In 922, Arab diplomat Ahmad ibn Fadlan watched a Norse chieftain’s send-off that scarred him for life. The chief’s body was laid in a ship with weapons, animals, and treasures. But one “gift” stood out — a slave girl who volunteered to follow him into death.
For days she was treated like a bride-to-be, plied with drink and ritual. On the final day, she was strangled, then stabbed by a woman known as the “Angel of Death.” Her body was laid beside the chief, and the ship was set ablaze.
To Ibn Fadlan, it was horror. To the Vikings, it was honor — loyalty carried all the way into the afterlife.
Source: Some Amazing Facts
