse used barley or rye.
In addition, the grave goods found at the Oseberg Viking ship (plus other finds) archaeologists unearthed round, flat, metal pans with a long handle. These are believed to have been used to prepare the bread-dish – or the Viking pizza – and were placed above the hot embers of the fireplace.
Just like with the Italians' use of the pizza, the cook would adorn the bread with whatever food they had available. It could be cheese, eggs, cured or salted meat, or fish however there is no evidence whatsoever of them using pineapple!
Finally, did they use their Skeggox Axes to cut their Pizza or just use their Seax - to save you this dilemma I experimented with both and you can find my conclusion here in my Youtube review Pizza Axe Vs Seax
