Oslo: The Viking Ship Museum The Viking Ship Museum has the world’s best‐preserved Viking ships. The museum is managed by the University of Oslo. It also includes a Museum of Cultural History, which we were unable to visit. All the ships shown were once used as ocean‐going vessels. Later, they were brought on land and used as burial ships. The statues in front of the museum are of “two Norwegian researchers, Helge Ingstad and Anne Stine Ingstad, who discovered and excavated the Viking base camp at L'Anse aux Meadows on the northern tip of Newfoundland In the 1960s —the first confirmed Viking outpost in the Americas. Dated to between 989 and 1020, the camp boasted three Viking halls, as well as an assortment of huts for weaving, ironworking, and ship repair.” (National Geographic) According to Patricia Sutherland, Canadian archeologist (National Geographic), “Viking seafarers travelled to the Canadian Arctic to search for valuable resources. In northern Europe at the time, medieval nobles prized walrus ivory, soft Arctic furs, and other northern luxuries—and Dorset hunters and trappers could readily stockpile such products. Helluland's waters teemed with walruses, and its coasts abounded in Arctic foxes and other small fur‐bearing animals. To barter for such goods, Viking traders likely offered bits of iron and pieces of wood that could be carved into figurines and other goods.” This photo program shares the sites and a video that shares the exploits of the Vikings from 750‐1060 AD.

The Oseberg Ship was built around the year 820 and is richly decorated with detailed carvings. In 834 AD, the ship was used as a burial ship for two powerful women. On their final journey to the realm of the dead, the two women were given a rich collection of burial gifts including three elaborate sleighs, a wooden cart, five carved animal head posts, five beds and the skeletons of 15 horses, six dogs and two cows. Discovered in 1903.

The Karve was oak lapstraked,; 72’ long, 17’ broad, mast 31’ with a sail covering 295’ sq., speed up to 11.5 mph

The Gokstad Ship was built around the year 900 and some 10 years later became a burial ship for a powerful man. The ship was seaworthy and well‐suited for voyages across the open sea. The grave had already been plundered in the Viking age, which may explain why no weapons or jewelry were found. However, the finds included a game board with game pieces, kitchen utensils, six beds, a tent, a sleigh and three small boats, as well as a harness fitting of iron, lead and gilded bronze. Also buried in the grave were 12 horses, eight dogs, two peacocks and two goshawks.

The Tune Ship was discovered as early as 1867, making it the first Viking ship to be excavated and preserved in modern times. The Tune Ship was probably a fast, ocean‐going vessel as had been dated approximately the year 900. The find included remnants of weapons and mail amour, a die, parts of a ski and the skeleton of a horse, indicating that this was a wealthy man’s grave. SUMMARY: (hutstwic.org) The term Viking in Norge language means pirate or raider. In relation to the population, few Northern people were raiders. Vikings were professional soldiers, like others in other countries of the times were called upon to raid to acquire goods and riches. The mainstay of the people were farmers. Raiding was a young man’s venture. The question is what happened to the Vikings? The answer comes by way of change, introduction of Christianity and a development of a society. As settlements arose the Northmen, as they were referred to stopped raiding as other European countries emerged. As other areas grew, so did their defenses, which were trained. Vikings, for the most part used shock tactics and were either put‐down or ineffective in their raiding. Northmen or Vikings were talented people in being able to traverse the Arctic waters. It is believed that in 1066 the Viking age ended at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Norwegian King Harald died in the battle in attempting to reclaim parts of England. Thus, the profit in and desire to raid ended and peoples such as the Danes, Swedes, Norwegians and Icelanders became part of Europe. PS: Vikings did NOT have horns on their helmets. If you have one, it must have been sold by (*) P.T. Barnum!

Sources: The Historical Museum & The Viking Ship Museum brochure, http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/society/text/what_happened.htm, https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/10/121019‐viking‐outpost‐second‐new‐canada‐science‐sutherland/, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1328355/Helge‐Ingstad.html, http://avaldsnes.info/en/viking/vikingskip/, and http://www.vikingskip.com/vikingshipclasses.htm, (*)https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/04/11/fool‐born/ acuri.net John R. Vincenti Oslo: The Viking Ship Museum