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The Norse Berserkers were legendary ferocious Viking warriors dating back to ninth-century Scandinavia that seemed immuned to harm in battle. They entered a trance-like state of blood-thirsty rage said to give them increased and unmatched skills in battle.

Here’s a shocking account of one berserker by a 13th-century Icelandic poet:

“… a demoniacal frenzy suddenly took him; he furiously bit and devoured the edges of his shield; he kept gulping down fiery coals; he snatched live embers in his mouth and let them pass down into his entrails; he rushed through the perils of crackling fires; and at last, when he had raved through every sort of madness, he turned his sword with raging hand against the hearts of six of his champions. It is doubtful whether this madness came from thirst for battle or natural ferocity.”

Origins of the Berserkers

The word “berserk” means “out of control; wild or frenzied.” The word may have come from the Norse word for bear, “bjorn” or “berr,” meaning “without armor.” 

On the other hand, Ranker notes that the word “berserker” derives from the Old Norse “serkr,” meaning “coat” or “shirt,” and “ber,” the Norse word for “bear.” 

The Berserkers were said to go into battle naked, apart from bear or wolfskins and horned headgear. According to the Norse myths, they howled like wild animals as they left a wake of bloody carnage behind them. If they were injured, they would keep fighting, seemingly unaffected. But how is this humanly possible?

See the Berserkers in action from the History Channel below:

Murderous mushrooms

One popular theory to explain this is the use of a beautiful but toxic psychoactive mushroom, Amanita muscaria. The iconic and deadly red mushrooms with white spots are woodland toadstools commonly called Fly agaric or amanita.

The use of these dangerous mushrooms by Siberian shamans is known and if carefully treated the effects are said to induce a state of hallucination, euphoria, flushed red skin, and muscular twitches. These symptoms match closely with symptoms describing the Berserkers.

An elderly shaman, Tatiana Urkachan of the Tungus tribe, discussed the use of the mushrooms below, dressed like an Amanita mushroom no less. She reportedly insisted that she would never take the mushrooms herself because “she was too powerful a shaman to need it.” Urkachan admits the mushroom can quite easily kill you.

Getting into the weeds

Now, Karsten Fatur from the University of Ljubljana has offered another possibility that he believes is more likely, the use of a plant called henbane. Fatur’s doctoral work is based on the examination of the use of hallucinogenic plants in Slovenija.

In the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Fatur suggests that henbane, Hyoscyamus niger, was probably used by Viking berserkers. The effects of taking the plant match the symptoms of Viking berserkers more closely than mushrooms. Plus, henbit is a more common plant in Scandinavia. Keep in mind, this plant is also toxic and dangerous. (Read: Do not try this at home!!)

According to Newsweek:

“According to historical accounts, the condition of these rages began with shivering, teeth chattering and a general chill. Then, face swelling and reddening, followed by an intense rage during which the beserkers could not tell friend from foe. When the rage subsided, the warriors were left weak and feeble, sometimes for several days at a time.

Henbane can cause feelings of delirium, inhibition loss and manic episodes—hence, the excess so often described in accounts of beserkers. It can also trigger visual disturbances, hallucinations, drowsiness and red skin, as well as dull pain—which would explain the apparent invulnerability of the warriors.”

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=13&v=JbSdLsMZCLg

Of course, the use of henbit is still just another guess, though a well-educated one. The traditional explanation for berserker’s power is based on self-provoked hysteria through intense rituals.

According to Ranker:

“Like all traditional members of shamanic secret societies, berserkers acquired their power through ritualistic practice. These practices included spending periods in extreme isolation, fasting, exposure to extreme heat and cold, and engaging in group weapon dances prior to battle. In the wilderness, berserkers lived like their totem animal, adopting its mannerisms and habits, sustaining themselves by hunting and raiding settlements.

So, yeah, they just ran off into the woods and lived like f*cking bears and wolves because they were goddamn Viking berserkers.”

As you can see, the use of psychoactive weeds alone doesn’t seem to be adequate in describing the Berserkers. So complete was their transformation that they were said to shapeshift into animals, or so say the legends. A group of the warriors called a berserkgang was said to change form collectively, a fearsome force that nobody would want to run into. In fact, the berserkers were eventually outlawed in their own homeland.

Can any plant be responsible for such superhuman carnage? Probably not, but could henbit have been part of the berserk recipe, combined with rituals, plenty of alcohol, an altered mental state, and a touch of insanity?

Explore the story of the berserkers from Mythology and Fiction Explained:

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDF7mjclEMg

Featured image: Screenshot via YouTube

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/SfW4ULXtRFk?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1

Though they were first discovered in a Scottish cave in 1836 by local schoolchildren, they remain a mystery nearly 200 years later, with various theories, myths, and conspiracy theories growing up around them despite their diminutive size.

What are they? 17 miniature coffins which remain the subject of great debate, according to Ancient Origins:

“Despite the passage of 181 years, researchers are no closer to ascertaining the creator or the purpose of the coffins, each of which contains a tiny, carefully dressed human figure.

“Some say that it is witchcraft. Others claim it is a symbolic burial of men lost at sea. One of the most intriguing theories is that the coffins were made in a kindly attempt to quiet the wandering souls of 17 people who were murdered for the dissection table by the notorious serial killers Burke and Hare.”

Only eight of the tiny coffins survive to this day, and they are on permanent display at the National Museum of Scotland.

Intricate Little Gems

The Scotsman describes the little coffins as containing “a miniature figure of the human form cut out in wood, the faces in particular being pretty well executed. They were dressed from head to foot in cotton clothes, and decently laid out with a mimic representation of all the funeral trappings which usually form the last habiliments of the dead.

“The coffins are about three or four inches in length, regularly shaped, and cut out from a single piece of wood, with the exception of the lids, which are nailed down with wire sprigs or common brass pins. The lid and sides of each are profusely studded with ornaments, formed with small pieces of tin, and inserted in the wood with great care and regularity.”

Who Made the Wooden Coffins?

Something made with so much care and attention to detail had to be done by someone with incredible skill, and researchers are of the opinion that they were likely made by someone skilled in the trade of shoe making:

“Further research has determined that the figures were most likely made by the same craftsman and the coffins were made by two different people. In addition, “the materials and tools used – wood, iron embellishments, nails, a sharp, hooked knife – indicate the coffins could have been fashioned by a shoemaker”

What Do the Coffins Symbolize?

Here’s where the mystery comes into play. Why would anyone make such things? They weren’t meant to be toys for children (were they?!) and they serve no real purpose, so why even construct such things in the first place?

To answer the linger question, we have to travel back to when the coffins were created and see what was happening at that time in Scotland.

For one thing, Scotland was becoming a center of great medical expertise, and its medical schools were training doctors, which led to a huge increase in enrollment.

Those studying anatomy needed bodies to dissect and examine, and that led to a dramatic increase in grave robbing:

“Among the most devious body snatchers in history were William Burke and William Hare, both Irish immigrants, as well as the famous Edinburgh anatomist and scholar Dr. Robert Knox. As a once-popular children’s rhyme retells, “Up the close and doun the stair/ But and ben wi’ Burke and Hare. Burke’s the butcher, Hare’s the thief/ Knox the boy that buys the beef.”

But even the graveyards failed to provide enough bodies, and with authorities on close watch to make sure more graves weren’t robbed, Burke and Hare reportedly began dispatching victims via murder so they could continue to make bank by providing fresh bodies to local medical schools:

“And so began a vicious killing spree that lasted 10 months, during which Burke and Hare dispatched at least 16 victims [12 of whom were female] and earned around £150 (roughly £12,000 now – no mean sum).”

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfW4ULXtRFk

A Second Theory

Some say the coffins have nothing to do with Burke, Hare, and serial killings. Instead, they maintain, they were created to commemorate those who had been killed in the Radical War of 1820:

“Author and amateur historian Jeff Nisbet believes the miniature coffins were created to keep the ‘flames of rebellion lit’ following the Radical war of 1820. He suggests the coffins were meant to serve as a memorial honoring the Radicals who were killed.”

No matter what theory you subscribe to, there remains no concrete explanation for the creation of these small coffins, and in some ways that makes them even more fascinating than they otherwise would have been.

Here’s more on the coffins:

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G28yTrtVf

Featured Image Via National Museums Scotland

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Ancient texts and stories weave tales of time travel, thousands of years before science fiction movies would popularize the concept in the mainstream. They also tell stories of strange magical beasts that can talk and perform amazing feats. These stories appear in texts followed by millions of people all over the planet today.

One example is from the Sanskrit epics of ancient India dating back to 400 BC. The Mahabharata contains a story of a King who travels to another dimension, the home of the deity, Brahma. He sought a suitable husband for his daughter, Revati.

The King and his daughter were soon shocked to learn about time dilation. During their short visit, thousands of years elapsed on Earth. Everyone they knew back home would be long gone by the time they returned.

Another story about time dilation happens in the Bible recognized by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The story is left out of the mainstream Bible that most Christians know, but one researcher was keenly aware of the story in 4 Baruch, or the “Rest of the Words of Baruch,” or the Paraleipomena Jeremiou.

Ancient astronaut theorist, Erich Von Daniken appeared on Ancient Aliens, “The Time Travelers” to discuss this story. Unfortunately, he didn’t mention that the story has been excluded from the Bible familiar to most people.

Von Daniken:

“Even in the Bible, the prophet Jeremiah was sitting together with a few of his friends, and there was a young boy. His name was Abemolik. And Jeremiah said to Abemolik,
Go out of Jerusalem, there is a hill and collect some figs for us.’ The boy went out and collected the fresh figs. All of a sudden, Abemolik hears some noise and wind in the air, and he becomes unconscious, he had a blackout. After a time he wakes up again, and he saw it was nearly the evening. So when he runs back to the society and the city was full of strange soldiers. And he says, ‘What’s going on here? Where is Jeremiah and all the others?’ And an old man said, ‘That was 62 years ago.’ It’s a time travel story written in the Bible.”

The story sounds very similar to one of America’s most cherished folktales, that of Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving.

So why was this story left out of the Bible? Biblical scholars consider it a pseudepigraphical work, meaning they dispute that Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe, was the author as well as the date of origin.

One wonders if it was also omitted because it reads like folklore or mythology, similar to other ancient texts like those of ancient Sumeria or Egypt.

Overall, Von Daniken gets the story correct, except the period of years was actually longer: 66. Another Jewish pseudepigraphical text, the Jeremiah Apocryphon or the History of the Babylonian Captivity, records that Abimelech slept for 70 years and was written in Coptic Egyptian, Arabic, and Garshuni manuscripts.

A condensed version is below:

5.1 But Abimelech took the figs in the burning heat; and coming upon a tree, he sat under its shade to rest a bit.

5.2 And leaning his head on the basket of figs, he fell asleep and slept for 66 years; and he was not awakened from his slumber.

5.3 And afterward, when he awoke from his sleep, he said: I slept sweetly for a little while, but my head is heavy because I did not get enough sleep.

5.7 So he got up and took the basket of figs and placed it on his shoulders, and he entered into Jerusalem and did not recognize it—neither his own house nor the place—nor did he find his own family or any of his acquaintances.

5.15 And as he sat, he saw an old man coming from the field; and Abimelech said to him: I say to you, old man, what city is this?

5.16 And he said to him: It is Jerusalem.

5.17 And Abimelech said to him: Where is Jeremiah the priest, and Baruch the secretary, and all the people of this city, for I could not find them?

5.18 And the old man said to him: Are you not from this city, seeing that you remember Jeremiah today, because you are asking about him after such a long time?

5.19 For Jeremiah is in Babylon with the people; for they were taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar, and Jeremiah is with them to preach the good news to them and to teach them the word.

5.29 For behold it is 66 years today since the people were taken captive into Babylon.

As you can see, the story of time dilation is striking, but the story continues to get stranger. Author and skeptic, Jason Colavito discussed what comes next in 4 Baruch as he explained why any notion of time dilation should be discounted.

“If you don’t believe this book is a fantasy, perhaps the rest of the text can make the case: A magic eagle takes the figs to Babylon, where they have gained the supernatural power to raise the dead. Later, Jeremiah dies and is resurrected. During his ‘death’ he becomes convinced of the truth of ‘messiah Jesus, the light of all the ages’ and delivers a prophecy of the coming of Christianity. Then the Jews stone him to death,” wrote Colavito.

That’s right: a talking eagle serves as God’s messenger and resurrects a person who has died. When Abimelech wakes up from his slumber for over half a century, he and a much older Baruch reunite and find the eagle waiting for them.

7.1 And Baruch got up and departed from the tomb and found the eagle sitting outside the tomb.
7.2 And the eagle said to him in a human voice: Hail, Baruch, steward of the faith.
7.3 And Baruch said to him: You who speak are chosen from among all the birds of heaven, for this is clear from the gleam of your eyes; tell me, then, what are you doing here?
7.4 And the eagle said to him: I was sent here so that you might through me send whatever message you want.” The eagle takes a letter and some of the figs to Jeremiah. It finds Jeremiah officiating at a funeral and alights on the corpse, bringing the body back to life.

7.18 And the eagle came down on the corpse, and it revived.
7.19 (Now this took place so that they might believe.)
7.20 And all the people were astounded at what had happened, and said: This is the God who appeared to our fathers in the wilderness through Moses, and now he has appeared to us through the eagle.”

This story would seem of great importance since it marks the end of the Israelite exile and is a resurrection miracle, but very few people have ever heard of it. There is very little written about it online, almost as if it never existed, but it clearly does. You can read the story in detail here.

The relevance of this story of time dilation and an eagle has been all-but swept away in history. Is it merely a tall tale, made up for dramatic effect? If so, it’s interesting to note that the Book of Baruch, part of the Apocrypha, or “hidden,” made it into the Old Testament of Catholic Bibles. 

Stories about humanoid beings with eagle heads and wings are seen commonly in ancient carvings around the world, carrying bags and wearing wristwatches. Did these beings have the power to resurrect the dead?  Now, that might sound far-fetched, but now you know that’s a story found in the “Rest of the Words of Baruch.”

Watch biblical scholars talk about why they don’t recognize this story below. No talk of a messenger eagle capable of bringing back the dead or time travel is ever discussed.

YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtI4ITu-r8A

Featured image: Eagle via Pixabay with screenshot via YouTube