The most famous and brutal of Viking warriors were ‘Berserkers’. (From them, we get the word ‘berserk’ today.) They were known to fight in a fierce frenzy, believing that they could not be wounded. What do some historians feel is the secret to their battlefield ferocity and brutality?
Answer: Mushrooms, in particular one called ‘fly agaric’. Berserkers felt it gave them magical powers. As an hallucinative drug, it most likely fuelled their rage and aggression.
Source: The Crafts and Culture of the Vikings by Joann Jovinelly and Jason Netelkos
