Did the Vikings Use Pizza Axes? Did Vikings even Eat Pizza?
Did the Vikings Use Pizza Axes? Did 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?
The Norse Were Great Traders
The Norse were great traders — and trading 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, the Vikings moved more than just plunder. They traded in silk, precious metals, fruit, and — crucially — herbs and spices. Surprisingly, the Norse diet included a lot of flavours we now consider distinctly Mediterranean. That cross-continental exchange is exactly how culinary ideas spread.
But that still doesn't mean they ate Pizza!
What Did Vikings Actually Eat?
The Norse diet was more varied than most people imagine. Alongside meat, fish, and dairy, they ate a significant amount of grain-based food. 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 ethnic food traditions in Norway, believed the bread-dish was the main grain-based food in everyday Norse life. Where the Italians used wheat, the Norse used barley or rye — but the concept was the same.
The Norse Bread-Dish — Viking Pizza
Among the grave goods found at the Oseberg Viking ship — and at other archaeological sites — were round, flat, metal pans with long handles. These are believed to have been used to prepare the bread-dish, placed directly above the hot embers of the fireplace. Sound and look familiar?
Just like the Italian pizza, the cook would adorn the bread with whatever was available — cheese, eggs, cured or salted meat, or fish. The toppings varied by season and region. There is, however, no evidence whatsoever of them using pineapple.
So Did They Use Pizza Axes?
The Skeggox — the bearded axe — was the Viking's most versatile tool. Used in battle, for woodwork, and around the camp, it would have been entirely at home in the kitchen too. Whether they specifically used it to cut their bread-dish is lost to history, but it's a reasonable assumption for anyone who's ever tried to slice a flatbread with a Seax.
To settle the debate once and for all, I experimented with both — you can find my conclusion in my YouTube review: Pizza Axe Vs Seax. And if you want one of your own, the Viking Pizza Axe is right here.
