VV king king HeritageHeritagemagazine

2/2003

DESTINATION VIKING Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03

IN THIS ISSUE The Mammen style Editorial from West Pomerania (Wolin and Kamien´ Pomorski) 3–5 The main source for obtaining knowledge of prehistoric times is from Vikings in Russia: Military Affairs 6–8 archaeology, where the use of different kinds of methods and theories DESTINATION VIKING Reunion of Tribes help us to get answers to our inquires and insight into many different Vikings and Slavs met in aspects of the living conditions at that time. Ukranenland to strengthen One method of gaining knowledge about interactions and influences alliance 9–11 among prehistoric peoples and cultures is to compare ornamental styles UKRANENLAND of objects found in excavations. This is the topic of the first article in Slavonian village 12–13 this issue. Several of the following articles deal with the theme of Ancient handicrafts part V interaction between people during the Viking Age. As travellers, the From Ale Viking Age project Vikings met people from near and far, with different manners and Raising the roof-supports! 14–15 customs. Of course these meetings had an impact on everyone involved, Philatelic Vikings 16–19 and traces can be found in the archaeological material today. A SYMBOL OF KINGS As we all know, the Vikings have also made an impression on people in The Use of Golden Vanes later times. For example, this can be seen on stamps. In this issue we are in Viking Ships 20–26 happy to present the article on Philatelic Vikings on page 16. Viking Learning Vacation 27 There are many other methods that enable us to get closer to our The Viking Village in Tofta is past, like reconstructions. As often stated previously, reconstructions are expanding 28 not a simple matter. They require both research and imagination and it Gotland University offers is important to remember that the prevailing attitudes of our time will two Viking Courses presented always influence the process. in English 29 The summer season offers us many opportunities to encounter Viking “Halfdan was here” reconstruction; by taking part in events like festivals, markets or plays, Viking exhibition in Istanbul and Stavanger 30–31 interacting and experiencing history. The Vikings still make their presence felt. Viking Forum 32–34 NEW BOOK 35 Have a really good summer and enjoyable reading! Some of the Viking events in the summer of 2003 36 Marita E Ekman Editor Heritage News Email: [email protected] HERITAGE NEWS 37–38

A guest should be courteous When he comes to the table And sit in wary silence His ears attentive, his eyes alert; So he protects himself

From Hávámal (Words from “The High One”) Drawing by Lou Harrison, [email protected]

Viking market. A young teenage Viking girl weighs a large chunk of amber for purchase; while in the background a Viking warrior negotiates for an axe he wants to buy. Drawing by Lou Harrison, [email protected] Miljömärkt med Svanen. Lic nr 341 487 http://viking.hgo.se 2 Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03

. By Blazej M. Stanislawski

One of the most exciting The Mammen style Old-Icelandic sagas is the Jómsvikinga saga describing the history of warriors from from West Pomerania the Jómsborg fortress established by the Danish king, Harald Gormson (Wolin and Bluetooth, in the second half of 10th century. Jómsborg was situated somewhere on the Kamien´ Pomorski) Wendic coast of the Baltic Sea at the Oder river estuary.

Fig. 1. The circular brooches typologically Sp2 (Terslev) Wolin site No. 4. Drawing: M. Jusza.

Fig. 2. The jeweller’s vice from Wolin – Silver Hill decorated with Scandinavian symbol very popular on the picture stones in Gotland. Drawing M. Jusza.

Over the ages researchers have had 11th century. Since the Polish and moulds, whetstones, game pieces, different opinions with reference to the archaeological excavations in Wolin circular brooches typologically Sp2 Old-Icelandic sagas. Opinions have began in 1952, there are an increasing (Terslev) (fig. 1), jeweller’s vice with changed from uncritical trust in sagas as number of Scandinavian artefacts visible decoration (fig. 2), bodkins, pendants, the historical source-book’s historical within the dominating Slavic context. Thor’s hammer amulets made of amber, fables. In this paper I don’t pretend to This progress is especially evident in the buckles, wood and antler decorated reinforce or deny the hypothesis about last four years. knife handles, and wooden spoons with whether or not Jómborg and the The Scandinavian artefacts from ornamentation and a lion-head stopper Jómsvikings existed. The aim of my Wolin are represented by pottery, coins, made of silver. paper is to research the specific part of wooden staves with runic inscription, In this collection are numerous archaeological evidence of Danish open-work scabbard chapes decorated objects of Scandinavian art and local presence in the Oder estuary in the end with birds, combs and comb-cases made (Slavic or Scandinavian) artistic of the 10th century and the beginning of of antler, spindle whorls, soapstone pots creativity with foreign Borre-style

3 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 influences (fig. 3). The Borre-style twice, in 1124 and 1128 A.D. & 1010 A.D.) to the end of 10th or . objects are the most common, next to According to a second version the rather the 1010s (Wazny & Eckstein the Ringerike-style and Mammen-style Kamie´n casket could fall prey to the 1987). finds. The Mammen-style artefacts from Slavic war campaign against Since the number of surviving Oder river estuary are the main subject Konungahela in 1136 A.D. According Mammen-style objects is extremely few, of this paper. to another view the casket come to the new Mammen-style find from the Kamie´n in the period 1176–1188 A.D. last archaeological excavations in Wolin The Mammen style is dated to 960- as a gift for the new Cathedral in has an even greater importance. It was 1020, named after a grave in Mammen, Kamie´n. In another hypothesis worthy found in 2002 during archaeological Jutland, and identified by the famous of notice, the Kamie´n casket could have excavations on the Wolin Gardens site silver-inlay design found on an iron axe. been made in a local West Pomeranian situated between the Old Town and Mammen style is characterized by the workshop. early medieval Wolin’s production- double contour line, spiral-shaped The last hypothesis is especially commercial district at Silver Hill. This shoulders and hips, and by the interesting in the presence of numerous excavation was next to one of the earlier development of neck and tail lobes into objects decorated with a Borre-style main excavations in this area revealing luxuriant acanthus-shaped crests the remains of the next (Fitzhugh & Ward 2000). harbour and wooden buildings Apart from the axe-head Fig. 3. The collar made of antler decorated in Borre-style from and a lot of Slavic artefacts. from Bjerringhøj in Mammen, Wolin-Old Town. Drawing M. Jusza. It was within this context the main Mammen-style that the wooden disc monuments are the Thorleif interpreted as the sun-compass stone cross from Kirk Braddan (see VHM 2/02), the on the Isle of Man, the King dragonhead in Ringerike-style, Harald memorial stone at the objects with Borre-style Jelling in Denmark and two decoration (Stanislawski 2002) caskets from Bamberg in and the circular brooches Germany and Kamie´n typologically Sp2 (Terslev) Pomorski, situated about 30 were discovered (fig. 1). km from Wolin in Poland. The Kamie´n casket, which The new Mammen-style find disappeared in the Second (fig. 5) can be connected with World War from the treasury the settlement level from the of the Kamie´n Cathedral in neighbouring excavations Poland and of which only dated on the basis of copies are preserved, is unique dendrochronology (dates: 935 and the best example of +x\-7 A.D and 995\6 A.D. Scandinavian art. This and 996 +x\-7 A.D. and Trelleborg house-shaped 1005\6 A.D. and 1011 +9\-8 th reliquary of Saint Kordula was richly ring-chain ornament probably made in a A.D.) to the end of 10 or the th decorated with plant and S-shaped local workshop in Wolin, too (Duczko beginning of 11 century. animals, semi-naturalistic lion, bird and 2000). However at present there are This artefact is cylinder-shaped and mask motifs in the typical Mammen only a few Mammen-style objects from empty inside with cutting at the wall. It style, a widespread form of West Pomerania able to support this measures 4,9-5,1 cm in length, 2,7-3,5 ornamentation in Scandinavia from the theory. cm in width. It is decorated on the faces close of the 10th century. It measured 63 with the carved ribbon-shaped bodies of cm in length, 34,5 cm in width and 22 Within this theory the close three snakes in different sizes forming cm in height and was made of wood morphological parallels between bronze loops, which belong to the most typical covered with 22 carved elk-horn plates beast heads on the Kamie´n casket and Mammen-style motifs (Fuglesang 1991). held together by bands of gilt bronze the small wooden beast’s head On the surface between the snakes the tipped with casts of beasts and birds’ discovered in the harbour of Wolin are big bumps very popular in Mammen heads. very interesting (fig. 4) (Duczko 2000). style are visible. The body of the biggest The Kamie´n casket was made before It measured 5,0 cm in length and 2,3 snake isn’t complete and the middle part the year 1000 A.D. We still don’t know cm in width (Filipowiak 1983). Perhaps is missing. The bodies of the two main how and when this casket came to the wooden beast’s head from Wolin was snakes are underlined by a double Kamie. There are a few opinions about the pattern for the bronze beast’s head outline. Like the many other decorated this question. According to the first on the casket from Kamie´n? artefacts from Wolin, the Mammen-style interpretation, the presence of the casket We can date this object based on object is made of antler. in Kamie´n is connected with one of two dendrochronological dating of the Christianising missions by Bishop Otton wooden remains of harbour The Mammen-style objects from West of Bamberg. He was in West Pomerania constructions (dates: 943±15 & 994±13 Pomerania like all other Scandinavian http://viking.hgo.se 4 Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03

References Duczko, W. 2000. Obecno´s´c skandynawska na Pomorzu i slowia´nska w Skandynawii we wczesnym sredniowieczu,´ [in] Salsa Cholbergiensis. Kolobrzeg we wczesnym´sredniowieczu, p. 23-44, Kolobrzeg. Filipowiak, W. 1983. Die Bedeutung Wolins im Ostseehandel, [in] Acta Visbyensia 7:121-138. Fitzhough, W. & E. I. Ward, 2000. Vikings the North Atlantic Saga, Washington & London Fuglesang, S. H. 1991. The axehead from Mammen and the Mammen style, [in] (ed. M. Iversen) Mammen. Grav, kunst og samfund i vikingetid, Jysk Arkæologisk Selskabs Skrifter XXVIII: 83-106. . Wazny, T. & D. Eckstein 1987. Dendrochronologiczne datowanie wczesno´sredniowiecznej slowia´nskiej Fig. 4. The wooden beast’s head discovered in the harbour of Wolin – Old town. osady Wolin, Materialy (From Filipowiak 1983). Zachodniopomorskie 33:147-164. artefacts from Wolin are dated to the jewellery and are the evidence of a good place to look for the roots of sagas short and compact period of the last Scandinavian warrior elite in West and the Scandinavian presence in West quarter of 10th and first half of 11th Pomerania (Duczko 2000). So all of Pomerania evidenced by archaeological century. Some of them are part of them together with runic inscription research. everyday life like the pottery, spindles or (one from Wolin and the second from soapstone pots. Some of the artefacts Kamie´n) represent the compact system belong to the sphere of Scandinavian of Scandinavian culture that existed mythology like Thor’s hammer or the among the Slavs. decorated jeweller’s vice (fig. 2). It coincides very well with the era of Many of them are exclusively Danish the Jómsvikinga saga but also to the style like the objects decorated in Borre, period of intensive and close dynastic Fig. 5. The new Mammen-style object Mammen and Ringerike-styles, open- relationships between Poland and decorated on the faces with carved the work scabbard chapes, game pieces or Denmark. So perhaps this might be a ribbon-shaped bodies of three snakes from Wolin-Gardens. Drawing M. Jusza.

About the author . Blazej M. Stanislawski is employed by the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Wolin. Under the Prof. W. Filipowiak’s supervision he is conducting the archaeological excavations in Wolin. He is also the organiser of the Wolin-Jomsborg Viking Festival and the Viking movement in Poland. In VHM 2/02 he participated with the article “The wooden disc from Wolin – as the next sun- compass?” Email: [email protected]

5 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 Vikings in Russia:

By Piotr A. Vasin “fine, priceless mail shirts”. The tribal aristocracy (muzhi, which Their name “Rus” (which came from means “men”) served their chief, who “Ruotsi” and meant in some Finnish under Avar and Khazar influence was Introduction dialects “the warrior-oarsmen”)* became first called Kagan, but then – in the The permanent Slav colonization of the the basis of the name for both the European way, Kniaz (Prince). All the East-European plain may have taken country and the Russian nation. And free men were armed and fought as place from the Carpathian Mountains one of the most interesting spheres of warriors. At that time this kind of region and continued for many mutual cultural penetration in the situation was typical of the outlying centuries, while different East-Slavic mixture of the Norman-Slavic military districts of Europe, though more tribes settled in the basins of the great affairs, weapons and joined campaigns advanced countries in the west and rivers, Dnieper, Upper Volga, Dvina, in the vast regions of Eastern Europe south were already adopting the feudal Ladoga Lake and the Baltic Sea, mixing can also be seen. system. peacefully with the Finno-Ugrian and So, from 9th c, we can distinguish the Baltic peoples. The Army and Druzhina (850–950) professional military revenue of the Since the 9th century, settlements of During the period of the “Dark Ages”, princes in Russia, which at first Rus were mentioned among them, when the process of forming the Kievian consisted mostly of the Varangian which according to the archeological Rus state had begun, the social mercenaries. But soon they mixed with finds and other sources could be structures of military democracy still the local aristocracy, adopting the Slavic identified as Scandinavian or mixed dominated those vast territories. This language, gods, costume and armament. Scandinavian-German-Slavic. They were situation had determined the structure Those companies of professionals, the merchants and great warriors – the of the armed forces. comparable with those already seen in Arabian authors admired their The different tribes lived in clans, Scandinavia, formed the prince’s “Frankish” (or “Solomon’s”?) swords and each with its own recognized territory. druzhina.

The Novgorod Prince Oleg the Prophetic seizing Kiev (882 ad.) purely Slavic feature, decorated with typical vegetable Prince Rurick eventually died in the northwestern region in the ornamental embroidery. This Russian tradition – wearing bright year of 879. Before this, he handed over the administration to and richly embroidered shirts under armour – can be noted his relative – Oleg, the son of Rurick – as Igor was too young throughout the whole period of the medieval history. at the time, perhaps only 5 years old. Most historians consider A little boy – Prince Igor, the son of Rurick, is dressed in a Oleg to be the brother of Rurick’s wife, Infanda, and a costume of the Russian nobility, reconstructed according to the Norseman by birth. He was a very remarkable leader and the archeological finds in the graves of Voschevataya Balka, true founder of the Kievian Rus State. Being the little prince’s Gnezdovo (near Smolensk) and Birka (10th c., Sweden). This regent, he ruled for 33 years as a Great Prince himself. During kind of caftan (a long tunic with a waist-girdle and vertical slit this period he won many famous victories, reached a peak of in the front) with richly decorated fastening and buttonholes power and glory and became the real founder of the first goes back to the earlier style of Oriental mode. High leather Russian early state federation – the Kievian Rus. boots (without heels at that time) were also the result of The moment depicted is when Oleg threw off his merchant Oriental influence, but through the ages they became the dress and appeared before his surprised opponents (the favorite kind of footgear for Russian aristocracy and rich Kievian rulers, Ascold and Dir) as a powerful and formidable townspeople. prince-warrior, surrounded by his true druzhina. And when he A warrior with a long battle knife – skramasax – also has the raised his young heir – his nephew, Prince Igor, in his hands nomadic-style Khazarian costume, reconstructed according to with the words: “Here is the true Prince!” – Ascold and Dir finds from the Dimitry Archeological complex of the 9th c. His were killed. domed steel helmet is made of two pieces of iron, held Oleg is dressed in a Rus-Slavic costume with a strong together by a iron vertical ribbon and hoop. This helmet was Scandinavian influence. He is richly armed: his short hauberk also found in a druzhina burial mound at Gnezdovo (10th c.) with short sleeves is typical for the East-European region. His and also has an Oriental origin. The mail aventail was attached helmet, equipped with a half-mask, is a Viking type similar to to the helmet with a special thong, pulled through the mail the one found in the Giermundbu grave (10th c., Norway), rings and iron bushings, cut out and curved from the lower representing strong Vendel traditions. The silver inlaid edge of the helmet hoop. This system of attaching the aventail decoration of the half-mask, covering the nasal and eyebrow to the helmet allows it to be quickly taken off for cleaning or plates is reconstructed from the fragments, found in Kiev (10th repair and then attached to the helmet again. Through the ages c.). Oleg wears the typical Scandinavian cloak fastened with a this system would fade and change into the west-European brooch. An Arab source, going back to the 9th c. author, basinet with the same construction of the removable aventail Muslim Ibn Abu Muslim al Jarmi, says that the Rus wore very during 14th–15th cc. full trousers, gathered at the knees. The linen tunic provides a A warrior with a battle-axe and shield is dressed in his

http://viking.hgo.se 6 Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 Military Affairs Part 1

How ever, they were more than an with the voi (which means “warriors”) or warrior is often buried together with his ordinary detachment of mercenary tribal militia with the urban levy to weapons and his war-horse. Near Kiev a professionals. The word comes from the form the Kievian armies. special grave for a war-horse of that Russian “????????” (druzhba) – which From the early ages of the Christian period was found. He was buried in his means “friendship”. And indeed the era the Slavic tribes fought on foot as own mound like a warrior, equipped young druzhinas grew up, played, infantry. This tradition seemed to with the spear, bow and a quiver with studied and trained together with their continue until the end of the 11th c. arrows! prince. They ate in one room with him, though the cavalry equipment is widely The druzhina seemed to develop a took part in hunting and gathering of spread in the archeological finds since cavalry capability only after clashing tributes with him, formed his council the 9th c. This is especially typical for the with nomadic peoples of the steppes. As and, of course, fought for him in battle, druzhina burial mounds, where the for the early centuries of the Kievian being the main unit of the army and the most loyal and well-armed reserve. It was said: “The prince fights for glory, but the druzhina fights for the prince”. As a result of the union of the Slavic and Finno-Ugrian tribes, great military campaigns had begun, which required the mobilization of large armies. As early as the 9th c. they were not socially homogeneous. For more than two centuries the professional druzhinas and Varangian mercenaries banded together

ordinary everyday clothing. It consists of a thick long-sleeved woolen coat reaching to mid-thigh, belted at the waist, and rather tight woolen trousers. It looks like Scandinavian style, but the long slit in front of the coat (down to the belt) is shown according to a pagan amulet from a Slavic grave of the 9th c., made in the shape of a male figure. The jewelry, generally worn by men, was arm rings of braided or twisted gold or silver – the gifts of princes. Another kind of mail adornment was a richly ornamented leather belt, equipped with a silver or bronze gilt buckle and different silver, braided gilt plates and pendants. According to ancient steppe tradition such a belt marked the range of the warrior, showing the history of his heroic deeds and war exploits. They originate from Khazaria, Volga (Black) Bulgaria and nomadic Hungarian tribes. A spherical-conical type richly decorated helmet was also found in the Gnezdovo complex (9th–10th c.). Its skull is covered with gilt-carved strips and equipped with a slender riveted peak at the top. The helmet is made of 4 metal segments and again goes back to nomadic Central Asiatic traditions.

Reconstruction and drawings by the author.

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Rus, these warriors seemed to use the Mongol armies or infantry bowmen in horses only as means of the conveyance England). Their bows were not very and prestige. In a description by the strong and defensive armour proved a Persian author at the end of the 9th c., good valuable protection for the Mohammed al-Aufi: “The Rus excel professionals. Destination over all others in force, but they don’t Fortification was at the beginning of use horses. If they could master horses, its development. Different forms of city then they would have domination over walls, border fortresses and local castles Viking many peoples.” were made of wood or in the earth- The first cavalry combats the Rus had rampart style. But the earliest Slavic- Destination Viking is a concept for with the Byzantine kataphractoi (the Scandinavian center in the northwestern presenting the Vikings and the Viking heavy armed cavalry) were recorded by part of Russia down the Volhov River – Age. It includes museums, visitor centres, prehistoric villages, re- the Greek historian, Lev Deacon, during Ladoga (which was built even before enactment groups etc., and is the wars of the Prince Sviatoslav in Novgorod) had strong stonewalls as working with research, presentation Bulgaria (971). But infantry formations early as the ruling period of the Prince and the development of a trans- were still used there as the main military Oleg (in the end of the 9th c.). national tourist destination. units in the closed formation of a shield- Destination Viking includes a wall. Thus they managed to withstand To be continued in next issue. number of separate projects, attacks by the superior numbers of the currently the Destination Viking Baltic enemy. Stories, funded by the Interreg IIIB The skill of archery was widely spread * Ed. note: There has been much debate Baltic Sea Region programme and the both in druzhina and urban militia. about the origin of the word Rus. One Destination Viking Sagalands project, Bows and arrows are mentioned of the best-known explanations is that funded by the Interreg IIIB Northern Periphery programme. An application together with shields and spears as the Routsi is the west-Finnish name for for Interreg IIIB North Sea Region early weapons of the Slavic tribes by the Sweden. The word Rus has also been funding for a Destination Viking th Byzantine authors of the 4-6 c. And connected to Roslagen, a coastal area Waterlinks project will be submitted later even the heavily armoured knights north of Stockholm. by March 3rd. of the senior druzhina (the boyars – from The Destination Viking projects are the Russian word “????”, which means co-publishers of Viking Heritage “battle”) were equipped with composite Magazine, and Viking Heritage is a bows. Perhaps this was the result of partner of Destination Viking. constant combat with flying detachments of the nomadic steppe Project consultant for Destination neighbors. Viking projects: The junior druzhina (where the The public military-historical society, Mr Geir Sør-Reime, senior advisory young warriors served) consisted almost “The Prince’s Druzhina”, of St. officer, Rogaland County Council entirely of mounted archers, often Petersburg, Russia (Leningrad, at [email protected] including mercenary representatives of the time) was established in 1990. Since then the society has taken the different nomadic tribes again. But Project manager Destination Viking part in different historical re- it was never the dominating arm (for Baltic Stories: enactment events. Today the example like the mounted archers in the society has around 100 members. Mr Björn Jakobsen, Director, Besides ordinary re-enactment Fotevikens Museum activities they contribute research [email protected] on questions of military history, equipment, arms and armour, Project manager Destination Viking costumes and material culture of Sagalands: About the author the region and near-by peoples (the Piotr A. Vasin has been working as historical period of 10th–15th Mr Rögnvaldur Gudmundsson, a marine engineer on ships around centuries). Director, Tourism Research & the world and later in a research They have very close contacts Consulting institute for engine diagnostics. His with the Institute of History of [email protected] second scientific and practical Material Culture of the Academy of interest concerns the medieval and Sciences, Hermitage and others in Co-ordinator of Destination Viking + military history of Eastern Europe St.Petersburg and also with Viking Heritage partnership: and Russia. In 1990 he took part in “Vikingabyn Storholmen” the Viking establishing the public military- village from Norrtalje, Sweden and Mr Dan Carlsson, Assistant Professor, historical society called “The other organisations. Right now they Gotland University Prince’s Druzhina” in St. Petersburg, are preparing for this summer’s big [email protected] where he is chairman today. event, “The Village of Vikings in Email: [email protected] St.Petersburg”.

http://viking.hgo.se 8 DESTINATION Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 VIKING Reunion of Tribes Vikings and Slavs met in Ukranen land to strengthen alliance

By Geir Sør-Reime Delegates from the Avaldsnes project Senior Advisory Officer, Rogaland (Norway), Ale Viking project (Sweden), County Council (Norway) Project Foteviken Museum (Sweden), Storholmen consultant to Destination Viking Viking Village (Sweden), Gunnes Gård projects (Sweden), Gotland University (Sweden), the Museum at Trelleborg (Denmark) and from Michael Bach from Ukranenland blowing The Destination Viking Baltic Stories the lead partner, the region of Scania the horn, one of many historical attended the meeting, in addition to the project has as one of its objectives to instruments with which he entertained us. delegates from the host, Ukranenland in demonstrate the interaction between Photo: Mats Sundin Germany. Scandinavian and Slavonic groups during the Viking period. The partners of the testimony to the interaction between the project include both Scandinavian Viking And in fact, this was a reunion, as the Scandinavian and Slavonic peoples during villages like Storholmen, Gunnesgård, area just north of Ukranenland, along the the Viking period. Fotevikens Viking Reserve, Trelleborg and river of Uekra, was a place of intensive Avaldsnes, and Slavonic Viking-period interaction between Scandinavians and The meeting started at the Ukranenland villages like Ukranenland in Germany and Slavonic people even in Viking times. administration building. Araisi Lake Fortress in Latvia. Probably, there was a Scandinavian trade Ukranenland is named after the river Not surprisingly therefore, the second settlement at Menzlin, and the only known Uekra and today consists of a number of ordinary partner meeting of Destination Scandinavian Viking cemetery on the elements, including a Viking-period Viking Baltic Stories was held at southern shore of the Baltic Sea has been Slavonic village by the river close to the Ukranenland Prehistoric Village. The village uncovered here. It consists of some twenty administration building, a Medieval Centre is situated at the outskirts of the town of female burials with ship-shaped stone under construction in the centre of the Torgelow in Germany, close to the Polish enclosures. Over the centuries, these town of Torgelow. Here we find the ruins of border. (Read more about Ukranenland on enclosures had been covered by sand, but the medieval castle of Torgelow and, page 12.) The meeting took place between they were excavated in the 1980s. sheltered by these ruins, Ukranenland is April 10–13, 2003. In any case, this cemetery is a concrete

Ukranenland prehistoric village. Photo: Sylvia Rodin

9 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 DESTINATION VIKING currently constructing a small medieval settlement and museum. In addition, Ukranenland has a shipbuilding yard in Torgelow, where they have built a number of ship replicas. Now, a replica of a Hanseatic Kogge is being planned. When ready, it will berthed in the Stettiner Haff at the port of Ückermünde. Ukranenland also runs a youth hostel in Torgelow, where schoolchildren visiting the prehistoric village etc. can be lodged. A new youth hostel will be incorporated into the plans for the development of the Medieval Centre, too. The first day, the meeting concentrated on Work Package 5, marketing and tourism. Mr. Nils-Arvid Andersson, in charge of co-ordinating this work package, gave a presentation on current trends in tourism. He stressed that the packaging of experiences into priced products is a hot trend at the moment, and all partners were given a Viking graves at Menzlin cemetery. Photo: Sylvia Rodin

homework assignment to try and create a visit to the Medieval Centre under priced package for their own area. construction in the centre of Torgelow. After the end of the formal session for After lunch, the party proceeded to the the day, the whole group visited Viking cemetery at Menzlin, and we also Ukranenland proper, the Viking-period paid a visit to the port of Ückermünde, prehistoric village. This is an impressive where Ukranenland plans to station its village with a vast array of different Kogge under construction. buildings. There is also a quay, where the In the evening, we met with the various ship replicas are berthed. School Mayor of Torgelow, Mr. Ralf Gottschalk, classes and other visitors have the at the newly inaugurated Town Hall. opportunity to watch and participate in After a historic introduction by the various handicrafts, and also to row one Mayor, we were shown a film about the of the ships up or down the river. Torgelow and its history. In fact, The day was rounded off with a dinner Torgelow was not granted town privileges in the administration building. until 1945. Torgelow was both a major Ukranenland runs a cafe in the building, iron-working centre and the main base of and the cuisine was absolutely up to the East German Army until after “Die restaurant standards! Wende” (The Turn, that is, the fall of the East German communist regime). Today Friday morning we first visited little remains of the iron working Ukranenland’s shipyard, followed by a industry, but the German Federal Army still has a garrison there. The town is now Thomas looking for new opportunities, and the Sundsmyr from support for the Ukranenland projects is Ale Municipality, part of the town’s efforts to create new Sweden, takes a growth and prosperity for a region with closer look at a an unemployment rate of around 45% at model of the Hanseatic kogge the moment. to be built in full The Mayor’s presentation at the Town scale in Hall was followed by a dinner which Ukranenland’s hosted in a nearby restaurant. shipyard in Torgelow. Photo: Mats Sundin http://viking.hgo.se 10 DESTINATION Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 VIKING

On Saturday, the meeting delegates Partners were also reminded of their had to work very hard with all kinds of responsibilities for marketing the Viking matters relating to the running of the Heritage Magazine and getting more Apology project. Only in the evening could they subscribers, retailers and sponsors. relax a bit again. Then Ukranenland Ms Sharon Romm is indeed the invited to a dinner party at the prehistoric On Sunday morning it was time to say author of the article "Meet the village, serving a tasty dinner outdoors, farewell to our generous German hosts. wood-carving artist, Jan Haavik" published in VHM 1/03 on page 22. accompanied by music played on historic During our stay the weather changed We are very sorry that the author’s instruments. During the evening, we also from snow and winter to spring and name was omitted by mistake. rowed one of their boats up the river and warmth. In wonderful sunshine most of back. the delegates returned to Rostock and the Editor The main topic of discussion during ferry to Trelleborg in Sweden. the day was the quality assessment scheme The next ordinary partner meeting of and how to apply the basic principles of Destination Viking Baltic Stories will take authenticity, accuracy and academic place in Trelleborg (in Denmark) research to reconstructions, replicas and re- September 17–21, 2003. The spring enactments. A form for describing various 2004 meeting will take place in Ale Jay Haavik aspects of quality has been adapted for use (Sweden). with reconstructions and replicas, whereas it has proved harder to develop a form to The meeting turned out to be a real describe the quality level of a re-enactment reunion of tribes, and there was a very CONTEMPORARY group and its performance. Some of the good exchange of ideas and experience VIKING CARVINGS problems and challenges related to this between all partners at the meeting. matter will be the subject of a separate article in this magazine.

Some of the delegates in full Panels, furniture, masks, bowls, beds. concentration at Current work and by commission. one of the working sessions. Website: JayHaavik.com Photo: Mats e-mail: [email protected] Sundin

We offer Viking Age replica artifacts from Denmark and Sweden. TURM A/S, distinguished Danish silversmiths, makes our jewelry from moulds provided by the Danish National Museum. Our glass is from Scanglas AB of Sweden and is also in replica, using Viking glass blowing techniques. These pieces are in many Nordic museum gift stores and, owing to their authenticity, have been selected by the Smithsonian and other major U.S. museums for their Viking exhibits. We ship worldwide. A sketch of a runestone in the Moesgard Museum, Aarhus, Denmark, depicting a fearsome 1420 NW Gilman Boulevard – No. 2105, - Issaquah, Washington 98027-5394 USA mask to frighten evil spirits from a fallen Viking. We offer this dramatic Please visit our Website: www.vikingtrader.net * Email: [email protected] piece as a brooch or pendant. Toll free phone in U.S. 1.800.842.1676

11 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 DESTINATION VIKING UKRANEN- LAND Some snapshots of the reconstructed Slavonian Village Ukranenland, Germany.

By Michael Bach, past few years Viking groups in Wolin artefacts south of the Baltic Sea. If we look Ukranenland (Poland) have established a tradition of at the place with its geographical position, visiting each other during activities, the landscape around it and good celebrating of festivals, battles etc. connection to the Baltic Sea, we can very More than 1000 years ago the German Last September we went to Biskupin well imagine how colourful life here had empire of Otto I was extended as far as the (central Poland), for a long time a meeting been. country of the Slavonian tribe, called point for East European archaeologists, It is our aim to become a similar place. Ukranen. Two written documents from the historical craftsmen, warriors and Even now the name of our town Torgelow years 948 and 965 name this Slavonian musicians. Here they portray cultures from means trading place. tribe for the first time. They were living Stone Age until Viking Age. So we met along the river “Ukra“. with Belarussian and Lithuanian musicians The following chronicle will show the Today nobody can say, which came first, in Biskupin. This meeting was full of development of our settlement from the name of the river or of the tribe. In any experiences and contacts, a great source for beginning until the present: case, we suppose the meaning of the roots instruments, sheets and invitations for of the name to be: u kraj – in the country concerts in these countries. Part 1: 1994–95 (near to the country) or also on the border. Employing and training the first workers The word: uk (Jug) also can mean south, Returning to our Ukranenland. Not far to prepare them for the following tasks. so the south part of the ranen tribe. They from here, on the Peene River, near the Making 3 different house-models, scale were living on and around the island of village of Menzlin, a famous trading place 1:100. After that, building them outside in Rügen. The similar Slavonian words: u of Vikings and Slavonians was excavated, natural sizes. granice, have the same meaning. The land with the only known cemetery with Viking Preparing project days for school classes of Ukranen was always on the border, between German empire and the extensive Slavonian world. The port with the two reconstructed Slavonian boats. Copyright: Ukranenland

During the spring of 1993, a group of people interested in the history of the Ücker-Randow district had a meeting. Some of them had seen Danish museum- villages, so they came up with the idea of creating a similar project about the Slavonians who had formerly lived here. More precisely they wished to create a Slavonian settlement of traders and craftsmen from the 9th and 10th centuries, as an employment project for long-term unemployed and young people lacking their final school examination. The idea was to do something to combat high unemployment in this poor region and to enrich the cultural offerings here as well as teach people their own history. During this difficult time when East and West Europe were uniting, we were also trying to make a small contribution to tangible teamwork across the borders. After the initial inspiration from Denmark, contacts with several Viking sites all over Scandinavia are now in progress. In the http://viking.hgo.se 12 DESTINATION Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 VIKING Slavonian village Copyright: Ukranenland.

and historically significant days. Contrary to the common opinion that the roofs. So it took a few days to make the Among the first handicrafts: house Slavonian ships could travel only on rivers fences more secure. construction, carpenter work and other or near the seacoast, it was an interesting A bigger project was to erect a big wood handicraft, blacksmithing, pottery, experiment to demonstrate the contrary. wooden oak gate with a long wall. The textile work, boat-making and other So, in the summer of 1998, our ship went archaeological model for this building associated crafts like rope and sail-making. to Denmark with our own crew. This 492 comes from the gate found in Behren- We took examples for our house miles at sea took twice as long as we had Lübchin, near Parchim. Six people took a constructions from excavations between reckoned. However it was possible and our year to build it. It is 3 m high, 80 m long the Oder and Elbe rivers. The best team survived! and filled up inside with sand. evidence came from Gross Raden, Last autumn we educated our team. In Neubrandenburg, Wolin and Stettin. Part 5: 1999–2000 October we made historical instruments During this period we built ovens for like lutes and kanteles, and in November Part 2: 1995–96 baking, firing pottery and melting bronze. there was a course in making bone and The trained workers now had to teach In the middle of the settlement we dug a horn craft. their new colleagues, interested tourists well for utility (non-drinking) water. For In December 2002, we began to build 4 and school classes. the children, a historical playground was new log houses. Before building them, we They also reconstructed 4 more houses, constructed, beside a stable and corral for made a higher foundation to protect a port for ships and a Slavonian boat our goats. We planned for sheep later on against the wet. We planned to finish them copied from a find at the Ralswiek – too. before next summer. Rügenisland excavation. Besides that they During the last week of March we laid out small agricultural fields. finished them and we are very proud of Part 6: 2000–now our finished work, our settlement seems Part 3: 1996 After using the long footbridges for a few much bigger with 4 more buildings. Four Dividing settlement with the traders’ road years, it was important to repair parts of others who are using the houses, now have closest to the port and the craftmen’s road them because of the risks to visitors. We the job of creating pleasant interiors. This behind. used only oak trees underneath directly on is not so easy with the season for school Due to the very wet ground it was the bottom. For the upper parts we used classes and tourists beginning. necessary to construct wooden footbridges pine, which doesn’t last such a long time,. The first major activity this year was as we know them from several discoveries. Next we made a bigger port, with an our Easter feast with many participants extension of approximately 50 m. Since we from several Viking groups from north- Part 4: 1997–98 knew that we wanted to build a third boat, western Germany. A puppet player named The reconstructed Slavonian boat was it was clear that we needed a bigger port. Kiepenkasper provided humorous mostly on tour to tourist fairs and other Sometimes it was a difficult job to prepare entertainment for adults and children, in activities in other places. That’s why it was the shore for building the port’s between 2 musical groups playing medieval important to build a second one, which footbridges, because a lot of huge willow music. can always stay in our port as an important trees were growing here. So it took a few Our museum is situated 18 km south attraction for school classes and tourists. weeks for our specialists just to dig out the from Ückermünde near the Polish border So we looked for sources other than trees with their roots. and southwest from Wolin Island. Ralswiek. Our interest fell on the maritime Due to the high tide in spring, our museum in Stettin. There they display a historical playground was flooded. It was Slavonian ship found on the Baltic coast; impossible to dry it out before Easter. Contact: at 15 metres it was 5 metres longer than That’s why we’ve shifted the playground Ukranenland Historische Werkstätten e.v. our first ship. The owner of museum was completely to another place. Jatznicker Str.31 kind enough to give us all the information Another problem we had was with our 17358 Torgelow we needed, something we had never goats. Our fences weren’t good enough to Tel.0049 (0) 3976/202397 experienced in Germany. keep the goats inside the corral. We www.ukranenland.de After 8 months our second ship, called couldn’t allow them to walk through our Tyskland/Deutschland/Germany “SVANTEVIT” was finished and our port village constantly, for not only did they eat looked very prosperous with 2 ships. our newly planted trees, but even the reed

13 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 DESTINATION VIKING

Ancient handicrafts part V From Ale Viking Age project Raising An interpretation of a Viking-age farmstead, modelled on archaeological findings from Tissö in Denmark, is being constructed in Western Sweden in the municipality of Ale. The first building is now under construction. This is a three-aisled building, 16 metres long and 7 metres wide. There are five roof-bearing timber structures, consisting of two posts joined together with a tie beam. Inside the building there are three structures sunk into the ground and one structure stands on each gable ground-sill.

Preparations First we laid out the ground-sill that the walls are to stand on, and then the roof-supports were raised into position. By being meticulous when laying out the ground-sill, we got a great number of reference points on this that we could use later on for measuring out the positions for the roof- supporting posts. The upper side of the ground- sill formed a reference level for every subsequent height measurement that we made. Moreover, the The first pair of poles half way up. They rest on support as we are about to ground-sill could be used to stay the wall poles disengage the winches. The heavy pulling-rope is ready. Note the stones in the holes that had been raised. serving as counterweight. Note the diagonal beam used to lock the two poles in The roof-supports were assembled resting on fixed positions. trestles on the ground and were erected once they were ready. Each structure was laid on six trestles. We began with the middle roof-support, since A moment of this was the highest and thus the most difficult. concentration before The holes for the posts were dug wide enough to pulling. All manpower make it possible to stand and work in them. A was needed to get large, flat stone was placed in the bottom of each the poles starting to hole. The exact position of the post was measured move upwards, but on this stone using a plumb and a string stretched as soon as they were between reference points on the ground-sill. A underway, two substantial packing of stone was put into the appointed persons ground behind the post hole. could rush over to the other side, to The two posts in each roof-structure were man the important positioned in three directions: stopping-rope. • Horizontally, to make it possible to fit in the tie beams. • Parallel with the long side of the building. • Transversely, so that the posts stand exactly straight across the long side of the building.

The first poles are Once both the posts had been carefully erected, and the positioned, they were locked firmly to each other most difficult part using two, sturdy spruce poles. This ensured that of the entire the posts would not become dislodged while building work is being lifted. The tie beam was knocked into over. Note all the position between the posts and was nailed in place ropes used as using wooden rivets. The lower sections of the stays until the posts were given a coating of wood tar. Six ropes long stay-spars were tied firmly to the upper sections of the posts: have been 1 thick hauling rope, 1 brake rope and 4 stay erected. ropes. http://viking.hgo.se 14 DESTINATION Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 VIKING the roof-supports!

Text and photos by Jörgen Johansson

Site Manager, Ale Viking Age Farmstead

A few months later all the poles have been erected. Note the perfection in positioning.

The method normally used for erecting temporarily with stays to prevent it from managed to start raising the roof-support. roof-bearing structures is to push them up falling. These stays were replaced later on When it was half-way up, two people from below using long, lashed poles. Instead, with other stabilising building manned the brake rope. Slowly and surely, we decided to pull them up using long, components. the roof-support was pulled into position, strong ropes. There were two main reasons and when it was nearly plumb, the brake for choosing to do so. Firstly, the structures Lifting rope was secured round a stake in the are extremely heavy, weighing between 1200 Using large tripods and powerful lifting ground. The first roof-support was now and 1400 kilos a piece. Secondly, they are tackle, the roof-support was lifted to an standing vertically up in place! We all gave a tall, standing some 7.5 metres above ground inclined plane. At this point, we removed the great shout of joy. What a moment! level. We were not willing to take any risks lowest trestles. The posts were swung down by having people standing under such tall, into the post holes onto the stone that they Staying heavy wooden structures while lifting them. were to rest on. When we pulled on the We immediately secured the raised pair of Pulling the structures into place with long lifting tackle, the posts slid in to the stone posts with four stay ropes round trees and ropes meant that all those involved in the packing and stopped there. They could then stakes in the ground. This whole operation process would be working at a safe distance be lifted again slightly, to a gradient of 20°. took about three and a half hours from start beyond the radius of a falling post. With the structure in this position, we to finish. That same day, we started to stay pushed a couple of taller trestles in to provide the roof-support with long spruce poles that The structures that would stand in the support and we then uncoupled the lifting were wedged firmly against the ground-sill ground holes were erected in three stages: tackle. and were lashed around the upper sections of • Lifting – the roof-support was tilted and the posts. lifted to an inclined plane so that it could Raising then be actually raised into its final It was now time to raise the first roof-support position. into its final position. Since our hoisting Email: [email protected] • Raising – the roof-support was raised by point was not high, it was an extremely heavy www.alevikingtid.nu pulling on a rope, with or without tackle. lift. We had a team of 16 men and women • Staying – the roof-support was secured for the job. With a tremendous effort, they

15 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 Philatelic Vikings

By Gunnar Dahlvig

Thematic Philately Someone who does not collect stamps probably thinks a philatelist is a person who collects stamps issued by particular countries. However, philatelists’ interests are often far more diverse. On the one hand it can mean the collecting and study of not only stamps but also postmarks, covers, so called postal stationery (cards and envelopes with imprinted pre- paid postage) and a number of other postal objects. On the other hand collections can be made according to criteria other than the country of issue. One discipline, that of Thematic Philately, is the collection of stamps and other philatelic according to a theme (or topic) regardless of the country of origin. I have been a stamp collector for many years and having a particular interest in Vikings it was natural for me to combine these Fig. interests in a philatelic Viking collection. 1 In a thematic collection you need to describe the theme using philatelic items and short explanatory texts in a correct and logical way. A typical page Fig. is shown in fig. 1. 2 The collection must begin with a ‘plan’ – an index of chapters – that shows with headlines how the collection is developed. Thus, fig. 1 comes from my chapter entitled ‘Sources’. My collection comprises 160 A4-pages and therefore has an extensive plan. It would take us too long to show the Fig. entire plan and here I restrict myself to its main headlines. 3 My title is “The Vikings” with the subtitle “Farmers, Seafarers, Merchants, Artists, Pirates, Founder of States and Colonizers”. After the titles I have thought it necessary to give a short definition of the era covered: “The Viking Age is considered to begin around year 800 and end in the last part of the 11th Century, covering the most exciting part of Scandinavian history”.

The Plan: A. Background Fig. 1. Origins Fig. 5 4 2. Sources 3. The Political Situation in Fig. Fig. the World around 7 8 Fig. B. The Viking Society 6 1. Economic Life 2. Social Life 3. Political Life C. Expansion Outwards 1. Piracy Fig. 2. Founding of States 9 3. Colonizing D.Conclusion 1. Effects 2. The Modern Image

It is not possible here to cover the entire collection so, in the following you will find illustrations from selected parts.

Sources Of the ‘Sources’ of our knowledge about the Vikings, the runic stones are

http://viking.hgo.seFig. Fig. 16 10 11 Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 the only testimonies written by the Vikings themselves. The Rök stone and one of the Jelling stones are shown on stamps, fig. 2. Snorre’s Eddas and the Icelandic sagas are other important sources as is Nestor’s Chronicle, see figs. Fig. 3 and 4. The archaeological finds are of course of immense value as for 12 instance the Oseberg and the Gokstad finds, represented in fig. 1. In this figure you can see that also postal cancellations can be used to illustrate the theme. On the same page you find scenes from the Bayeux tapestry that also provides an insight to contemporary history. Fig. 5 illustrates both rural and town life as recorded in the Domesday Book and common Viking time farmhouses can be seen on the Faeroe stamp and a reconstruction of a Bishop site on the Greenland stamp in fig. 6. Fig. 13 The Viking ship Fig. The most common Viking philatelic illustrations feature their ships, 14 sometimes more imaginative than correct. The two most important inventions, the keel and the clinker build hull are best shown on the Manx stamp booklet, fig. 7, another form of philatelic issue that can be used in the collection. Thanks to the many philatelic items, it is possible to illustrate several details of the ship. For instance that the helm was situated on starboard, see fig. 8, from which we have the Scandinavian word ‘styrbord’ (styra = steer) and the English ‘starboard’. On the same stamp we can also see the vane (read the article in VHM 1/2003) in the mast-head and an animal head on the prow. The animal might be a lion, a snake or a dragon, the latter often used as a term for the ship itself. The purpose of the figure-head was twofold; to frighten enemies and to guard against evil sea spirits. When on peaceful missions the figure- head was removed in order not to provoke friendly land spirits. The Icelandic stamp (fig. 9) depicts Ingolf Arnason’s arrival in Iceland as the first settler and it clearly shows that the animal head has been removed. The most common mistake is shown in fig.10, shields were never hung outside the gunwale when sailing, the risk of losing them being obvious. Besides, if the shields covered the oar holes, the shown rowing would not be possible.

Religion During the period the religion changed from Æsir belief to Christianity (fig. Fig. 11). Odin and his Sleipner can be seen on the meter cancellation (fig. 12) 15 Fig. with the logo of the Swedish Historical Museum. 16 Heimdall is illustrated by a postal label (fig. 13), put on letters which were damaged at the wreck of s/s Heimdall in 1929. That the old gods are still living can be shown by the postmark on the Danish letter in fig.14. The introduction of Christianity is shown by fig. 15, the Christ figure from the large Jelling stone.

Poetry and Art Poetry was an important part of the social life and another meter cancellation (fig. 16) from another museum can illustrate the Sigurd tale. Fig. The Viking time art is according to David M Wilson “the most exciting 17 and interesting art form during this time period”. It had its roots in Germanic animal ornaments but was also influenced by Celtic art, compare the two cancellations in fig. 17. We can distinguish several styles: from the Oseberg style, via Borre, Jelling, Mammen to the final Urnes style, all named after typical finds. The Urnes style from the slim, elegant animals on the portal of the Urnes stave church in Norway, fig 18. The Christ figure in fig. 15 is made in the Mammen style.

Expansion outwards For a long time the Vikings were only known as pirates and they probably began that way. Sometimes the Viking period is considered to begin with the pillage of the Lindisfarne monastery in 793, at least it is the first pictured. The well known fragment of the Lindisfarne picture stone has been used for a German (!) cancellation (fig 19). The Englishmen themselves remember the battle of Maldon in 991 (fig.20), when Olav Trygvasson got 22 000 pounds of gold and silver in so

17 Fig. Fig. 18 19 Fig. 20

Fig. 25 Fig. 21

Fig. Fig. Fig. 22 23 24

called danegeld. There are also some French They then enlarged the realm to cover most of the Danish chieftains, Ganger Rolf, the cancellations like fig. 21 that feature Vikings. of Ukraine and parts of today’s Russia. The province around the Seine estuary in greatest of the rulers was Jaroslav ‘The Wise’, exchange for the defence of the river against To the East who can be seen to the left in fig. 25, other Vikings. This arrangement became a Going east, the Vikings had to cross the holding his book ‘Russkaja Pravda’, the first success for both parties that the Seine area Russian watershed and a Swedish written Russian law. In the background is then escaped the ravages and Rolf (Rollo in cancellation (fig. 22) illustrates how the ships Kiev of the tenth century. French), was made Duke of Nordmannia were rolled over land. The stamp in fig. 22 is (Normandy). What Rollo looked like is the only one from the Soviet era with a To the Southwest unknown, but a Jersey stamp (fig. 28) Viking topic, depicting a Viking ship on a When the Vikings arrived the British Isles depicts his imagined effigy, where he is Russian river (from a painting by I K were divided into small kingdoms. As more shown with his great great great grandson Rerich). and more of the Viking invaders settled William (the Conquerer). Rollo brought in The most important prerequisite for the down and formed their own colonies, some many compatriots and also here we can trace raids was of course the ship, which could sail of the local kings were defeated by Viking the Scandinavian influence in the place close to shallow coasts and upstream in small chieftains, who formed their own small names, for example the town Yvetot (fig. 29) rivers, but good weapons were also a high kingdoms. This was the case for instance in got its name from the village Ivetofta in the priority. The Icelandic stamp in fig. 23 is York, Dublin and in the so called Danelaw. south of Sweden (in Denmark at that time). supposed to represent Thorfinn Karlsefni, In these parts we can still trace the settlers’ When the English king Edward the the first settler in America, but it also gives a names and language in the today’s place Confessor died in 1066 without an heir, his good illustration of the warrior’s most names. Several thousand towns and villages earl Harold Godwinson immediately important weapons, the broad axe, the in Britain have Scandinavian names, more or proclaimed himself king. However two other sword, the shield and the helmet. less corrupted today. For instance (fig. 26) pretenders to the throne soon appeared, king According to Nestor (fig 4) the Swedish Swansea = Sweins ey = Swein’s island. Harald Hardrada of Norway (fig. 30) on Viking Rurik formed the first Russian state In 1013 the Danish king Swein Forkbeard dubious grounds, and William, the seventh in 839 with Novgorod as capital. invaded England and conquered most of its Duke of Normandy (fig. 28), claiming that Simultaneously two other Swedes, Askold small kingdoms but he died after a short Edward had promised him the throne. and Dir (fig. 24) obtained control over Kiev time. It was his son, Cnut the Great who Harald Hardrada was the quicker to act and founded Kiev-Rus, the origin of Russia. finally united the country under his own and sailed with a great fleet up the river Rus or Ros was the Slave name for Vikings, sceptre. Cnut is seen on a coin on the Humber but was defeated and killed by perhaps indicating from where they Danish stamp booklet in fig. 27. Harold in the battle of Stamford Bridge. originated, Roslagen in eastern Sweden. In France the Viking raids became such a Only a few weeks later William landed in the The rulers of Novgorod took over Kiev torment along its coast and rivers that the south and after forced marches Harold met and moved their residence to this town. French king Charles the Simple offered one him in the famous battle of Hastings,

http://viking.hgo.se 18 Fig. Fig. 26 28

Fig. Fig. 27 33 Fig. 35

Fig. 34

Fig. Fig. 36 37

Fig. Fig. 38 Fig. 32 29 Fig. 39

Fig. Fig. 30 31

illustrated in the Bayeux tapestry (fig. 1) and scenes from early settlement times. In fig. 34 subject of philatelic issues. There are also today also used in tourist propaganda (fig. we can see the Law Speaker at The Thing. several articles in the Viking Heritage 31). After the battle William accomplished In 982 Erik the Red was outlawed in magazine that give useful information that the final unification of England under Iceland and went further west to avoid can help with the collection. Norman rule. punishment. He settled on the west coast of In 1016 some Norman pilgrims returning the land he named Greenland and maybe Language checked by Ron Backhouse from Jerusalem, joined the Lombard side in with the help of that selling name he a war against the Byzantines in southern encouraged more Icelanders to join him in Some of the stamps are here reduced in size. Italy. After reinforcements from Normandy, this new colony. In fig. 35 we can witness they soon took command over the whole the somewhat romantic Monegasque view of area, including Sicily, the latter taken from Erik’s arrival to Greenland. the Saracens. Roger Hautville became Great Erik’s son Leif (fig. 36) was the first About the author Count of Sicily in 1101 and his son was European to reach America, but if he found Gunnar Dahlvig is a retired graduate crowned by the Pope as King Roger II, who grapes, they could not have been as big as engineer and senior master from also built the cathedral of Palermo, all shown those shown in fig. 37. The first settler in Helsingborg, Sweden. 1976–1988 he in fig. 32. The two Rogers initiated the America was Thorfinn Karlsefni, already was chairman of the Swedish ‘golden epoch’ of Sicily, which lasted about shown in fig. 23 but the whereabouts of his Thematic Collectors’ Association and 100 years until the family became extinct on settlement is as unclear as where Leif found is now their honorary chairman. 1975- the male side. his grapes. We know for sure that some 1986 he was on the board of the Greenlanders lived for some time at L’Anse Swedish Philatelic Federation (SFF) To the Northwest aux Meadows on Newfoundland (fig, 38) and its President 1989–1996, and When Norway was united under Harald but probably neither Leif nor Thorfinn were now its honorary president. Vice Finehair in 872, many chieftains sailed among them. Nor do we know what a president of the International westward (fig. 33). Some of them settled on Norwegian coin (fig. 39) found in an Indian Thematic Commission 1988-2000. He the Faeroe Islands and some of went further village in Maine indicates. signed The Roll of Distinguished on to Iceland. In fig. 9 we can see how the Philatelists in the year 2000. first settler, Ingolf Arnason, is throwing his Conclusion The author of some hundred of high settle post overboard off Iceland. He This is just a short survey of the story I have articles about Thematic Philately and settled where the gods decided to wash them told in my collection and a sample of the several about Vikings in philatelic ashore, a place he named Reykjavik (Smoke abundant philatelic ‘Viking items’ that I have magazines and books, published Bay). To mark the millennium of the used. It is certain that more discoveries will both in Sweden and abroad. Icelandic parliament, the Althing, in 1930, a be made that will tell us more about the Email: [email protected] set of 15 stamps was issued, most showing Vikings and it is hoped that they will be

19 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 A SYMBOL OF KINGS The Use of Golden Vanes in Viking Ships Part II

Text and photo: Olaf T. Engvig

Discussion wind was blowing. The vanes’ oblique shape Not even during an optimal sail with a strong This part of the article will deal with the use and the weight of the animal figure on the wind from behind on a smooth sea would the of gilded vanes based on our experience outer rim made them unstable and highly vane stand downwind, as it theoretically during crossings of the open sea, and our susceptible to shifting with the slightest would do on a displacement ship. In our very many fjord and coastal sailings, along with movement of the supporting rod. light vessels with their rather long hulls and situations when the boats were sailed, rowed Going downwind was the common way of narrow beams and a flat bottom amidships or moved along rivers, lakes and canals. Also, Viking sailing as it would be for any ship the scenario would usually be that the crew on even while in locks, at rest on beaches or rigged with square sails. In such cases any board felt little wind because the ship was in harbors we were able to observe the longboat would roll and jaw quite a bit travelling almost as fast as the wind, surfing or practical function of the vanes. This in a following sea, and a vane on top sliding on the surface of the sea. We never understanding, our seamanship and of the mast would keep spinning experienced that the vane would stand what we think we know about the from port to starboard constantly. downwind during such incidents. The vane in Vikings, have all produced some the bow of the “Hitra” would be behind and answers and new questions as to the covered by the sail and not experience much proper function and use of the golden wind from any direction, as the sail would vanes. It is our hope that this material capture the wind’s force. will lead to a new dialogue and further Our simple and reliable wind indicators on research on the use of golden vanes in all our missions would be a light piece of yarn Viking ships. fastened 6–8 feet up windward on the aft shroud in each ship. We also used a slim lace Weather Vanes about 1–2 feet in length at the very tip of The vanes’ function as wind indicators each mast, above the vane. This was our is poor. Even if they might have acted means of determining where the wind came as such in time on top of churches at a from, and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn if later point, this could not have been the Vikings did just the same. On board a achieved on board a boat at sea. The Viking ship, as on any square sail boat, it is slightest movements of the boat made the very important to observe the wind and to vane swing or spin around, even if a fair keep it behind the sail at all times. Failing to do so would be much much more hazardous than on any other type of sailing vessels This is a typical picture of a golden vane in port. Even in overcast weather it with a different rig. The vanes would not glows and gives a powerful appearance. Notice the wind indicator above the work for this purpose. vane. Only when sailing close-hauled or with the wind from the side could we experience that the vanes stood the same Part 1 of this article was published in VHM 1/03. way as the wind blew. This is when the boats will heel over under the pressure

http://viking.hgo.se 20 Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03

About the author: Olaf T. Engvig grew up in Rissa, Norway. He has a Cand. Philol. (Graduate) degree in maritime history from the University of Oslo and a deck officer’s license. He is an experienced square sailor and has written several books and numerous articles on maritime topics. At present In the small one room museum at the he lives in Burbank, California. village of Lindisfarne we found this E-mail: [email protected] famous picture stone on display, depicting Vikings in an attack.

of a full or a reefed-down sail. Under these wind‘s lateral force by moving people over to degrees, or be “dipping the animal”, sailing specific conditions the vanes both in the bow the windward side, just like a modern along with the wind from the side in a good of the “Hitra” as well as in the masthead of yachtsman would. If a long boat-designed breeze. If a ship had vanes in the bow and the the “Froya” tended to stand down leeward, at ship develops too much of a list, the keel loses stern, the crewmembers could only look at the least for some time before shifting or its grip as one side of the flat or belly part of vanes and the horizon to know when to move swinging, and with the upper rim more or less the bottom will go deeper in the water, thus over, but then again many would probably parallel to the horizon. On these occasions, I allowing the ship to slide sideways rather then already be on the right side long before the personally felt that our golden vanes showed moving forward and keeping its height ship reached that angle. It is more likely that themselves off best. They looked gorgeous. towards the wind. This should be avoided. when the list approached six degrees it was Many times I therefore wondered if the time for the crew to give out on the lines Sailing Aid oblique 6-degree angle of the Heggen vane, keeping the sail down, thus reducing the force For any Viking ship to perform well under and similar slant on other vanes, is not a on the sail and righting the boat, to get a sail with the wind from the side the function of a maximum list for any Viking better grip on the sailing performance and at hovedsman would try to counterbalance the ship. It should not heel over more then 6-8 the same time preventing it from capsizing. Sailing a Viking ship back then, just as with our traditional longboats today, must have required great teamwork with a lot of coordination and alertness. When a sudden squall or gust of wind rushing down from a mountain hits such a ship sailing with the wind from the side, it will capsize it in a matter of seconds if the captain and crew don’t know what to do and react instantaneously. In our boats, sailing along the west coast of Norway with a full sail, we soon learned to be very much awake and do the right thing under such circumstances. It was

On the beach at Holy Island. “Hitra’s” vane is parallel to the horizon while the boat lists to starboard about 6-8 degrees, while “Froya’s” is not visible. This was the place where the first Viking raids were recorded. (The attack on Lindisfarne was centuries before the vanes became common).

21 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03

Leaving the Orkneys using only the sun as our guidance we spotted Fair Isle before nightfall. This is a remote island in the Atlantic with less than a hundred souls. To announce our arrival we put up “Hitra’s” vane. It is glowing in the evening sun as we approach the island. The people ashore saw it and came down to the landing.

also important that the ship be ballasted quarter or behind the ship would be unable and place an animal on the outer end to properly. Failing to reduce sail or ease the to see this. To compensate, another vane in make them unstable. While sailing and pressure at the right moment would leave the back of the ship would be necessary. observing the vanes over a long time and in you in the water with a disabled boat before Old documents indicate that this could all imaginable scenarios, I came to believe you know it. If that happens, and the boat very well have been the case. Obviously a that this was just the way it had to be. A is ballasted correctly, with glacial stones, it vane at the top of the mast would send its ship’s mast or its bow is not vertical, but will shift the ballast helping the boat flashing signal a longer distance. Ships constantly tilting, when the ship is around, dropping the stones and offering could even be spotted from land well before underway. With an oblique shape the you a wet ride on its bottom. Out at sea they could be seen on the horizon. Viking guiding animal would look up and towards you may observe a squall from far away and fleets returning home or royal and high the horizon, even if the ship were under reef down in time before it hits you. status processions along the coast would pressure of a full sail and heeling over. At Normally you would try to sail away from naturally be the right place to use vanes. that time the upper edge of the vane will the wind if it increases a lot, and if it is The same would be the case in battle tend to be parallel to the horizon. changing directions you will have to bear situations and for expeditions or visits in On a 90-degree vane placed on board a with it. The sea will also start growing. the Viking world. The vane was the ship the animal would often look as if it is Under such circumstances the vanes will be standard of a mighty person and followed falling off into the sea and it would be of no use as sailing aids. him at sea as well as on land. looking down instead of out and up. When Most of the Northern Sea is between 55 resting in port at anchor or close to shore Signaling and Identification and 75 degrees North. That was the main the oblique vane will have a majestic My idea is that the vanes would be of good body of water the Vikings sailed. At noon appearance shining in gold and overlooking use for controlling the boat and aiding the on mid-summer the sun does not rise very everyone and everything. Its high centre of crew under sail, especially along the coasts high. The angles from which the sun’s rays gravity caused by the animal and its high where the winds often tend to be gustier hit the golden vanes are perfect for an angle will make it swing about at the than out on the ocean. This would also be optimal reflection to be registered by an slightest movement of the boat, or with the when people on land would observe the observer. In a boat under way the vanes will help of the wind, and add to this superior flashing vanes. The vanes’ signalling effect continue to swing, shifting its surfaces’ attitude, while reflecting a golden beam of has been mentioned. That was what gave us azimuth and elevation plane constantly in light. With a slight list of the boat to one the greatest surprise. They functioned an endless motion, sending its reflecting side, as often happens when a longboat sits extremely well as communication devices rays randomly in any given directions. Even on its keel on a beach, the vanes will tend and I am certain that a significant part of without a direct hit the golden vane will to stand parallel to the beach giving a their function was to flash messages to glow and give a strong signal, while a direct maximum signalling effect from land if the shore that an important ship was coming. hit will catch your attention even if not wind is calm. On the beach at Holy Island The signalling effect would be less for a looking, just as when someone catches the we landed our ships much like the Vikings vane in the bow compared to a vane at the sun in a modern day’s mirror and reflects it must have done. Our vanes made a majestic top of the mast that would send its signal a into your eye. This significance of the picture. The visual and esthetical effect was much longer distance. However, the golden vanes reflects wealth and power and astonishing not only to us, but even more signalling effect was good even for a vane would clearly be a symbol worthy of a king. so to visitors who greatly admired our placed in the bow of a ship. Our vane golden vanes. moved sufficient for any person in front or The Oblique Vane Their appearance resembles the many to the side of the ship to observe its It makes a lot of sense to make the top figureheads I have researched in sailing distinctive blinks. But people at the aft angle of the vanes greater than 90 degrees vessels or museums from more recent times.

http://viking.hgo.se 22 ChieftainChieftainModeled on a 1000-year old ancient relic from the Viking Age RingRing

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Even if placed underneath the bowsprit they look up and forward. This was a custom even long before the Vikings, so why should they introduce vanes with an animal looking down? A vane with a greater angle than 90 degrees is as poor a match as a weather vane on top of a church or on a farm, as a right-angled vane would be on board an open longboat during a brisk sail on the coast. Such a ship would need vanes with a 96–98 degree upper angle to look right.

Proper Use – On board Our conclusion with regards the use of the vanes out at sea is that the top of the mast is the best place to have a vane. The masthead on a ship at sea, however, is a place you can’t easily get to. As a signalling device between ships or between a ship and land, this is obviously the best place to set a vane. It is seen in all directions whereas the vane on the stem only can be seen forward of the boat if it is under sail. Furthermore, Two Lord Mayors and a lady Mayor of mid-English townships in their regalia listening to its place is not as well protected as the top Olaf describing his golden standard for the dignitaries. of the mast. More than once we had to rush to the rescue to save the Heggen vane in the bow from major damage. In one close call beached the other way around, with the – On Land we saved it from getting entangled in steering oar up. Then the stern would be up We often brought the vanes along to another ship’s rig. Another time we just on shore and probably also represent the representations and social events in England missed an obstacle approaching a lock. In a highest point of the ship. and Scotland, partly because we were afraid busy port it would be difficult to While in port we noticed that the vanes they might get stolen if left behind in the manoeuvre with a vane in the bow among got a lot of attention. We were asked about boats. Also, they gave us an extra topic of vessels with masts, yards and rig. the OTE-emblem as well as the motif on conversation. City Mayors and other Fortunately, we had secured the vane’s rod the bird and the animal side if the Heggen dignitaries had their regalia so it was natural in such a way that it could easily be copy. I believe the different motifs on the that we should have our vanes as a mark of recovered. This was the sole reason why we surface of the vanes, the animal on top and prestige and identification. Especially the managed to save the vane from damage. the decoration or symbols decorative surfaces of the Heggen vane Sending signals ashore must have been an attached to the rings could have received much attention, and were studied important function for the use of the been the way of identifying a and admired by everyone. This thrilled us golden vanes at sea. Then the masthead ship or an important person and I believe it would be quite natural if would have been the preferred place for on board while in port. In the golden vane had followed the Viking a vane. an illiterate society during chieftain when he left his ship and that the If the boat was rowed along the coast the Viking era it would be easy golden vane, his ship’s standard, served as to know the right ship given a the king’s merke when on land. description of its vane. Ships had names The gilded surfaces reflecting power even in those days but no nameplate or would become much more effective when At Isle of Whithorn in the Irish Sea, the registration tag. Information had to be the golden vane had a merkesmann carrying vane at the top of the mast of the learned by memorization. the vane. He could control the motion and “Froya” clearly indicates that the wind Mounting two vanes together is also reflect the beam of light from the sun in a blows the laces in another direction recorded in historic sources. We did make wanted direction. Sometimes photographers than the golden vane is pointing, verifying that they are useless as the “Hitra’s” rod in such a way that it could and other media representatives asked to weather vanes. support both vanes, one above the other make pictures of us capturing the sun. They and fairly close together. We mounted soon discovered that photographing a them in this way several times and learned golden surface is not always all that simple. that they would swing independently But some managed to get good pictures of or resting in port the mast would often which would add extra reflecting power the little vane’s great ability to capture and be down and the highest point of the thus conveying certain knowledge. This return the suns golden rays. boat would be the bow or the stern as was our way of telling that I have often wondered what kind of a most double-enders have close to the hovedswoman, Gunn of the “Froya”, merke or royal insignia King Olaf used same shape at both ends, disregarding sailed along in my boat. The proper during the battle at Stiklestad where he was the end decorations. Usually it way of displaying joint strength killed. It must have been a hard-surfaced would be the bow sitting on the would be to keep the vanes together item, not a flag. I believe his merke may shore. But one can easily think of and display them on a major ship. well have been a golden vane. This king instances when boats would be later became the patron saint of Norway.

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He christened the country with the axe and were to us. After the second gilding of our used the “sun cross” as a symbol. More than vanes we decided to try to keep them as any Viking king he was associated with fine as possible and became more restrictive Christianity and the church. Would golden to their exposed use than we had been vanes later have been placed on churches to before. None of the artefacts we brought honour Saint Olaf? Their ability to capture along on our expeditions could match the the sun and become a symbol of golden price of our two gilded vanes. We believe brightness and purity is obvious. Such a that they were just as expensive to produce function must have meant much for the a thousand years ago as they were today and introduction of Christianity in Norway a therefore must have been very important thousand years ago. and precious items for the people that carried them. Wear and Tear Even if the vanes were greased, they I am more doubtful if golden vanes were would get worn and squeaky. It would not commonly used during ocean crossings. have been common to take down the mast They were precious items, expensive to because of a vane out at sea. So why bother? make and difficult to maintain during Viking ships sailing together could keep rough ocean passages. They carried a lot of together if they wanted to during the bright significance, and were important in regard nights. They would be able to see each to status. The vanes functioned poorly out other and keep in contact. In pitch dark, as on the ocean apart from the signalling they could have experienced sailing to the effect between ships if they were kept on south, the only option is to connect the top of the mast. This has to be weighed boats with a line as we did, to be sure as to against the wear and tear on them and the not lose sight of each other. Sighting land is maintenance problems we experienced. the time to get the vanes out to inform “we After only few days of use on the masthead are coming”. Sailing along a coast the top “Froya’s” vane had marks of wear on the of the mast would be the right station for lower fitting that rested against the the vane. Coming in from the sea the stem supporting ring. Copper had been worn off is an easy place for presentation, as it would during the short passage. be in port and with the mast down. Even more noticeable were the marks on After many years of sailing on extensive the vane on board the “Hitra”. This vane Viking-type expeditions in traditional was slightly heavier and had less copper at Years after the vanes were in use on the Norwegian longboats we had covered 3700 Northern Sea their gilded surface makes the pivot point to support the vane’s weight nautical miles of the Northern Sea. We them flash a bright and golden beam of visited the major countries in the old and motion. At times lead-weights were sunlight as Hakon demonstrates in this Viking world to the West, and called on added to the animal’s ring, which partly present-day picture. This major explains why the vane mounted lower on characteristic reflects wealth and power more than one hundred townships. This board the ship and not exposed to the same and would evidently be a symbol worthy has given us good knowledge of the seas forceful movements clearly had the most of a Viking-age king. where the Vikings used to roam, as well as a wear. The vane at the top of the mast had general feeling for the Vikings’ way of five layers of copper plate to support its sailing. Only after we started bringing movements as the pivot point rested on the golden vanes along did we add an exciting vane itself and its lower hinge together. The have been navigating the high seas. Adding new dimension to our simple “navigation Heggen vane only had three layers for grease or other lubricants would make the without instrument” expeditions. support (see pictures). We never vanes messy. We later did this to the OTE By using the vanes on board our two interchanged the vanes, but kept one in vane and ruined fine clothing due to the boats we got much more attention and also each boat when they were not mounted staining residue of copper, brass, iron and finally could see and learn how they looked together on board the “Hitra” or in use on grease. We decided for ourselves that using and worked. For the latter part of our last land. We asked metal experts what type of lubricants to reduce the noise and make missions we therefore decided not to bother bushings we should use and settled for them last better would not be the right way with them. So we abstained from keeping brass. We believe the result to have been to treat the vanes. So we kept them clean them up when we were heading out to sea much the same if we had used an iron ring and shiny, and let them “sing” whenever for a new voyage. It became important to for support. they wanted. save them from excessive wear and tear. We There were few marks of wear and tear With our simple attachment of the vanes left them well protected, wrapped up and on the inside of the cylindrical hinge, the to the mast and bow they could be kept in a chest. Besides, we really had no conclusion being that a major part of the disconnected if needed. These vanes are use for them during the crossing. Upon noise must have come from the friction fragile items. If they sustain hits, scratches sighting land, we would take the vane out, between the copper and the ring at the or are subject to other force, they will bend and mount the one in the bow of the pivot point. With the recorded rate of or dent. The pivot point will eat away with “Hitra”, to tell the people ashore that we deterioration, the vanes’ lower fittings heavy use and the gold coating and surface were coming. We would not have been would be badly worn during a couple of will deteriorate. The fact that they are surprised if some old Viking came back and months at sea. Also the salty air tended to present on old pictures of ships from the told us: This is how the Vikings did it. deteriorate the golden surface. But we have Viking era, where almost every other detail no answer as to the gilding technique the is missing, tells us that they were very Vikings used and how resilient that would important items for the Norse just as they http://viking.hgo.se 26 Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03

Viking Learning Vacation

A new concept of learning travels, called Canada specialists will provide a guided Sagas of Discovery, has been worked out tour of the remnants of eight 11th-century by Viking Trail Tourism Association in Norse buildings, outlining the discovery of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. the site in 1960 by Dr. Helge Ingstad, a The first seven-day tour will take place Norwegian historian and explorer and his from August 24–30, 2003. The tour will wife Anne Stine Ingstad, an archaeologist. depart from Deer Lake, NL. Evening lecture about life in a Viking port The travels are presented in association of trade. Overnight in St. Anthony. with Parks Canada. Day Six: The Norse In Newfoundland Sagas of Discovery Visit Norstead, the recreated Viking port Vikings in the New World of trade where you will participate in a day On a summer’s day around the year 1000, of interactive traditional Viking activities. a Viking expedition from Greenland Meet the chieftain and listen to his stories. landed on the shores of what is now L’anse Learn the secrets of navigation and aux Meadows, a community in northern shipbuilding. Become familiar with the Newfoundland. Under the leadership of trade routes and trading goods. Learn Leif Eiriksson, they established an Viking games, textile and cooking encampment that served as a base for techniques, as well as pottery making and exploring south throughout the Gulf of St. blacksmithing. A visit to the Dark Tickle Lawrence. The encampment remains the Economuseum will introduce you to the only authenticated Viking site in North traditional berries and wild fruits of the America and provides the earliest evidence Copyright: Viking Trail Tourism barrens. Your visit culminates with a of Europeans in the Western Hemisphere. Association in Newfoundland and Viking feast and celebration. Overnight in Experience the Viking Age on a seven- Labrador St. Anthony. day tour of Vinland! The tour will include informative lectures by Viking specialist, Day Seven: Wrap-up Dan Carlsson, coordinator of the Council Site, one of the richest archaeological sites Travel back down the Viking Trail to Deer of Europe’s Viking Routes initiative. in North America, will introduce you to Lake. Supplemental programs by Parks Canada the ancient cultures of the Northern specialists will provide insight into the Peninsula - the Maritime Archaic, the Reservation Information mountains and fjords teeming with Dorset and Groswater Paleoeskimos. A To book your reservation or for more wildlife, where the Viking spirit still lives. walk along the coast to Philip’s Garden information, please contact the Viking will provide evidence of the ancient Trail Tourism Association toll-free at 1- Itinerary dwellings. Overnight in Plum Point. 877-778-4546. A 25% non-refundable Day One: Introduction deposit is required upon booking and The first day will be an arrival day with an Day Four: The Original Inhabitants – the balance of payment is due 60 days orientation to the Viking Trail and Before the Vikings, Part Two prior to departure. If cancelled 30 days UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gros The ongoing archaeological digs at Bird or before prior to departure date, a Morne National Park of Canada. There Cove will provide an opportunity for you refund of 50% will be issued. No refunds will be issued 29 days or less will be an introductory lecture by Dan to experience and meet archaeologists at prior to departure date. Cancellation Carlsson at the Marine Centre in Norris work. Learn basic techniques as part of a and interruption insurance are strongly Point and an overnight in the Park. mock dig. A local interpreter will provide recommended. Ask your travel agent for a demonstration in flint knapping. A visit details. Day Two: Vinland to Grenfell Historic Properties in the Parks Canada specialists will lead the afternoon will orient you to the traditional Website: www.vikingtrail.org group on an exploration of Gros Morne fishing village that will serve as a base for Email: [email protected] National Park of Canada. Take a boat tour the next two days. An evening lecture on of the spectacular Western Brook Pond Viking culture and heritage. Overnight in inland fjord. In the evening, the Gros St. Anthony. Morne Theatre Festival troupe will entertain you with traditional Day Five: The Day of Discovery Newfoundland entertainment. Overnight In the morning board a boat to see in Cow Head. icebergs and whales and experience the Vikings exploration of the rugged Day Three: The Original Inhabitants – coastline. Travel to UNESCO World Before the Vikings, Part One Heritage Site L’anse aux Meadows and A visit to Port au Choix National Historic visit the Viking encampment. Parks

27 http://viking.hgo.se A map over the new buildings. All photos: Vikingabyn

The Viking Village in Tofta is expanding

“Vikingabyn” (the Viking Village) is situated The Viking village is open to the public activities like team-building, nature on the west coast on the island of Gotland, throughout the whole summer. Their experiences, health and recreation. They Sweden. It is a year-round business, based on philosophy is based upon participation and arrange events all over Gotland for groups, activities focusing on historical events. The experience by doing and that there should be conferences, school classes and other visitors. construction of the Viking village started in something of interest for adults as well as The Vikingabyn experience company is a 1989 and since then it has been under playful younger Vikings. They offer activities part of the Gotland Viking Island network constant development. During the spring of like spinning yarn, weaving, making Viking (see articles published in VHM 3/2002 and 2003 the area has expanded even more and jewellery, milling flour and baking bread over this issue) and will continue their expansion ten new handicraft houses are under embers. For the more competitive visitor heading up to the Viking year of 2005. construction to be ready for this coming there are games and sports and for those who summer. There are a few existing small wish to learn more about the history of the Tofta Strand, 621 98 VISBY, Sweden houses and a Viking Hall with the whole Vikings they have storytelling in the Phone: 0498-29 71 00 village surrounded by a rampart. The longhouse. Fax: 0498-29 71 30 buildings are constructed according to expert Apart from historical events from the Email: [email protected] knowledge and will be equipped for different Viking Age and the Middle Ages, www.vikingabyn.se handicraft workshops manned by craftsmen. “Vikingabyn” has a wide range of other

The entrance to the Viking village. The new houses.

http://viking.hgo.se 28 Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03

Gotland University offers two Viking Courses presented in English

Few periods in our history stimulate our imagination to the same extent as the Viking era. Gotland University now gives you the opportunity to learn more about the Vikings. Two courses on the Viking theme are being given and both are in English but at different levels and with different prerequisites. The courses have a definite connection to current research carried out by Gotland University. Visit the University’s homepage www.hgo.se to get more course information, syllabus, schedules and application forms.

The Viking Society – General Course, 10 Credits (15 ECTS) Internet-based course. Autumn 2003, Spring 2004. Runs through 10 weeks at a full-time rate of study. This course gives a basic knowledge about the Viking-age society and its From the excavations in Fröjel, Gotland. Copyright: Fröjel Discovery Programme. development. It is interdisciplinary and uses primary and secondary sources to analyse the Vikings and Viking Age. In e-discussion groups we will be The Viking Landscape – Field craftsmen produced their wares. considering different issues such as the Course, 5 Credits (7,5 ECTS) The course is at C-level which view of Vikings and changes in the Field course located on Gotland, means that you must have completed Scandinavian society during Viking Sweden. Summer 2003, Summer at least one year of full-time study in Age, for example the processes that led 2004. Runs over 5 weeks at a full-time archaeology, anthropology or a similar from paganism into Christianity. The rate of study. subject equivalent to 40 credits or 60 main purpose of the course is to give a This is an international field course ECTS. The aim is to give an complex and varied picture of the and study will be through lectures, introduction to the Viking Age and to Vikings and their society. The focus of seminars and a site excavation at provide practical and circumstantial interest is on Scandinavia during the Fröjel. Fröjel is situated on the south- knowledge of archaeological and Viking Age. west coast of Gotland (Sweden). It’s human geographical methods. Focus is The course is at A- or basic level, one of the island’s largest and most put on different field methods such as which means applicants must meet important Viking-age harbour and recognising stratigraphic details, basic entrance requirements for trading places. Excavations and excavating and documenting different university studies to be able to take the research have been carried out over the constructions. Special emphasis is course. There will be no physical past 5 years. Both settlement remains placed on analysing and interpreting meetings and much emphasis is put on and graves have been investigated. The excavated material. Thirty-six students individual study. Study will also be picture we have is of a port of trade are registered for this summer’s course through e-discussions with given topics that was swarming with activity over a and we all look forward to meeting in as well as by written assignments. period of 400 years. Merchants with July and starting the excavation Today we have 18 students from all goods from near and far came and met (applications for next summer can be over the world reading, discussing and with local craftsmen and tradesmen to downloaded on the university’s participating in the chat-groups. Our barter and trade goods. A cluster of homepage!). e-classroom serves as a meeting place buildings surrounded the harbour with open 24 hours a day. its jetties and in small workshops the

29 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03

The Viking couple from Rogaland looking out over the sea that leads to Miklagard. Photo: Elin Taranger

“Halfdan was here”

Viking exhibition in Istanbul and Stavanger

By Einar Solheim Pedersen So why bring up the subject of Halfdan group, the Khazars, dominated the silk trade and his graffiti now? Because both he and in the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries. They ruled the carving have become an exhibition with over the lower reaches of the rivers, in today’s One day about 1000 years ago a the obvious title “Halfdan was here!” Ukraine, the southern part of Russia, Norseman visited the cathedral of Hagia Romania and Bulgaria. Sofia in Miklagård, the Viking name for Last spring the Museum of Archaeology today’s Istanbul. He must have been so in Stavanger (AmS) received an inquiry from There are a number of Arabian impressed by the architectural masterpiece Statoil as to whether they were interested in contemporary scriptures where the writers from the 6th century that he had to carve a producing an exhibition about meetings of tell about the influence the Vikings had on message in the banisters on the arcade. The cultures the Migration Period and the Viking people round the Black Sea and the inscription was quite peculiar, although it Age between peoples from the North and the Mediterranean (“…stately men, they are like has been rewritten thousands of times Byzantine Empire. This request was based palm trees, ruddy-cheeked and with red through the history. What makes it still so upon co-operation between Statoil and a hair…”). special is that he used runes when he carved Turkish chief of trade and industry, Rahmi From Norse writers we can learn from “Halfdan var her” (“Halfdan was here”). M. Koc, the owner of a private museum in Snorre who told about incidents from the We know nothing about Halfdan, but Istanbul that bears his name. During a same area, where Norwegian Vikings were since he carved the inscription on the holy journey in Norway, R. M. Koc became involved in both trade and fighting. The walls, probably a great irritation for the fascinated by the connection between the merchandise that was brought south most of priests, a lot has happened both with the city Nordic countries and the areas around the the time was skins from different exotic and the building. Black Sea and the Mediterranean during animals like beaver, blue fox, squirrel and At that time Miklagard or prehistoric times. sable. Constantinople was the capital of the Such a connection is well documented in Byzantine Empire, but in the year of 1453 the sources. Trade was widespread between Central to the exhibition is trade, but it is the city was conquered by the Osmans, a the North and the South and the Norsemen also a starting point for a presentation of the Turkish people, and renamed Istanbul. Hagia travelled south on Russian rivers as well as meeting between different ethnic groups and Sofia was rebuilt as a mosque, four minarets rounding Gibraltar to get to Constantinople peoples. The Arabian scriptures tell that were added and its decorations were covered and Miklagard. people were very fascinated by the Viking with lime. In the middle of the 19th century A large quantity of artefacts from this manners and customs and descriptions of a restoration started to bring the decorations trading activity, rare coins, jewellery and how they buried their dead, traded, dressed back into light and this work continued, glass has been found in graves and as depot and how they were on their guard against with some pauses, until 1958. On the finds. It is known that other important attacks were related in detail. initiative of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Hagia merchandise was textiles and fabrics, The exhibition is focused on Harald, who Sofia was made into a museum in 1934. especially silk. Furthermore a Turkish ethnic later became king of Norway under the

http://viking.hgo.se 30 Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03

About the author Einar Solheim Pedersen is a historian and Head of the Department of Education and Interpretation at the Museum of Archaeology in Stavanger, Norway.

nickname Hardråde, and who served in the emperor’s guard for 15 years. He was an officer and regarded as being so indispensable that when he wanted to return to Norway, both to escape a story with a woman and to fight for the Norwegian crown, he had to sneak out of the harbour in the dark of night. A part of the thick chain in the basin that was to hold Harald’s boat in The heads of place has been lent to us from the Museum Harald Hardåde of Archaeology in Istanbul and will be shown (Hardruler) in the exhibition. taken from a The exhibition is complemented by coin, and of printed matter, translated to both Turkish Queen Zoe, and English. The main responsibility for the from a mosaic, exhibition and the printed matter lies with illustrate the Siv Kristoffersen (manuscript), Elin Taranger story about the (design) and Tove Solheim Andersen flight from (graphic design). The head of information at Miklagard. At Statoil, Einar Bergh, has had the the bottom lies responsibility for, and put a lot of effort into, the thick chain both translating the exhibition texts and that Harald had carrying on current communication with the to break. Photo: museum in Istanbul. ElinTaranger.

Norwegian museums very rarely organize an exhibition composed for a foreign Turkish CNN, interviewed Harald Jacobsen, Vikings, other three-dimensional elements, audience. This makes “Halfdan was here” the director of AmS. enlargements in colour and texts written in a quite a special, unique event. It has been I have toyed with the thought of whether more literary than factual style, aroused exciting to set up an exhibition when there is a Turkish-produced exhibition at a attention. Altogether 20,000 people visited little knowledge of what the recipients are Norwegian museum, with a similar theme, the exhibition in Istanbul. expecting. The Turkish people, the Selsjuks would have received the same attention from and the Ottomans, did not arrive in the area the media? AmS, like most of the other The exhibition was in Istanbul until until well into the 11th century and later, and museums in Norway that have shown a January 26, 2003 and on May 4th it opened mainly Greeks, Italians and other ethnic foreign exhibition, knows the answer. in the Museum of Archaeology in Stavanger groups populated Constantinople. With this Though extensive marketing, I have noticed where it will continue until September this in mind, the exhibition should be about the that media show a lame interest. Either the year. cultural meeting between the Nordic people Turkish media work in a way we can learn Statoil has economic interests in Turkey and those who lived in and around from or the simple truth is that the Turkish and wishes to create a distinctive image for Constantinople during that period of time, people are more interested in the prehistoric themselves vis à vis the industry and the i.e. between the year 400 and the middle of times and culture history than Nordic Turkish authorities. It is, however, very the 11th century when Harald was in the people. We should not ignore the fact that interesting for Norwegian museums and area, not the meeting between the Nordic Turkish media give priority to other things other parties of the cultural sphere that this people and the Turks. than Norwegians do, either. kind of profile gets these kinds of results. However this does not seem to have had The response from Turkey was good. This is an opportunity for an additional any influence on the interest in the People were interested by the prehistoric contribution to the existing modest public exhibition. When it opened, on November guests from the North and the theme of the funds for presentation of the Norwegian 8, 2002, at the Museum of Rhami M. Koc, exhibition was appreciated. The design history, culture and art abroad, again over 40 journalists gathered and around ten characterized by a mixture of authentic and something that could be the beginning of co- television companies, among them the copied artefacts, specially made models of operation with foreign culture institutions.

31 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 Viking Forum Vikings in Melbourne

Text and photos received with good humour and patience by had set up an encampment on the beach by Heidi Vestergaard those who take authentic re-enactment overnight where they sold crafts and put on more seriously. In this way, the experience battle displays for the public throughout the was very accessible for the average person. Sunday. A Viking Feast and Viking Market were Door prizes and fashion parades for men A storyteller drew children and adults held in Melbourne Australia at the end of and women completed the entertainment. indoors for some Norse myths and the March 2003. The events were arranged and makers of long boats from the Australian run by a range of groups including Friends Viking Ship Museum Association rowed of Norway and The Danish Club, as well as Male fashion parade. around in the bay in their beautiful, the re-enactment societies New Varangian handcrafted vessels – a brave feat in choppy Guard, Frojel Gotlandica, La Trobe conditions! University Historical Re-enactment Society and Nordmannia. The event was very different The idea came about as more to the Viking Moot that I have and more movers-and-shakers from been to at Moesgaard in the Scandinavian-Australian Denmark. There, the build up of community became interested in atmosphere happens as you walk the Viking history. There is a lot through the forest glade, down to going on here! The Council of a beach and a cove where the re- Adult Education runs regular enactment encampment is set up. programmes on Norse myths, Battle begins with many of the “Vikings” from the monuments and runes. Also, the Vikings arriving on horseback and Viking feast. University of Melbourne runs a then the public can witness programme in Viking Studies. the re-enactment in the The range of historical societies forest clearing. re-enact the culture and lives of Of course, in Australia the Vikings. we do not have the ancient The Feast was held on March horse species or the forest 29 at a restaurant in The Danish so near to the beach – so Club complex. Set up in a very- our battle took place on Scandinavian U-shape, more the beach itself - tough than 110 people enjoyed an terrain for the traditional evening of feasting and drinking. footwear. Notwithstanding the differences, I On the menu was a range of seafood, Traditional costume abounded – even for found it to be quite an absorbing day, meat, vegetables, bread and cheese, all those who were not part of the re- especially once the novelty of dressing up washed down with Danish beer and mead enactment clubs! Of course, there were also wore off and we relaxed on the beach to from ornate drinking horns. plenty of the stereotypical horned helmets enjoy the battle displays. and even a Xena-Warrior Princess (claiming Who needs Moesgaard, anyway?! In The Sunday brought a market to be a Valkyrie!). In the Australian spirit of stall Melbourne we were very fortunate to have atmosphere to The Danish Club and to the giving everyone 'a go', the varied the support and dedication of an impressive beach opposite. Organisers estimated that interpretations of Norse costume were group of people who could put on a Viking several thousand people came through – battle with the best of them, bringing the welcoming the opportunity to purchase history to life. Scandinavian food and products, all The organisers have already resolved to The Viking battle on the beach. represented in the one spot. run these events next year – for some of us, The Danish Club has a that will mean starting on our costumes and lot of non-Scandinavian all-important Viking accessories now! members because of its prime location and club facilities, but Australian, Danish or other – all its members were About the author treated to an event that was Heidi Vestergaard is the president reminiscent of the of the Danish Australian Cultural Scandinavian celebrations Society and attended both events that were common many as an ordinary (but costumed) years ago in Sydney's Valhalla punter. club. Email: [email protected] The re-enactment societies http://viking.hgo.se 32 Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 Viking Forum

By Håkan Altrock, Föreningen Vittfarne

A Viking fleet will land in Georgia In the beginning of the 1040s an armed force with Varjagi* i.e. Scandinavians, came to the small place Bashi, situated by the river Rioni in Georgia. In the old Georgian chronicle Kartlis tsovreba it is stated that they were 3000 men and presumably they had been rowing up the river after sailing eastwards on the Black Sea, most likely from the estuary of the Dnjepr River. After an agreement had been made with Bagrat, the king of Georgia, 700 of them continued to travel further into the country where they took part in a battle against the king’s enemies on the wooded shores of Sasirethis, a few miles west of Tbilisi. Despite their help, the king lost the battle and fled. After reaching an agreement with the hostile army, the Scandinavian force returned westwards, thereafter disappearing from history. Both the geographical area, the course of events and the time period make it probable that the story in the Georgian chronicle is a trace of the fatal Swedish Norse Drape, hand painted by Keith Whitbread, expedition by the chieftain, Ingvar den The Viking boat replica “Himingläva” to also known as “Chips”. Vittfarne (Ingvar the Far-Travelled), be used in the expedition. mentioned on at least 26 rune stones in Photos: Thomas Lönnhammar.

Relevant web references are: New Varangian Guard Inc, Vlachernai Garrison and Dubh Linn Garrison http://www.geocities.com /vlachernai_garrison/index.html EXPEDITION Frojel Gotlandica http://www.frojel.com/

La Trobe University Historical Re-enactment Society http://www.geocities.com/svenskildbiter VITTFARNE /Latrobe/front.html mid-Sweden as well as in an imaginative Many experiments like this have been The Danish Club saga from Iceland. Archaeologist. Mats G. carried out during later years, but often http://www.thedanishclub.com.au/ Larsson, Ph.D, maintains this theory in his with boats that were mostly adapted to book “Ett ödesdigert vikingatåg – Ingvar den sailing and thus far too heavy and clumsy Danish Australian Cultural Society Vittfarnes resa 1036-1041” (“A fatal Viking for journeys on rivers and pulling on land. http://www.vicnet.net.au/~dacs Raid – the journey of Ingvar the Far- At an archaeological information Travelled 1036-1041”). meeting about ships, held at Vik’s castle in The battle in front of the Danish club in 1994, Mats met the Viking enthusiast Melbourne, Australia. Expedition Vittfarne Håkan Altrock. They started to talk about Photo: Charlie Sweeney How did they travel through the land that Mats’ idea of testing the practical is Sweden today, in the Viking Age? And prerequisites needed for a voyage in the how did they travel from here to Russia wake of Ingvar den Vittfarne through and the Black Sea? What did the boats look Transcaucasia, with a replica of a Viking like and how could they find their way on ship. Later on their conversation resulted in narrow rivers, past rapids and over land Håkan’s decision to build a light, flexible between different watercourses? The only Viking ship for the expedition. way to get more knowledge about this is to The keel of the ship was laid in 1998 do practical tests with similar kind of boats. and it was launched in 2001. Since then it

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has been test sailed. In 2003 the non-profit Gammalsvenskby, present-day Ru. Anyone who thinks he/she is qualified is association Vittfarne was formed, in charge Kakhovka. The old Swedish-village is a welcome to apply, women as well as men. of planning for the expedition. village where the inhabitants, whose During the sailing season of 2003, you will We in the Vittfarne association intend to ancestors emigrated from the Baltic Island have the opportunity to test rowing, sailing test the possible route of Ingvar den of Dagö, still speak Swedish.) in the south and maybe pulling the boat on land. After Vittfarne through Transcaucasia with a of Ukraine in spring 2004. Here the this season we will know how we get along Viking ship replica suitable for the purpose. scientific expedition that brought the together and who will be chosen to take The aim is historical research as well as Viking boat Aifur from Sigtuna, Sweden to part in the expedition. creating international contacts between the estuary of the Dnjepr via river systems Preliminarily the expedition will be people. in the late Sovjet during the seasons of divided into seven stages of 14 days each. 1994 and 1996, was broken off. Our The more stages a person can participate The Viking boat “Himingläva” journey can be seen as a continuation of in, the better. The Viking boat replica we plan to use is this expedition. In your application please tell us about called Himingläva and was built with this The journey starts out from the Dnjepr yourself and why you want to join. More expedition in mind. The original is a boat River, passes the Crimean peninsula and information about the expedition’s dates found in a grave mound excavated in 1880 along the Russian and Abchazian coast to etc., can be found either on the website – in Gokstad, Norway. In the mound a very the mouth of the Rioni River at the www.vittfarne.com – or by email. well preserved, 23 metre-long ship was Georgian port of Poti. Via Rioni and its found. tributaries we will proceed to the village of Please send applications to The king buried in the mound seems to Zuare where the traverse over the water [email protected] or by letter to: have enjoyed being at sea because, among divider will take place. The boat will then his grave gifts, there were also three smaller be launched in the Kura River that flows Håkan Altrock boats. The largest and smallest of them out into the Caspian Sea at the coast of Arkövägen 8 have been reconstructed and are now on Azerbajdzjan. The final destination is Baku, 121 55 Johanneshov exhibit in the Viking Ship House on the capital of Azerbajdzjan. Sweden Bygdøv in Oslo. The largest seems to fulfil the requirements for a river traveller while Interested? still being able to manage sailing in fairly We are looking for sponsors, people with close coastal waters. useful contacts, as well as a crew. The crew The boat, that has been named we are looking for does not necessarily have “sexäringen” (“the six oars”), is 9,75 metres to be sailors or weightlifters. Rather we long and 1,86 metres wide. It has room for want physically ordinary people who can Ed. note 9 people on longer trips. It is driven by six easily mix in a group, sometimes even * The word Varjagi (Varangians) is pairs of oars or a square sail of 16 square under difficult psychological and physical mentioned in the Russian Nestorian metres. conditions, people who are not afraid of Chronicle as a name of a people living digging in and who have a general positive beyond the Varjagic Sea (the Baltic Sea). From the “Old Swedish-village” attitude. A strong interest in history and/or According to the chronicle (chapter XV) to Serkland boats is a merit as well as a degree of the Varjagi included many tribes or ethnic The expedition will start in the Old competitive instinct. You must be more groups, among which Rus, Svear, Swedish-Village (Ed. note: Swe. than 18 years old. Northmen, Anglians and Goths are listed. http://viking.hgo.se 34 Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03

New Guests in the House book!

Cultural transmission between Slavs and Scandinavians 900 to 1300 presence of Slavic people is the Swedish title main topic of the thesis. The area Gäster i huset that has been investigated is the Kulturell överföring mellan slaver och region corresponding to modern Skandinaver 900 till 1300 Sweden during the period in question. The source material constitutes pottery Written by Mats Roslund from different excavations, Sigtuna and Published by Vetenskapssocieteten i Visby among others. Lund 2001 Some of the questions at issue are: ISBN: 91-973773-3-3 Baltic ware has traditionally been regarded as a purely Slavic product. What does the so-called Baltic ware tell us about the contacts between the Slavs and the This is a short presentation of a doctoral catalogue presenting pottery finds as the Scandinavians? How were these pottery- thesis written by Mats Roslund. In a empirical basis, methods of pottery making traditions transmitted to coming issue we hope he will provide documentation and terminology. The thesis Scandinavian potters? Did they reach VHM with a more in-depth article is written in Swedish with a shorter Scandinavia through trade and free-moving presenting and discussing this thesis. summary in English. artisans or as a result of co-operation The subject of interest is Slavic- The author has chosen to study between Slavic and Scandinavian potters? Scandinavian contacts during 900 to 1300 everyday pottery as a way of discovering The aim of the thesis is to capture the or more specifically the relations between evidence of the occurrence of Slavic dynamics in the interaction, to distinguish the Slavic visitors and their Scandinavian foreigners in Scandinavia. The relationship regional differences between the two hosts. The thesis covers around 500 pages, between the so-called Baltic ware traditions and thereby minimise the with the last 200 pages a free-standing (Ostseeware, vendiskt svartgods) and the number of possible interpretations.

A new book in the Birka Studies series. Investigations in the Black Earth

books in coming years. BIRKA STUDIES 8. This new volume is a revised version Tools for Textile of Eva Andersson’s dissertation in New Production from archaeology from 1999, analysing the Birka and Hedeby , tools for textile production from Birka’s By Eva Andersson book! Black Earth, Hedeby, and some of the hinterland sites. 165 pages with illustrations. ISBN 91-7209-295-5. Andersson’s main discussion focuses on the evidence of spinning and weaving in Viking-age towns in Northern Europe, mostly for the production of fine textiles, but seldom One of the most important towns in the Viking for sailcloth and homespun clothing textiles. world was Birka, situated some 20 kilometres west The series is published by the Birka Project at of present-day Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. the National Heritage Board and the National The town was built on an island, and existed Historic Museum in Stockholm, in connection between c. 720 – 950 AD, when it was with the 1990-94 excavations. abandoned and probably succeeded by the town of All volumes are printed in English and Sigtuna. There have been many years of excavations at the site, illustrated with photographs and line drawings. To starting with the huge excavations of Hjalmar Stolpe in the end of the date, 8 volumes have been published, covering 19th century. The last major excavations of the town itself were different aspects of the town, as well as more general issues concerning carried out between 1990 and 1995. These excavations have produced Viking-age history in middle Sweden. a tremendous lot of new material as well as new information about the town and its history and the result will be published in a series of Dan Carlsson

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Some of the Viking events in the summer of 2003

Viking Play at Fredrikssund, Denmark The Saint Olav Drama, Stiklestad, June June 20 – July 6 Norway This year’s performance is called July 25 – 29 “Brokk’s Besværgelse” and after the This drama is performed each year in Training camp at Foteviken, Sweden performance visitors have the the end of July. It’s a historic play June 7 – 8 opportunity to attend a Viking Feast. dedicated to St Olav and the A training camp for fighters and archers Saturday and Sunday, 21 – 22/6 there is introduction of Christianity to Norway. will be arranged these two days. Pre- also a Viking market with Viking games Phone: +47 74 04 42 00 registration necessary. and stalls at the Viking site on Kalvøen. Email: [email protected] Phone: + 46 40 45 68 40 Phone: +45 47 31 06 85 www.stiklestad.no Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] www.foteviken.se www.vikingespil.dk Moesgård Viking Festival, Denmark July 26 – 27 Annual festival with a market, Viking The Viking week at Foteviken Viking Festival, Karmøy, Norway ships, horses, feasts and more. June 23 – 29 Phone: +45 89 42 11 00 June 11 – 15 A week filled with activities, games and On historic ground you can take part in Email: [email protected] sports, handicraft courses and one of www.moesmus.dk Viking celebrations, see how the Vikings the biggest Viking markets in the Nordic lived, attend concerts and exhibitions, countries, June 27-29. visit a Viking market or participate in Phone: + 46 40 45 68 40 August historical marches and Viking Email: [email protected] processions. www.foteviken.se Phone: +47 52 85 75 00 Hornbore Ting, Hamburgsund, Sweden Email: [email protected] August 1 – 3 www.vikingfestivalen.no July For the eleventh year in succession, a Viking Ting is being arranged. Craftsmen, merchants, musicians and Viking Festival in Hafnarfjordur, Iceland Jels Vikingespil, Jels, Denmark storytellers from near and far. June 17 – 22 July 4 – July 20 Experience a Viking play, axe-throwing, Festival with Vikings, crafts, fighters, Every summer for 25 years a Viking play fighting and archery, ships, horses and music, drama, feasts, Viking tents and has been performed in Jels. This year’s more. lots of other activities. performance tells the story of Vølund Phone: +46 525 345 23 Phone: +354 565 12 13, + 354 565 18 90 the Smith, mentioned in “Den Ældre Email: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Saga”. July 5–6 there will also be a www.hornboreby.o.se www.fjorukrain.is Viking market. Phone: +45 74 55 21 10 IX Viking’s Festival, Wolin, Poland Email: [email protected] August 1 – 3 The Viking Play at Lindholm Høje, www.jelsvikingespil.dk Annual festival with warriors, craftsmen, Denmark Viking ships, music and ceremonial June 17 – 29 groups. Open-air performance of the Viking play Gudvangen Viking Market, Nærøydal, Phone: +48 91 32 61 975, +48 91 32 60 471 “Blodenkens Fejde” daily from June 17 Norway Email: –29, except Monday, 23/6. On Saturday July 10 – 15 [email protected] 28/6 there will be a special midnight A Viking market and feast in the www.jomsborg-vineta.com performance. beautiful surroundings of Nærøydal. Phone: +45 98 17 33 73, +45 21 40 11 20 Phone: +47 57 63 37 07 Viking Market, Körunda, Sweden Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] August 16 – 17 www.geocities.com/vikingespil http://home.enter.vg/vikingteam/ Viking market with crafts, food, acting, /ind-frame.html horses, battles and more. Viking Market, Bronseplassen, Norway Phone: +46 8 52 03 04 98 July 18 – 20 Email: [email protected] Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, Vikings from all over Europe show their www.forumopen.com Burnaby, BC, Canada crafts and fighting skills. Largs Viking Festival, Scotland June 20 – 22 Phone: +47 37 27 41 69 August – September Entertainment by music, dance, Email: [email protected] The Largs Viking Festival celebrates the storytellers, magicians and Vikings. Try www.living-history.no Battle of Largs in 1263 – the end of the cultural foods, see interesting displays Hlödver Viking Market, Åland, Finland Viking’s political reign in Scotland. The and visit the vendors. Tour the replica Festival includes a Viking Village, Viking ship, play Viking games and July 25 – 26 A feast with handicrafts, food, axe- themed activities, live animals, Battle of stroll in the troll forest. Largs re-enactment, burning of a throwing, singing, acting and much more. Phone: +1 604 294 2777 longboat, fireworks display and www.scandinaviancentre.org Phone: +358 18-24259 entertainment throughout. Email: [email protected] or Phone: +44 1294 32 44 94 [email protected] Email: [email protected] www.aland-vikingar.com www.vikingar.co.uk

http://viking.hgo.se 36 Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03 Heritage News

ship from 950 AD in Orkney, a Viking th “VIKINGS RAPED, whalebone ironing board was uncovered. The 10 International This board was classified as an early version Symposium on Boat PILLAGED AND of similar equipment still being used in Norway during the early 19th century. and Ship Archaeology THEN DID THE Source: www.dailyrecord.co.uk, May 5 2003 (ISBSA 10) IRONING” The 10th symposium will be held in Now Vikings are said to be responsible for Roskilde, Denmark on September 22-26, introducing ironing to Scotland, a written in The renaissance of 2003. The program committee wishes to Scotland’s Daily Record paper, “The emphasize aspects of maritime archaeology pillaging Scandinavians were surprisingly the Vikings on and ship studies that are of current relevance conscious of their appearance and regularly as well to revisit key topics addressed by the smoothed their clothes.” Gotland in 2005 first ISBSA in 1976. To make the job easier the Scandinavians The overarching theme for the used ironing boards and smoothing stones, The Gotland Viking Island network (See symposium, “Connected by the Sea”, is which has been proved by archaeological article published in VHM 3/2002) is now excavations across Scotland. Dr Euan working at full speed to plan the Viking Year subdivided into three main areas: long- MacKie, of Glasgow University, said he in 2005 on Gotland, Sweden. The distance seafaring and bonds between found out about the ironing culture by celebration year will be built upon four big cultures, the coastal zone and the chance 10 years ago, when his colleague’s events that will symbolize how a year could relationship between land and sea, and child found a piece of a whalebone on the have been during the Viking Age with the maritime archaeology and the interrelation Hebridean island of North Uist. high festivals, ships, trading and everyday of research disciplines. To say that Vikings introduced ironing to life. Another highlight during the year will The official language of the conference be the opening of the exhibition of the Scotland is probably right because before the will be English. Further information about Viking era no archaeological findings have Spillings hoard, the world’s largest silver ISBSA 10 can be found on the Internet shown any evidence of similar activity. Still hoard, at the County Museum of Gotland. (www.isbsa.com), or by e-mailing the only a few ironing boards and smoothing Apart from these bigger events, other [email protected] balls have been found in Scotland. The ones activities like seminars, Viking-age organising committee ( ). discovered have been in female graves, which handicraft, walking-tours in the steps of the The postal address is: suggests women did most of the ironing. Dr Vikings and more will take place during the ISBSA Secreteriat, The Viking Ship Euan Mac Kie continues “Vikings tend to be year. To follow the development of the Museum, Vinderboder 12, DK-4000 known as murderous invaders and vandals Viking year on Gotland 2005, visit the Roskilde, DENMARK but that was just the wild part of them.” website www.vikinggotland.com. The Most likely ironing was initially website is currently under reconstruction and introduced in areas of Viking settlement, will soon be ready with a whole new layout. such as Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles Catharina Lübeck Viking Ship and Caithness. In an excavation of a burial [email protected] Museum to be set up in Australia

Advertise in Viking Heritage The planned Australian Viking Ships Museum aims to make comprehensive Magazine and get the information about Viking-era ships, and modern replicas, available to the general public. The first replica ship to be built will attention of readers in be a full scale copy of the Gokstad ship. One reason for doing this is that ships of the Gokstad tradition are part of the heritage of at least 24 countries! so many Australians.

For further information contact: Read more at Luella Godman http://www.australianvikingships- E-mail: [email protected] museum.surf.to/

37 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 2/03

V king Heritage Heritage News magazine

The ultimate forum for all interested “How to Sail the The Hugin replica in Vikings and the Viking Age! Single Square Sail” will be repaired Viking Heritage, Centre for Baltic Studies, Gotland University, Cramérgatan 3, 621 67 Visby, Sweden. course The replica Viking ship, Hugin, which has Tel. +46 498 29 97 43, +46 29 98 30, stood on a cliff in Kent, England for more The course will be held at the Viking Ship Fax +46 498 29 98 92 than 50 years will finally be repaired. Thanet Website: http://viking.hgo.se Museum in Roskilde, Denmark, 23-27 June District Council has agreed to put £105.000 Website Gotland University: 2003. The museum has been building and and the Heritage Lottery fund £25.000 http://www.hgo.se sailing reconstructions of Viking ships and towards repairing and refurbishing the vessel. other traditional square-rigged boats for The money will pay for the ship to be lifted Publisher and Editor-in-chief more than 20 years. This course offers a great and repositioned to allow major repair work Dan Carlsson, [email protected] opportunity to take advantage of the research to its hull. and knowledge that has been accumulated Editor The Danish experts that were invited in through this work. Marita E Ekman, [email protected] 2001 recommended that timber struts based Lectures will be held by researchers: Ole on traditional Viking boat-building Editorial staff this issue Crumlin-Pedersen, Anton Englert, Søren techniques replace the existing masonry Tove Eriksson, Olle Hoffman, Therese Nilsen, Max Winner and Erik Andersen. The supports around the hull. Lindström, Catharina Lübeck. lectures will be in English covering both Dennis Hart, a cabinet member for Language and translation check practice and theory. Thanet District Council, said councillors had Luella Godman, The course also includes sailing practice decided the cost of maintaining the ship has [email protected] in traditional, square-rigged boats and a two- been justifiable because of the level of public day cruise on the Roskilde Fjord. For further support. He said: “The public have given us Subscriptions information and booking please contact: their opinion– we’ve got dozens of letters Subscription fee, four issues highlighting the public’s concern and we feel Sweden 200 SEK The Viking Ship Museum duty bound to do something about it.“ The Denmark, Finland, Norway and the Baltic Att: Poul Nygaard ultimate aim is to make a visitor attraction countries 210 SEK Vindeboder 12 . DK-4000 Roskilde . Other countries 250 SEK Denmark out of it. Phone (dir.): +45 46 300 257 . fax: +45 As a new subscriber you will receive the 46 300 256 Source: BBC News, 2003-03-18 guidebook, Follow the Vikings. Highlights of e-mail: the Viking World, as a special gift. This book contains 50 of the most important [email protected]“VIKINGS destinations in different countries, selected by an international group of archaeologist and is Absolutely Viking richly illustrated in full colour. Photo exhibition in The Viking Ship The “Viking Museum, Bygdøy, Norway Subscription conditions 04.05.2003 - 31.12.2003 For orders outside Scandinavia we can only accept payment in advance by Archaeologist” – a Absolutely Viking is a photo exhibition and credit card (VISA, Mastercard, Eurocard). documentation of the present Viking sub- Within Scandinavia orders can be sent brand-new Internet culture in which people in our times live out by mail order or payment in advance by their dreams by creating a Viking identity of credit card. game their own. The Norwegian-British photographer Lill- Subscription information The producers of the Internet game Ann Chepstow-Lusty has visited Viking Maj-Britt Andersson, “Meadshock” are now back with a new festivals and Viking gatherings in [email protected] production called “The Viking Scandinavia, England, Shetland, Poland, Tel. +46 498 29 98 28, +46 498 29 97 43 http://viking.hgo.se Archaeologist”. The game is produced in co- Spain and the USA. operation with Viking Heritage. The idea of Besides the exhibition a book is published Advertising the game is to carry out an investigation of a with the same title: Absolutt Viking Luella Godman, Viking-age grave rich in finds. You will meet (Absolutely Viking). It is in Norwegian with with archaeological problems such as [email protected] a summary in English. Viking Heritage [email protected] excavating, handling the finds and also The exhibition has earlier this year been interpreting them. We hope that you all will on display in Midgard Historical Center, Layout and printed try it out at our website: Vestfold, Norway. by Godrings Tryckeri, Visby, Sweden 2003 http://viking.hgo.se. Have a look at some of the pictures at Don’t forget to let us know what you think! http://www.ukm.uio.no/utstillinger ISSN 1403-7319 /absoluttviking/ http://viking.hgo.se 38 VIKINGTHE AGE

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