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DESTINATION VIKING Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 Editorial IN THIS ISSUE Vikings in North America – New and Old 3–9 Dear Readers, About the Kensington Runestone 10–11 WELCOME TO THE LAST ISSUE OF THE YEAR! DESTINATION VIKING This time the theme of Vikings in North America is in focus and I am Vikings in the New World 12–13 sure you will find plenty of interesting reading. I would like to call Destination Viking special attention to Birgitta Linderoth Wallace’s article, Vikings in North Baltic Stories 14–15 America – New and Old, dealing with the many alleged Viking finds Reproducing tools 16–18 “over there”. And of course you will find articles about the much- A Northern Periphery project discussed Kensington Runestone, in the headlines right now, exhibited South Greenland 19–21 and investigated by leading experts in Sweden. Norstead, Canada 22 The Vikings travelled and expanded in all directions and as usual we The Leif Eriksson Runestone 23 follow their example of being curious and eager to explore something new. Take a look at the beautiful spoons from Poland and participate in International Viking Legacy Symposium in Philadelphia 23 the manners and customs of diet and table-service in Wolin. Don’t miss the exciting article about Viking-age horse graves in Lithuania, either. VIKING FORUM 24 I also would like to inform you that Maj-Britt Andersson, who has Diet and tableware in Wolin 25–27 been responsible for subscriptions from the start, has retired. Thank you Viking-age Horse Offerings in Maj-Britt for the great job you’ve done keeping all our members and the Lithuania 28–31 administration in good order! A replica of the Gokstad Faering 32–33 And last but not at least, to all of you from all of us, International courses 34 Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year! NEW BOOK 36–37 Marita E Ekman Editor Heritage News

Email: [email protected] HERITAGE NEWS 38

WORLDLINESS The traveller must train his wits. All is easy at home. He who knows little is a laughing stock amongst men of the world.

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

About the front page The Leif Eriksson rune stone, raised at L’Anse aux Meadows on July 28, 2000. Read more on page 23. Photo: Kalle Runristare Miljömärkt med Svanen. Lic nr 341 487 http://viking.hgo.se 2 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 Vikings in North America – New and Old Part 1

By Birgitta Linderoth Wallace

North Americans have harboured a special fascination with Vikings for over a century. The interest is not scholarly but a popular preoccupation with the image of Vikings as freedom-seeking adventurers and pioneers, aggressive, strong, handsome, and bold, always exploring new horizons, the ideal of a man. In many ways this represents the male ethos in white America, which explains why the topic of Vikings is especially popular among American men.

Big Ole. A giant Viking heralds Reputed Norse finds in the Kensington runestone and North America. Map by J. The allure of the Vikings is old in other alleged medieval Ertzman and B. Wallace. America. It dates back to 1837 and 1838 Norse finds in Alexandria, Revised by P. D’agnan. when the Vinland sagas became accessible Minnesota. outside Scandinavia, translated first into Photo by Kate Yorston. Latin, then in English. The man behind the work was Carl Christian Rafn, Secretary of the Danish National Antiquarian Society. Speculations as to where the Norse would have landed began immediately. Rafn himself settled on the Taunton River-Mount Hope Bay area of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Ever since then, New England has been assumed by many to be legendary Vinland. Among the antiquities believed by Rafn to be Norse were the Newport Tower in Rhode Island, which he believed was a medieval round church, and the Dighton Rock in Fall River, Massachusetts, thought to have a runic inscription. The tower has since been shown to date to the 1600s, and the Dighton Rock to be a native American rock carving. With the stream of Scandinavians

3 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 settling in Minnesota and oblivion” and published a book on surrounding states from the 1850s the stone in which he declared that on, the quest for Vikings migrated the inscription was genuine. The to the Middlewest. National Scandinavian scholars were wrong. Romanticism flourished in the Holand devoted much of his life to Scandinavian homelands, and the promotion of his views on the Vikings represented their glorious stone, producing five full-length past. It was this view of history the books, and innumerable newspaper immigrants brought with them. articles and lectures. His work New publications of the Vinland received much attention. sagas appeared in English and In 1908 first the Norwegian Norwegian in the 1880s, and, in Society of Minneapolis, then a 1893, Captain Magnus Anderson prominent Scandinavian philologist sailed a replica of the Gokstad ship at the University of Illinois, George to New York, with much fanfare and T. Flom, and finally the state- publicity, heightening the Viking sponsored Minnesota Historical frenzy. Society launched investigations into the finding circumstances of the The Kensington stone stone, and the personality of its In November (or August) 1898 a finder. While the Norwegian sensational find was made. On a Society believed that the inscription farm at Kensington in central might be genuine, Professor Flom Minnesota, a Swedish immigrant concluded that it was modern in stone mason-turned-farmer found a language as well as in runes. The runestone embedded in the roots of official verdict of the Minnesota a tree. The farmer was Olaf Ohman, Historical Society was that its an immigrant from Forsa in authenticity could not be proven. A Hälsingland, Sweden. Local people The Kensington stone. Photo by B. Wallace. geologist as well as others who came to see the stone and the stump examined the stone, commented on of the tree, which had grown over it. the freshness of the rune cuts. Translations were soon printed in Undaunted, Holand continued Svenska Amerikanska Posten, his work, over the years publishing Skandinaven, and the Minnesota what he presented as corroborating Journal. finds such as axes, spears, and In late February 1899 the stone swords, and sites where the Norse was shipped by train to Professor ship supposedly had been moored. George Curme of the Department His work has been taken seriously of Germanic Languages at by many and is frequently cited as Northwestern University in proof that the Norse penetrated the Evanston, Illinois. As the train Middlewest. approached, the Chicago By now, there are innumerable newspapers heralded the sensational claims for evidence of Norse find, and Professor Curme’s penetration into North America: excitement. His excitement turned more than 50 sites, over 100 into disappointment as soon as he inscriptions, and about 75 artifacts. saw the stone. The inscription, In the 1960s, I was assigned by which bore the date 1362, was Carnegie Museum of Natural written in modern Swedish, not History to make a systematic medieval, and the runes were more investigation of all these sites, similar to 18th and 19th – century inscriptions, and artifacts, a study than medieval Swedish runes. The that I have kept relatively à jour cuts were fresh, breaking through with later developments in this the weathered surface of the stone. field. When I began my study, I was However, to make sure that his aware that a similar investigation Svenska Amerikanska Posten 28 February 1899. observations were correct, Curme The headline was “A Curious Antiquity Find in had been published in 1951 had the stone photographed and Minnesota.” Clipping courtesy Minnesota Historical (English version in 1954) by sent the photographs to the most Society. Professor Johannes Brøndsted, then eminent Norse scholars and Director of the Danish National runologists of the day, among them Adolf Museum. I deliberately did not consult it, Noreen in Sweden, Ludwig Wimmer in The stone was returned to its finder. until I had viewed all the evidence myself. Denmark, Gustaf Storm and Sophus There it rested until 1908, when a young The following is a representative selection Bugge in Norway. The unanimous verdict Norwegian-born amateur historian by the of the purported evidence. was that the inscription was modern. name of Hjalmar Holand “rescued it from http://viking.hgo.se 4 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03

Knowledge of runes Knowledge of runes in Scandinavia after the Middle Ages is not as esoteric one might imagine. Writing with runes persisted. Runes continued to be used in certain areas of Sweden and Norway throughout the 19th century, particularly in Älvdalen, Dalarna, not far from Ohman’s home community of Forsa. Runic calendars such as this 1884 example now in Mora Museum, Dalarna, were in use until modern times. Some of the Kensington runes, such as ‘X’ for ‘A’ are characteristic of these late runic letters. There was also a romantic interest in runes and runestones, evident in a runestone from Frösön, Sweden, erected in 1835 with the inscription: Den XXVII augusti MDCCCXXXV konung Carl XIV The Ohman farm. Photo by B. Wallace. Johan helsade här Jemtlands krigare (On the 27th of August 1835 King Carl XIV Johan here greeted the warriors of New Petrographic Studies Unlike many of his neighbours, he was Jämtland). In the year 2000 the stone was subjected an avid reader and subscribed to Svenska Lately the Kensington inscription has to a new petrographic study by Scott Amerikanska Posten, which regularly received a new army of enthusiasts Wolters, a private geologist in St. Paul, published articles on matters of Swedish proclaiming the inscription to be genuine. Minnesota, and this study has now history. Many of these he cut out and Foremost among them is Richard Nielsen, received wide publicity in Sweden. The assembled in a scrap book which has a petroleum engineer with no linguistic study concludes that the runes do indeed survived. training or knowledge of old Scandinavian cut through the weathering of the surface One of his best friends was Sven languages. Although every Norse linguist of the stone. Wolters calls this the Fogelblad, a former Lutheran minister, has pinpointed the inscription as modern “retooling” of the runes and says it must educated at the University of Uppsala, (Prominent among them are Oluf Rygh 1899, have happened shortly after it was found, who was deeply interested in Ethics and 1911; Sophus Bugge 1899, 1911, Gustaf Storm presumably before the stone arrived in Philosophy and published a number of 1889, 1911; Adolf Noreen 1906, Helge Gjessing Chicago. The stone is currently being articles in the Svenska-Amerikanska 1909; Gustaf Flom 1910, Chester N. Gould 1910, reexamined by Swedish geologists. Magnus Olsen 1910; Gisli Bothne 1910; Marius Posten. These were also cut out by Haegstad 1911; Ludvig Wimmer 1911; Otto von Ohman, who, according to his daughter, Friesen 1911; Sven B.F. Jansson 1949; Harry The Kensington Stone and Its Finder was interested in theosophy and "things of Andersen 1949-50; Erik Moltke 1949; Karl Two things make it quite clear that the India.". The articles carry titles such as Martin Nielsen 1950, August Steinnes, 1950s; inscription is a joke, not a recording of a Vad är sanning? (What Is Truth?), Hvad Einar Haugen 1950s+; Erik Wahlgren 1958+; 1362 event: Ohman himself, and what is Aslak Liestøl 1966; Claiborne Thompsen 1970s; menas med anarkism? (What Is Meant by probably a paper draft of the inscription. James Knirk 1990s), Richard Nielsen, Anarchism? ), En utredning om förnuftets Ohman has been portrayed by Holand undaunted, has scoured medieval natur (An Analysis of the Nature of and his followers as an uneducated, rough diplomaria and other documents for Intelligence), Bildning och kunskapsbeär farmer, who could barely read or write, corroboration that the forms on the stone (Education and the Thirst for honest but dumb. People who knew could be medieval exceptions from the Knowledge), and Upptäckt af bibliska Ohman, had a different view. His norm. If Nielsen is right, the whole minnesmärken i Palestina (Discovery of handwriting was schooled as can be seen inscription is a collage of unique Biblical Antiquities in Palestine). from the examples that survive. He was anomalies. When Svenska Amerikanska Posten known to send excuses in verse for his published Oscar Montelius’ Svenska children to their school. Historia (History of Sweden) as installments from the fall of 1897 to Rune calendar from 1884, now in Mora Museum, Sweden. Photo by B. Wallace February 1898, Ohman cut them out and had them bound into a book, signing his name and the date 1898 inside it. Both the articles and Montelius’ History are complex reading. The Montelius volume has 2312 illustrations, many of which are burial mounds and other antiquities. There are detailed discussions of runes and development of the Scandinavian languages. It also talks about Vinland voyages and refers to the Newport Tower.

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Since 1891, Ohman also owned Den kunskapsrike skolmästaren (The Knowledgeable School Master) by Carl Rosander, a book on Swedish language and language development. Among other things, it shows how the Lord’s Prayer changed over the centuries, from 1300 to 1646. In the language sample for the year 1300 is a phrase found on the Kensington stone, Frælse os af illu. Amen. The book also contains detailed discussions of the changes in runic writing. Ohman himself admitted that he knew something about runes, and coming from Forsa, he certainly had seen the nearby runestones there. He was reasonably successful Olof Ohman financially, at least until he bought his with the farm. Originally not a farmer but a stone Kensington mason and construction worker, he had stone in saved enough money to return to Sweden 1921. for two years in 1884. He bought the Photo by farm in 1889, ten years after first arriving Park in Minnesota. Region With his friends he was quite a joker, Echo. and Emil Mattson, the son of a neighbour, told of his grin showing a mouth full of white teeth. The same person testified to his skill with a chisel as Ohman helped his father drilling stones so that they could be blasted and used in building foundations. Another neighbour, John P. Gran, believing he was dying, confessed to his son that he had helped The Rune paper. Ohman make the inscription. Photo by Minnesota The paper copy of the inscription Historical Society. A paper copy of the inscription suggests that the stone was a planned joke. The

The Kensington Inscription. Drawing by B. Wallace.

author must have had detailed knowledge inscription, was in turn mailed to of runes since the copy includes accurate Professor O. J. Breda of the Scandinavian but alternate forms of runic spelling. The Department of the University of copy was mailed to Svenska Amerikanska Minnesota. Posten on January 1, 1899. The text, It is uncertain who made the copy. The which was said to be a copy of the newspaper editor said that it was Ohman, http://viking.hgo.se 6 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 who sent it via John P. Hedberg, a real hirdman (retainer) Paul Knutsson to sail that the expedition ever took place, let estate, travel, and insurance agent in the royal knarr to Greenland for the alone continued beyond Greenland to Kensington. The paper later published a honour of God...and for the sake of our North America! similar but different copy on February 28, predecessors, who in Greenland established much closer to the inscription than the Christianity and have maintained it to this Another Runestone in Minnesota – first sketch. time, and we will not let it perish in our The Barrett Lake Runestone days (English translation by H. Holand.). The interest in runic writing in the area is The text on the paper copy is the same According to this theory, the illustrated in the Barrett Lake runestone. as on the stone. The spelling differs expedition, under Paul Knutsson, arrived This runestone was found in 1949 on a significantly. The variations, marked with in Greenland and, finding the West hill near Elbow Lake, not far from rectangles in the illustration, include the Settlement abandoned, with rumours that Kensington. The text states following: the Norsemen had converted to a heathen religion, set out in pursuit. Travelling via ÅHR 1876 NORR on the stone is written as • Hudson Bay and various rivers, large and 4 JUNGFRUR NOR on the paper, followed by ‘:’ SAT LÄGER PÅ DHENA KULE which separates all the words. On the (Year 1876; 4 maidens; had a camp on stone, the second R has been written this hill). over the : sign. • FRO on the stone is FROM on the After a flurry of newspaper interest, the paper. Whoever “copied” the finder, a farmer by the name of Victor inscription, be it Ohman or someone Setterlund, admitted to carving the stone. else in the local community, knew the correct rune for ‘M.’ Cluster of Norse Finds • ENO on the stone is fiENE on the Throughout North America there are paper. Both are valid ways of writing three concentrations of artefacts, “this”, and the person who changed inscriptions, and sites reputed to be Norse: New England, with a subgroup in ‘O’ to ‘E’ was familiar with the rune Oklahoma, the American Middlewest, for ‘E’. and the Canadian Arctic. In addition • The stone has RÖDE, the paper there are also the finds from the L’Anse RÖHDE. This is an example of silent DHENA KULE aux Meadows site in northern H, which neither changes the Newfoundland – which will be presented pronounciation, nor the meaning of in a separate article. The Barrett Lake Runestone. Drawing by the word. The person who wrote the J. Senior after photo by E. Crane in the The evidence in New England and paper, knew the correct rune for ‘H.’ Minneapolis Tribune 7 August 1949. Oklahoma is associated with the Vinland • The stone has BLOD, the paper voyages and of a presumed 11th century BLÖD. The change does not affect date. The evidence in the Middlewest is the meaning, but the rune for Ö is so generally referred to as “Viking” but is th different from the rune for O that it small, the expedition finally met its sad supposedly of post-Viking 14 century fate in Kensington. date, supporting the claim that the cannot be a copyist’s error. The rune The rumours of heathendom are now Kensington stone is genuine. Only the for Ö is in fact a post-1500 Dalecarlia seen as an indication that the Greenland Arctic finds are plausible evidence of the rune. Norse chieftains persisted in their old Norse, lying in close proximity to the • RISE on the stone is RESE on the pattern of control of the churches, a Greenland settlements. paper, again with the correct rune pattern that would appear pagan to the for’E.’ Norwegian church establishment. Reputed finds of Viking Age The Paul Knutsson letter, which A couple of other minor deviations or older finds became known among Viking enthusiasts could be dismissed as a copyist’s error, for via Gustaf Storm’s 1888 Studies on the New England and Oklahoma instance the common Dalecarlia rune for Vineland Voyages, is not an order to save Carl Christian Rafn concluded that ‘A’ on the paper has two dots added on Christianity among the Greenlanders. It Vinland would be found in New England. the stone, making it into an Ä. However, exists only in a much later Danish His idea was uncritically accepted and still the variety of legitimate alternate spellings translation, which, as has been pointed is. His chief criterion was the position of suggests that this could have been a draft out by the runologist James Knirk and the sun on the shortest day of the year as prepared for the inscription by someone others, is faulty. The King’s interest in stated in The Greenlanders’ Saga: the sun intimately familiar with runes. Greenland was potential taxes. King rose at the time of the morning meal and Magnus was in debt to the Pope, having set at the time of the afternoon meal. The The Paul Knutsson letter used tithes to pay for a war with Russia timing of meals can hardly provide a A letter signed in 1354 by King Magnus instead of forwarding them to Rome. The precise calculation for daylight hours. All Eriksson of Norway is claimed to be letter is not a royal command but a we can say is that the shortest day of the historical verification of the Kensington protection letter, corresponding to a year was longer than in either Greenland expedition. The letter authorizes his modern passport. There is no evidence or Iceland.

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Newport Tower Heavener Runestone Carl Christian Rafn suggested A runic inscription was that a small stone tower in discovered in the late 1890s Newport, Rhode Island, was a on a large, naturally upright Norse round church. Extensive slab of sandstone on the archaeological excavations in Poteau Mountain near 1948 to 1949 yielded only Heavener, Oklahoma, close to mid-16th century and later the point where Oklahoma, material. In the late 1990s a Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana Danish-Finnish research team intersect. The runes are in the confirmed the Colonial Old Futhark except for two provenience via radiocarbon from a Viking Age futhark. analysis of gas trapped in the This kind of mix is common mortar. The Danish in “modern” runic carvings, architectural historian for instance in a boundary Johannes Hertz determined marker erected around 1900 that the tower was built on the at the farm Hesselberg in model of a windmill designed Ringerike, Norway, and others by Inigo Jones at Chesterton at Nolgården and Öxsjön in in Warwickshire, UK. Västergötland, Sweden. The Heavener runes can be read as either GAOMEDAT Newport Tower. Photo by R. Wallace. or GNOMEDAL. The letters are said to have had lichens growing on them at one time. When I saw the inscription the lichen was gone, but this could be due to the varies studies that had already gone on by that time. The carver of the runes is unknown. Nomedal is a modern, i.e. post-1500 Norwegian name, its older equivalent being Naumdalir. ❮ In the 1720s there was a German Follins pond. settlement led by a Swedish captain, Photo by B. Charles d’Arenbourg at present-day Wallace. Hahnville, Louisiana. The two localities are connected via Follins pond rivers. Could there The American writer Frederick J. Pohl have been a believed that remains of posts in a gully at Norwegian in the Follins Pond on Cape Cod formed the settlement? It is shoring for Leif Eriksson’s ship. The posts more likely that the have been radiocarbon dated, by three separate radiocarbon laboratories and ❮ found to be no older than about two Heavener hundred years. Historical records show Runestone. Photos that the gully was a repair area for whaling by B. Wallace. and fishing boats in the late 18th and early ❮ 19th century. Tor Bay Axe. Photo by W. B. Goodwin Tor Bay Axe in H. Holand, Norse Discoveries &

Axe found at Tor Bay, Nova Scotia, said to ❮ Explorations in America 982- be Viking. The semi-circles and dots on 1362. Leif Erikson to the the blade were interpreted as secret magic Kensington Stone. runes from the Old Futhark, stating FHA New York: Dover BLE, meaning “Inscribed with magic Publications. 1940. runes to give divine protection.” In reality, the marks are typical maker’s marks, touch marks. Axes of this shape were not made before the 17th century. They may have been used in whaling, to cut up the carcasses, as was done in the 19th century on the American west coast. http://viking.hgo.se 8 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 runes were carved in the 19th century, The Byfield runestone when interest in runes and things Norse The grooves on this stone at blossomed in Scandinavia. There were Byfield, Massachusetts, one Norwegian settlers in Texas from the of several similar stones, have 1840s on, and the Civil War also brought been interpreted as the runes many Norwegian-born soldiers from the for JARTAR VAGR ØN Middlewest to the south. SITU, translated into Richard Nielsen believes that the text “Overland route, øn set the dates from around AD 600 and says that stone.” In reality, the grooves it is Primitive Germanic for GLOMEfiAL, are glacial striations, which meaning Glom’s valley. One cannot help have eroded. Examination of wondering how the Norse would have got the stone reveals that the there at a time when they barely had wide grooves continue to sailing ships, let alone ones that could expand and end in finer cross an ocean. cracks. The most recent, equally implausible, theory is that the inscription is a secret monument to the French explorer La Salle Byfield runestone. who died in the Poteau Valley in 1687. Photo by B. Wallace.

The Poteau Inscription A second inscription was found at Terry Hill, Poteau, near Heavener, in 1967. In this case the carvers also came to light when they read about the find in the media. Two boys, who had seen a picture of the Heavener runes in the local press, had carved them in the late 1930s, after they had their interest sparked by a movie about the Vikings. Manana inscription. The Beardmore find Photo by Genuine Viking Age artifacts have been B. Wallace. found in interior North America. This is a th th Norse sword, dating from the 9 or 10 The Manana inscription made. They consist of natural furrows, th century, an 11 -century axe, and a rangle, This “inscription” on Manana criss-crossing a red basalt vein enclosed in a rattle possibly used on horses. Island, outside the coast of Maine, a large outcrop of bedrock. The furrows A prospector claimed that he had is believed to be a runic inscription have eroded faster than the surrounding found the objects in a grave on his saying “I Veigle lay seven years, year rock. A similar phenomenon at Runamo mining claim near Beardmore in the Jesus 32 (1031 A.D.).” in Blekinge, Sweden, was also mistaken 1930s in western Ontario. It was later The sentence makes no sense. The for a runic inscription in the 19th century proven that they had come from the cracks are neither runes, nor man- when runology was in its infancy. basement of the prospector’s landlord. The landlord had obtained them from another tenant, a young Norwegian, The Yarmouth stone. ❮ Jens Bloch, whose father Andreas Photo by B. Wallace. Bloch, a well known illustrator of heraldry, had owned a large collection of archaeological and ❮ historical weapons before it became The Beardmore find. Photo by Royal Ontario illegal for private individuals to do Museum. so. ❮

The Yarmouth stone This stone from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, has been regarded as a runestone since the 1860s. The signs, which consist of irregular grooves and pits do not bear any resemblance to runes.

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The Grave creek tablet The small tablet found in 1838 in a huge indigneous Adena burial mound, the “The Riddle of the Grave Creek Mound, in Moundsville, West Virginia, caused quite a stir. It has been interpreted as Phoenician, Etruscan or Celtiberic by some, as Norse by others. The Kensington Runestone According to the latter it contains the runes for “I knelt on meadow island, Ann’s Yulesite, which is now a sanctuary now exhibited in Sweden that hoards holy thing.” All indications are that the tablet is a fake made to stir interest – and revenue – for the mound A sensational find or a hoax? This question has been discussed for more and the museum established inside it. than one hundred years and is still as hot a topic as ever. In the year 1898 a farmer, Olof Öhman, found the stone in the roots of a tree on his To be continued in the next issue, VHM farm in Kensington in Minnesota, USA. According to the carvings on it, the 1/2004. stone is from 1362 and carved by Norsemen from far away. For the first time the stone is now on display in Sweden, at the National Museum of Antiquities in Stockholm.

The exhibition the L’ Anse aux Meadows Viking-period The Kensington runestone attracts great settlement in Canada. attention from both the public and press in Sweden. It has been discussed in newspapers and Examinations magazines and is now famous even in Sweden. The day after the opening a conference about The opening ceremony of the exhibit took the stone was held at the Museum. place at the museum and Mr Charles A. It will also be examined by leading Swedish Heimbold Jr, U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, held geologists and runologists during its time in the inaugural speech. Sweden. In his welcoming remarks Mr Kristian Berg, A scientific reading of the stone has already Director General of the Museum, stressed the been done by a group of runologists led by fact that, whether true or false, the Kensington Henrik Williams, professor at the Dept. of runestone acts as a strong symbol for identity – Scandinavian Languages at Uppsala University, and as a cultural heritage – for many Sweden. The runologists did not find any The Grave creek tablet. Photo by L. Scandinavian-American immigrants and their sensational new readings but consider the earlier Sarnaki descendants in the USA. American examinations as correct on the whole. Besides displaying the runestone, the Yet, some interesting observations were made. exhibition shows some other interesting artefacts Some small mistakes were found as well as their like rune calendars with pentadic (Roman) noticing that the carver of the stone was not a number symbols and some copies of finds from clever rune carver. But primarily they discussed About the author Birgitta Linderoth Wallace is Senior By Kalle Runsristare, Archaeologist Emeritus with Parks Canada in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Rune Carver REFLECTION Canada. Born and raised in Sweden and educated at University of On October 17, 2003 a group met pointed one for the dots and the bow parts on Uppsala and Kansas University, her to study the well-known some of the arms of the runes. The other had a expertise has focussed on the Norse Kensington runestone in the 5 mm broad edge and was used mostly for in North America. She has been straight chopping notches, but also for bowing responsible for much of Parks National Museum of Antiquities in arms with less successful results. Even if the Canada’s archaeological work at Stockholm. As a present-day rune tools were small, the runes were too detailed for L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic the stone not to break during the work, and Site. Before coming to Canada, she carver my mission in this group nearly all the runes had the surface cracked was employed by Carnegie Museum was trying to interpret the work between body and arms. of Natural History in Pittsburgh, with the help of my own On line no 2 a new problem seems to Pennsylvania in the United States. experiences and knowledge. emerge. A part of the surface of the stone, While there, she conducted a where line 2 naturally would have started, systematic investigation into all could have been changed. Perhaps the rune reputed evidence of the Norse The rune inscription of the Kensington stone carver discovered too late that the area had a throughout North America. This article is well composed, the lines are even and the reports on some of that evidence. surfaces have been used fully. I judge that the “miss”, a loose cavity. To avoid this delicate area rune inscription was planned in advance then the runes on line 2 and 3 can have been moved painted on the stone to be later cut. to the right, where the runes that lost their At least two cape chisels have been used. A places were instead pressed into line 4 and http://viking.hgo.se 10 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 Kensington Runestone”

Runological investigation of the Kensington runestone. Byline: Christer Åhlin/Statens historiska museum.

fake from the 1800s? The answer to the riddle of the Kensington stone has been sought for more than one hundred years. Immediately after Olof Öhman found it, it was judged to be a fake by experts in USA. Öhman got the stone back and placed it face down outside an outhouse as a step on which he frequently straightened out nails. An amateur researcher, Hjalmar Holland, traced it and bought the stone for a few dollars. He carved his initials in it and then commenced a life-long tour with it. Öhman was never freed from his label of forger. The exhibition continues until Jan 25, 2004.

The Swedish National Museum of Antiquities how to interpret the meaning of the runes. The Swedish geologist, Runo Löfvendahl says has published a special issue of “Historical conclusion of the runological investigation is that the stone is worth another investigation. News”, all about the Kensington Runestone. that there are many reasons to go on researching This applies particularly to the shape of the This issue (both in Swedish and English) can the stone. runes, possible supplementary workings and be downloaded from www.historiska.se A preparatory geological examination of the chemical transformations. Unfortunately earlier For more information, see stone has also been done. Earlier this year cleaning, washing with different kinds of • In this issue, the article Vikings in North American geologist Scott Walter has carried out detergents and plaster casts will make further America by Birgitta Linderoth Wallace. an investigation that shows that the stone has investigations more difficult. He and his group • VHM 2/2002 been exposed to natural forces for many hope to be able to study the stone more closely • www.runestonemuseum.org hundreds of years, which could imply that the in January, before it travels back to the stone is older than the 18th century. In his Runestone Museum in Alexandria, Minnesota. In the next issue VHM 1/04 we hope to be investigation he compared the decomposition of able to publish some results from the latest the stone with gravestones from the 19th The riddle of the Kensington stone investigations of the stone. century. Is the stone from 1362 as carved on it, or is it a UPON THE KENSINGTON RUNESTONE especially lines 5 and 6. From line 7 and on it have taken one to two days. Adding the time the 11th century went further south. We know looks like the original painting is the basis for for planning and the time it might have taken that they both had the contacts and possibility the carved runes. to change the placement of the rune to travel further, so there ought to be more to Interpretation of this part can become inscription, the whole task should have taken find in North America. clearer upon later examination, hopefully done almost a week, maybe more, depending on the Maybe not until the military’s satellite by the beginning of 2004, before the stone extent of planning. images with high resolution are combined with leaves Sweden. Maybe the Kensington stone’s greatest advanced computers that the traces of the worth is as an unsolved mystery… Norse can be discovered in the landscape, Whoever carved the Kensington stone was During the last hundred years many have settlements, graves and wharf foundations to most likely inexperienced. If the same carver spent a great deal of time researching both the unveil where the Norse went. Perhaps not until had cut one more stone, the runes would emigration from the North Europe during the then can the riddle of the Kensington rune certainly have been bigger and more well 19th century as well as the possibility that the stone be solved. carved. The poorly carved runes of the Norse visited North America long before Kensington stone do not exclude that the rune Columbus. Maybe this research would not Kalle Runristare has a website, available carver is well informed of runic letters, it only have taken place if the Kensington stone had also in English shows that the carver was unfamiliar with not been carved. www.runristare.se cutting in stone. I, myself, think that the group of Norse Just cutting the Kensington stone ought to who settled in the north of Newfoundland in

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Destination Vikings in the New World: Viking Building Experience- Destination Viking is a concept for presenting the Vikings and the By John S. Hull Gros Morne National Park of Canada, the Viking Age. It includes museums, geology of the park illustrates the concept visitor centres, prehistoric villages, In Canada, the Learning and Enrichment of plate tectonics, one of the most re-enactment groups etc., and is Travel Alliance (LETA), established in important ideas in modern science while working with research, presentation 2002, argues that today’s traveler is at L’anse aux Meadows National Historic and the development of a trans- seeking experiences, which will provide Site of Canada, the earliest known national tourist destination. them with a greater insight, increased European settlement in the New World Destination Viking includes a understanding and a personal connection highlights the Viking lifestyle, artifacts, number of separate projects, to the people and places visited. Trends in and the archaeological discovery of the currently the Destination Viking site. Baltic Stories, funded by the The rich natural and Interreg IIIB Baltic Sea Region cultural assets of the programme and the Destination Viking Trail have Viking Sagalands project, funded brought an increasing by the Interreg IIIB Northern number of visitors to the Periphery programme. An region. application for Interreg IIIB North From 1996 to 2000, Sea Region funding for a the provincial tourism Destination Viking Waterlinks industry grew by project was submitted in March. The Destination Viking projects approximately 40% with are co-publishers of Viking Heritage 416,500 non-resident Magazine, and Viking Heritage is a visitors spending $287 partner of Destination Viking. million (Cdn). During Meeting point of different times… the same period, visitation at Parks Photo: Courtesy of the VTTA. Canada sites along the Viking Trail Project consultant for Destination reflected provincial growth trends. Viking projects: the growth of tourism reveal that travelers are increasingly interested in vacations Mr Geir Sør-Reime, Senior Advisory The Viking Site at L’anse aux Officer, Rogaland County Council with authentic, hands-on or interactive Meadows witnessed the most dramatic [email protected] learning experiences featuring themes such as adventure, anthropology, archaeology, increase in visitors from 20,000–35,000. arts, culture, cuisine, forestry, nature, The 2000 Millennium celebrations, Project manager Destination Viking spirituality, sports, wine and wildlife. marking the arrival of the Vikings in Baltic Stories: In the province of Newfoundland and North America in 1000 AD, helped to Mr Björn Jakobsen, Director, Labrador on Canada’s east coast, one of spur growth and interest in the region. As Fotevikens Museum the popular travel destinations is the a result, in 2003, even with the SARS [email protected] Viking Trail. The Viking Trail scare in central Canada and the events in encompasses the Great Northern the Middle East, visitation levels continue Project manager Destination Viking Peninsula of Newfoundland and southern to match 2002 levels as other regions of Sagalands: Labrador. It is the province’s largest Canada are witnessing declines in visitation and revenues. Mr Rögnvaldur Gudmundsson, themed touring route, a driving route of In an effort to help manage tourism Director, Tourism Research & approximately 550 kilometers. Boreal development along the Viking Trail, Consulting forests, alpine plateaus and sub- [email protected] Arctic terrain support a diverse the Viking Trail Tourism Association flora and fauna. Icebergs and (VTTA) was founded in 1988. The whales are common in the association represents the interests of Co-ordinator of Destination Viking summer months. approximately one hundred and + Viking Heritage partnership: There are numerous fifty businesses that are Mr Dan Carlsson, points of committed to Associate Professor, interest developing a Gotland University including two sustainable industry [email protected] UNESCO World of the highest Heritage Sites. At possible quality

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Based Travel Opportunities

specialist, Dan Carlsson, Assistant Professor at Gotland University and coordinator of Council of Europe’s Viking Routes Initiative. There will also be supplemental programs by Parks Canada specialists. The VTTA and Parks Canada will also host a workshop in November 2004 on Viking interpretation and training techniques for the Destination Viking Sagalands project partners. Through these recent initiatives, the VTTA is hoping to increase local revenues, provide employment opportunities and promote local partnerships to strengthen the tourism industry on the Viking Trail. Creating an international network of contacts is also a priority to increase local knowledge and understanding of Viking history and exploration and to provide high quality experiences for visitors.

About the author John S. Hull, completed his Ph D in tourism geography at McGill University in 1998 and is the Executive Director of the Viking Trail Tourism Association in Newfoundland and Labrador. Email: [email protected]

through partnership. The VTTA promotes and markets the region primarily through media and travel trade programs and is now working with communities and organizations along the Viking Trail and internationally in developing high quality experience-based travel opportunities for visitors. In August 2003, the VTTA and Parks Canada will organize a weekend of Viking activities at L’anse aux Meadows National Historic Site and Norstead. In 2004, through a partnership with Parks Canada and the Destination Viking Sagalands project based in Iceland, a "Sagas of Discovery" learning vacation will offered. The seven-day tour will include informative lectures by Viking Iceberg in Newfoundland. Photo: Courtesy of the VTTA.

13 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 DESTINATION VIKING Destination Viking Baltic Stories, 3rd Ordinary Partner Meeting, Trelleborg, September 17–21, 2003 Hard work for the “Thralls” at

The third ordinary partner meeting of Destination Viking Baltic Stories proved to be a very intensive and productive event, where the participants, at some point dressed up as thralls, really had to work for their food!

By Geir Sør-Reime Senior Advisory Officer, Rogaland County Council (Norway), Project Consultant to the Destination Viking Project Gørlev church seen on a grey day. All photos: Björn M Jakobsen. Destination Viking Baltic Stories is a project focusing on Viking history project manager, Mr Kim Nyborg from the with house reconstructions. Thomas presented by living re-enactors, Vikings, at Museum at Trelleborg reported and led us Sundsmyr and Kristina Carlsson from Ale reconstructed Viking farms. It has now through the discussion of Work Package 3, Municipality reported. They have adapted been running for a year. At this third replicas and re-enactors. the quality assessment manual to their partner meeting, it was time to look back The discussion centred on a number of reconstruction project, and have found the to assess what we have achieved so far, and issues, several of which were discussed in simplified and revised version of great to look forward, to assure that the project more detail at the concluding seminar. The value. A seminar on reconstructions will be will fulfil its obligations and objectives question of quality is a vital one for organised in conjunction with the next within the coming two years. museums/villages working with re- ordinary meeting in Ale in May 2004. Before the meeting started, Mr Kaare enactment. As many re-enactors are Work Package 2 deals with sites and Johannessen, Curator of the Museum at volunteers, an awareness process is monuments from the Viking Age. Several Trelleborg welcomed the delegates from necessary to raise the level of quality partners have already started working on Sweden, Norway and Denmark to the understanding. The network would like to their own local/regional Viking routes, museum and served mead as a welcome produce a number of linking their Viking villages/museums with drink. guidelines/recommendations and fact sheets remains from the Viking period in their Immediately thereafter, the first working that could facilitate this process. vicinity. Svend Rosborn from Foteviken session commenced. After a short The discussions continued with the Museum reported that he has taken overall introduction by Mr Björn Jakobsen, the other Work Packages. Work Package 1 deals photos of all villages participating in the

The delegates on excursion.

Geir and Kim in front of the rune stone. Gørlev church.

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A view of Lejre. Trelleborg

project, and of numerous other Viking sites. Work Package 5 concerns marketing. Several initiatives have already been taken, and our partners will now revise their marketing strategies to incorporate the Destination Viking potential. The Work Package 4 projects of the Church, where a huge stone with two long AD, although the oldest houses here date planned book on Viking attractions around runic inscriptions was found underneath from around 650 AD. The settlement here the Baltic Sea and supporting this magazine the entrance in 1921. lasted until around 1020–30 AD. A new fit well into the marketing strategy of our Our next destination was the royal farm manor was established close by around project. beside Lake Tissø. At the main farm, 1100. One interesting point is that the Fugledegaard, several huge Viking-age buildings found besideTissø constitute the While at Trelleborg, the partners were buildings remains have been unearthed. models for the house reconstructions also taken on a full-day excursion in the The manor was at its height around 900 currently being built in Ale municipality, one of our partners. Next stop was at Lejre, the centre for archaeological research and experiments. Here we looked closer at their educational area, and also at their living history concepts. Our final stop was the Viking Ship museum in Roskilde. The reconstruction of the Skuldelev 2 ship is currently nearing its completion, and is already a very impressive sight. The reconstruction As a farewell from Denmark, all of the participants assembled in Viking costumes Skuldelev 2 for a guided tour through the Trelleborg ship. The area, including the museum, the fortified Viking Ship settlement itself, the reconstructed house Museum in and the educational area. The finale was a Roskilde. big Viking feast in the Trelleborg house.

surrounding area. We started in Korsør, the town where we stayed. This town was founded around 1380 as a royal stronghold and trading town on Storebælt, the sound between Seeland and Funen. Then we went on to the town’s immediate predecessor, the township of Tårnborg, “Tower Castle”. Only a huge heap remains of the royal castle here, built around 1200. The town itself was probably established around 1050 AD. It lies a bit up river from Storebælt, and the problems of access for larger ships were the probable reason for its move to Korsør around 1380.

We went on to see the site where the The last Viking-age seasonal trading settlement was night at located, at Hyllehavn (Elder Harbour). Trelleborg. On route we looked into Gørlev

15 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 DESTINATION VIKING Ancient handicrafts part VI From Ale Viking Age Project Reproducing tools using evidence from ancient wooden artefacts

By Johannes Jägrud and concept where all work is carried out in pieces and corroded, and any wooden Magnus Börjesson consultation with constructors, handle that the tool might have had is archaeologists, carpenters and project now missing. This makes the process Carpenter and Instructors for managers. much more difficult. The most important construction of the Ale Viking Age parts of cutting-edge tools, such as the Farmstead Recreating Viking-age tools shape of the edge, its length, curvature or We have been working for more than two which side the bevel is on, are the ones Ale Viking Age Project years on the Ale Viking Age Farmstead that disappear first since they are usually The Viking Age farmstead is now starting project and, during this time, the task of the thinnest parts. Which means that even to take shape up on the hill! The project is constructing our wooden structures has reproductions have to been tested for called Ale Viking Age and is being run by presented us with numerous different some time before achieving satisfactory the municipality of Ale, Sweden, in problems that have needed solving. In results. The edge often needs to be collaboration with the European Social many cases, we already know what the altered. In some cases, it is necessary to Fund (ESF). The municipality of Ale lies results should be, but we don’t know how forge the entire tool again until it proves along the Göta älv river, about 30 to achieve them. We have arrived at the more functional. kilometres north of Göteborg results by meticulously studying different The project is working in collaboration (Gothenburg). tool marks. However, we only have vague with a skilled blacksmith, with whom we We are building a post and plank ideas when it comes to the actual have discussed our ideas and thoughts on building, which will be a craftsman’s appearance of the tools. the purpose and aesthetics of the tools. As workshop, and a stave-structured dwelling By means of a longer process that has a result of these discussions and thanks house. Our construction work is based on involved studying marks and traces made particularly to the smith’s tremendous, authenticity following the latest scientific by tools in medieval archaeological finds personal interest in the purpose and use of research into handicraft traditions or surviving ancient buildings, we have the tools, we have been able to achieve according to a specially formulated quality now succeeded in recreating credible some highly successful results. Viking-age tools. In consultation with our We have to adopt a slightly different archaeologist, we are also studying finds of method of approach in those cases where Viking-age tools that could very probably we don’t have any tool finds to rely on. In When the surface is illuminated at an oblique angle, it is possible to see the have left such traces. order to be able to understand what the furrows made by the draw knife along It might seem a simple matter just to tool ought to have looked like, it is the sides of the groove. Photograph: make an identical copy of these tools. In necessary to have considerable Magnus Börjesson. most cases, however, the original tool is in craftsmanship experience as well as

Spoon auger, spokeshave. Lying at the bottom draw knife. Copyright: Ale Viking Project.

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The spokeshave is extremely effective and can produce shavings up to a meter in length. Photograph: Jörgen Johansson.

knowledge of the characters of wood and Some examples: about this tool, discussed how it may have metal. There are many obvious aspects Draw knife been made and our thoughts on the hidden in the practical purpose and We needed a tool to make the groove (a appearance of the blade. aesthetics that even the experienced longitudinal channel) on one side of the On our first attempt at reproducing artisan is unable to fathom, which stave boards that we will be using to make this tool, the bevelled edge was on the consequently means that some of the the walls of the dwelling-house. We were outside of the hook. This proved to work prototypes turn out to be no good at all. able to see, in some of the stave churches well for making grooves that were slightly that still exist today, that some boards had wider than the tool itself, but not for Programme been worked using a small, curved, making such narrow grooves as those we In order to achieve the most credible cutting tool. On the basis of this needed to produce. These are only 20–22 results possible, we have chosen a method discovery, we started to look for finds of mm at the widest point and become of working that consists of several stages. iron that may possibly have been used for narrower deeper down. So instead, we had First of all, we ask ourselves the following this purpose. to make the bevelled edge on the inside. question: What is the purpose and do we One tool that might have been used for This was a fiddly and time-consuming job have any idea of what the end result this could have been a gouge, but since that had to be done using a small, round should be? the tool marks are also clearly visible on file and a little, semicircular whetstone. Then we peruse literature and visit the side of the groove on some of the The end result was exactly what we were museums and surviving ancient building material we examined, we can eliminate looking for. Long, fine, semicircular, deep (e.g. stave churches) in search of useful the gouge as an alternative here. cuts both on the sides and along the base information. Can we find any evidence of After searching through literature, on of the groove. the tools that were used? If we do manage the Internet and having discussed the On several of the older stave boards to find something, we then try to imagine matter with other craftsmen, we found that we examined, the groove was wider a what the tool that produced these traces something that may possibly have been bit further down and, since the tool’s and evidence might have looked like. To used. The Swedish Museum of National cutting part (hook) makes it possible to be able to do this, it is essential to be Antiquities houses the entire “Mästermyr” cut along the side of the groove, it was knowledgeable in the nature and character find, see VHM 3/2000 (eds. note), which also possible to achieve this or rather an of the wood and know what happens, for includes a 120–150 mm long and 10–15 effect that comes of its own accord instance, when different types of tools are mm wide iron object, with a small, depending on the character of the wood. used? Was the surface of the wood cut, flattened hook at one end. The tang is Our end results closely matched the shaved, scraped or sawn? We then try to bent at an angle of about 30 degrees some finds and the boards that we had studied. get hold of tools from archaeological finds 30 mm from the hook’s outer edge. This This means that it is highly likely that the that match the ideas we have about the small tool, termed a “moulding iron” by tools discovered at Mästermyr could have tool’s appearance and use. Sometimes we the museum, is probably the one we were been used for this very purpose. succeed and sometimes we don’t. looking for. We consulted the blacksmith

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Spokeshave almost always requires there to be round After visiting different medieval timbered holes in the wooden sections. And in and stave churches in Norway and order to make round holes, you need Sweden, we were able to establish that, some sort of drill or auger. What did a after they had been hewn, the wood drilling tool or auger look like in the surfaces had been planed. We can see that Viking Age, and how effective were they? the finished surfaces in churches To find out what the Viking Age drill demanded greater care and precision than looked like and gather more details than those in secular buildings. the archaeological finds could give us, we For us, this was an extremely first tried studying holes. A hole is interesting discovery, because the project actually just a specific point at which had decided that the surfaces we would be some material is missing. Yet a hole can working on should be made as smooth as also tell us quite a lot about the possible. When we scanned the planed appearance and use of the tool that made surfaces of the preserved medieval wooden it. It can be very difficult to see tool material, we could establish that the marks inside a hole and it is therefore marks made by the plane were somewhat preferable to saw through the hole to concave and we could see that the plane produce a cross-section. With a bit of had jumped slightly, creating horizontal luck, you are then able to see the marks lines that gave a wash-board effect. The made by the rotational movement of the surfaces were gently undulated in depth tool, how much was cut away with each too, which implies that the tool had a turn and what the cross-section of the short sole. drill looked like (if the hole does not go We guessed that this had been achieved all the way through). using something similar to a spokeshave. Drilling tools from the Viking Age We found out that a steel blade dating The spoon auger draws up long have been discovered at a number of sites, from the 980s had been found at shavings. It takes about 8 minutes to including Mästermyr and Hedeby, so Trelleborg in Denmark. Unfortunately, drill these 15 cm deep holes. Honing there is good evidence of what these tools however, the handle or shaft of the tool takes a lot of time. Photograph: Jörgen looked like. But how were they used and was completely missing. According to the Johansson. how were they honed? To answer these researchers at Roskilde museum, this steel questions, it is important to study the was used solely for spokeshaves. holes that were created using so-called In consultation with our smith, we The self-tapping nail pulls the board ‘spoon augers’. We had augers of different reproduced some very functional steel down with its head and in the conical sizes made and honed them to see if the planes. When it came to the shape and drill hole the lower part of the conical results corresponded with the discoveries nail is also locked fast. Photograph: design of the original steel blade, our we had made when studying artefacts. If Johannes Jägrud. interpretation was that the cross-section of we weren’t satisfied with the results, we the tangs had been rectangular and simply honed the auger slightly differently slightly conical, which made it easier to and tried again. attach the steel without using wooden We have found both drills and holes wedges. No shaft had been found, but that have been of parallel thickness and sound, practical experience stands in good conical. The conical drills are much stead. heavier to use for boring since the sides of We experimented with the steel blade’s the drill also have to be made for cutting angle of attachment and the angle of the and a wooden cross-shaft, or auger, had to sole, persevering until we achieved the be used. best result, which was when the steel was On the other hand, the conical drill pushed right down to the bottom so that makes a tapering hole provided you don’t the corners of the bit were bearing on the drill all the way through. This allows you sole with a long edge on the outer side of to hammer in a wooden nail that, thanks the steel. When the steel had become to the tapering shape of the hole, sits shorter through wear and grinding down, firmly in place without the need for any the sole had to be planed down to the wedges. This saves a lot of work and it is right level instead of moving the steel out not so important for the wooden nail to and wedging it in place. be of an exact size. In Granhult’s church, dating from the 1200s, the ceiling rafters Drill are joined together using this very Building construction is about putting a technique. number of parts together to make larger, more or less complex structures. One way of joining these parts is to dowel or nail them together. This method of joining http://viking.hgo.se 18 DESTINATION Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 VIKING

A “Northern Periphery” project: The Viking Trail Conservation of an early Norse farm at Narsaq, South Greenland

By Hans Kapel and Rie Stenberger). Once the excavations were Greenland has the general responsibility Oldenburg completed, the two ruin sites were for the protection of Greenland’s cultural restored according to the standard of the heritage. Notwithstanding, over the last Background day. Efforts at upkeep since then have few years, a couple of local (municipal) At the millennium celebration of Leif been modest. Resource allotments over museums in South Greenland have taken Ericson’s voyage to Vinland much the years for this purpose have been very it upon themselves to remedy the lack of attention was directed to the two most limited, a fact clearly evident at the ruin initiatives in highlighting the historical important groups of ruins found in the sites as they appear today. landmarks that are hidden away under the former Eastern Settlement, the There is a need for thorough and sod and heather. For example, since 1998, Norsemen’s Brattahlid and Gardar contemporary restoration and care of the Narsaq Museum has prepared a project, (present-day Qassiarsuk and Igaliku). Greenlandic cultural heritage, comprising the goal of which is to restore the ruins of These two have already been subjected to not only Norse ruins, but certainly also one of the of the oldest Norse settlements thorough archaeological investigations. the numerous findings that witness to the in Greenland, the so-called Landnáma Gardar was excavated by the National various aboriginal population waves that Farm, right in the middle of Narsaq town. Museum of Denmark in 19261 (Poul have found their way to Greenland long Here, we want to relate the preliminary Nørlund and Aage Roussell), while the before the 10th century settlers came from investigations that have taken place, as excavations in Brattahlid took place in Iceland well as the plans for a more formal 19322 (Poul Nørlund and Mårten The National Museum & Archives of conservation in the years to come.

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Sketch of the area, placement of ruins.

The Landnáma Farm in Narsaq Since the end of the 19th century, it has been known for a fact that the Norsemen settled on the lowland promontory at the site of present-day Narsaq3 (in Greenlandic, ”narsaq” means ”plain”). Recent discoveries show that aboriginal hunters had been living in this area long before the Norse settlements, but no traces of their dwellings are to be found any longer. Until the mid-20th century, Norse ruins could still be seen where Narsaq cemetary is now located. Unfortunately, because of the rapid development of the township, all such remains have now disappeared. However, the location of the Norse farm can still be were found. The National Museum was 1964, only the farm dwelling and one observed on aerial photos, and the light of called in, and authorities agreed to re- small stable had been excavated. In the a late afternoon sun still makes its evaluate the matter to see whether these area as a whole, remains of no less than 10 contours vaguely discernable in the ruins might qualify for conservation buildings have been identified. However, terrain. measures after all. to this day, only one of these ten has been In the 1950’s, another group of ruins In 1956, the archaeologist, C.L.Vebæk formally protected. The rest were were found above the shoreline of a initiated a closer investigation of the finds. considered destroyed and were deemed to shallow bay on the southern edge of town. The largest of the ruins proved to be the have no historical value. At the The findings took place during habitation unit of the farm, and it did not termination of this round of construction work in connection with take long time to verify that, in fact, it investigations, the excavated sites were left building a sheep slaughterhouse. was in a much better state for without cover of any kind, and use of the Unfortunately, the remains of these Norse conservation than originally estimated. area was left to the discretion of the buildings were so badly eroded that they Also, local conditions for the preservation slaughterhouse. were deemed unfit for research. of organic materials proved to be For a number of reasons, the results of Consequently, they were exempt from the unusually favourable, and the ruin Vebæk’s excavations were not published 4 otherwise automatic legal conservation actually did contain a considerable until 1993 . Inspired by his work, and clause that is meant to protect all number of interesting finds. However, in further motivated by the growing number important findings of an archaeological other respects, the archaeological of tourists showing an interest in the nature. challenge turned out to be much greater history of Greenland and its heritage from than first estimated, and as it turned out, the Middle Ages, Narsaq Museum Vebæk’s excavations there was neither time nor money to decided to look into the possibility of a When, a few years, later people began to complete the excavations that year. full-scale restoration of the ruins. dig up dirt for their private gardens at Due to the size and expense of this Especially the dwelling house is that same place, many interesting things project, progress has been slow. Until interesting because of its many unique architectural details, as shown by Vebæk’s excavations. A plan for the restoration of 1. Nørlund, P. 1929: Norse Ruins at Gardar. farm. Man & Society 18. A preliminary report that ruin5 was adopted, and preliminary Meddelelser om Grønland 76,1. about these findings were published in the review investigations were conducted in 1998. 2. Nørlund, P. & Stenberger, M. 1934: Brattahlid. ”Naturens Verden” of July 1967. Vebæk died in Meddelelser om Grønland 88,1. 1993. Since then four seasons of archaeological 3. Bruun, D. 1896: Arkæologiske undersøgelser i 5. H. Kapel 1994: Landnamsgården i Narsaq. Plan work have been completed in order to Julianehaabs distrikt. Meddelelser om Grønland 16, for restaurering og pleje af ruingruppen Ø17a. verify exactly how much of the original III. p.257-58. Arbejdsrapport. 4. C.L. Vebæk 1993: Narsaq – a Norse landnáma structures has survived. http://viking.hgo.se 20 DESTINATION Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 VIKING

Preliminary investigations valuable finds are still to be made. Since the completion of the excavations in Cleaning up the floor, as explained 1964, the site has changed in appearance. above, will be done manually as a purely Today, only someone with Vebæk’s archaeological challenge, whereas levelling working papers at hand and who knows the terrain outside the walls of the old the history of the place, will be in a building will, for all practical purposes, be position to identify the various remains. undertaken using appropriate machinery. The deepest of Vebæk’s excavation ditches have been filled up, and low mounds ”The Viking Trail” indicate the house-walls of old. The exact Restoring the Landnáma Farm is part of a position of the walls is clear only in the Narsaq Museum project called “Saga and northern part of the ruin where stone Storytelling”, sponsored by the Northern structures prevail. Periphery Programme and financed by EU. The primary goal of the preliminary This project also deals with the investigations has been to relocate the rest The in-house stone-covered sewer popularisation of Norse history in a new of the excavated buildings and examine system. Copyright Narsaq Museum. information centre, in various websites their state of conservation. It has proven and in a number of new and innovative necessary to conduct extensive trial importance to this ruin. tourist initiatives. Among the latter, so- excavations in the uneven surroundings of Vebæk’s work has brought many called “cultural trails” also give rise to the ruin in order to establish exactly what unusual details to our attention, such as economic development at a local level. part of the terrain contains remains of the the in-house stone-covered sewer system. At the same time, a restored Landnáma original buildings, and what on the other Undoubtedly, the general humidity of the Farm will function as an integrated part of hand turns out to be nothing but recent terrain being a general problem, the the general development and mounds of dirt. primary function of this system has been improvement of the service extended to These preliminary excavations have to contain the water that kept seeping that well motivated group of tourists who presented new data, capable of down from the fields above the house and take a special interest in Norse history – a supplementing earlier observations. Also, prevent it from flooding the floors. timely service to supplement the offers samples collected throughout the process It seems that the settlers hade been able which the municipality of Narsaq has will hopefully be able to shed some light to turn the liability of uncontrolled water already assembled in a program called on the exact dating of the various sections abundance into an advantage. Water ”Viking Trail – Greenland”. That trail of the building. The work was completed supply for the household was never a leads on to far-flung places, in the great in the summer of 2003, and the way has problem, and at the same time, the fiords and mountainous expanses of South now been cleared for the restoration ditches under the floor level have taken Greenland and further afield, wherever proper of the ruin. care of the surplus water, assuming a the Vikings went. sewer function of their own. In this way, the Northern Periphery The architecture The documentation left by Vebæk Programme affords us a possibility of The basic design of the structure, as well seems to show that the house ruin was enhancing the quality of our local work, as the fact that this dwelling house has dug all the way through down to the floor while at the same time giving a small been built apart from the buildings level. But with the work now completed, museum the opportunity to take part in connected to the farm’s economic it seems that actually many of the stone- trans-national cooperation together with activities, indicate that we are dealing with covered ditches were left untouched. partners from the entire North Atlantic a very early settlement. Vebæk’s work has area. established that it is a two-storey building Restoring the ruin in question. Vebæk himself thought that Existing plans to restore the ruin imply the middle part of the structure – that all traces of earlier excavations and containing the fireplace – must have been later use of the area be removed. The idea the first built. He saw it as the remains of is to clean up the floor in all the rooms so a traditional longhouse of the type that as to expose the water supply and sewage was in use during the very first settlement system, the fireplaces and other noticeable About the authors period, a view corroborated by several of architectural details. Archaeologist Hans Kapel is former the archaeological finds. Later on, the museum inspector at the National For the most part the walls have been Museum in Copenhagen. southern room would have been added, built using turf and stones and have only He leads the work of restoring the and later still, the addition to the north. been conserved a few places. When the Landnáma Farm in Narsaq on behalf Recent C-14 datings have proven that restoration is completed, new low turf of Narsaq Museum, and has been in the oldest building blocks date from walls (one meter high) will show their charge from its commencement. before 1000 AD, i.e. all the way back to position. The trial excavations of 2002 Rie Oldenburg is the manager of the time when Eric the Red settled in and 2003 have demonstrated that in spite Narsaq Museum, NPP-partner. Greenland – a fact which lends even more of Vebæk’s thorough investigations,

21 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 DESTINATION VIKING Norstead, A Viking Port of Trade Out of the exhibit case and into the hands of visitors… By Angie Elliott, Manager Norstead

L’Anse aux Meadows, NL Canada – It seems that the community of L’Anse aux Meadows in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador Canada has its own little Viking trade town. Norstead, a recreated Viking Age port of trade is a living history attraction that is owned and operated by the Viking Trail Tourism Association. The attraction was developed as part of the Vikings! 1000 Years Celebrations held in 2000 to mark the 1000 year anniversary of Leif Eiriksson’s arrival to Vinland. It was part of a series of events that saw nearly 200 international Viking A Viking guide introducing the Leif Eriksson rune stone, see front page and page 23. re-enactors live on site for intervals of two Photo: Courtesy of the VTTA. weeks and saw 13 Viking ships from all over the world participate in the Viking Sail fleet. Two of the ships included the using a simple notched stick to measure member of the Ontario Scandanavian Iselendignur, which now resides in Iceland distance by the stars. Our potter moulds Canadian Association from Canada. and the Snorri, which now calls Norstead clay into pottery the way Vikings did and During the training, all participants were her home. our spinner spins sheep fleece into yarn taught a variety of skills as they relate to using a drop spindle. The yarn is then the Viking Age and have since each Norstead, A Viking Port of Trade was dyed using local plants and berries and concentrated on making one or two of created to take history out of the exhibit woven into cloth at the loom. them their area of expertise at Norstead. case and place it in the hands of visitors. Being that Norstead is a Viking living Costumed interpreters are situated history attraction, the site depicts life as it Norstead is currently in its 4th season throughout the site to interpret a range of would have been in any of the of operation and visitation has already activities as they relate to the Viking Age. Scandinavian countries circa 790-1066 seen a 20% increase from last season. One can visit the Chieftain’s Hall and AD. The attraction is partnering with the listen to mysterious Viking tales told by The site is inhabited by some 15 L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site the Chieftain or learn to cook a flatbread costumed interpreters who bring it to life of Canada, the only authenticated Viking over the open fire. The blacksmith using first and third person narration. settlement in North America, on a demonstrates iron forging and how These interpreters were all trained in number of new initiatives. Now visitors various implements were made. Heritage Interpretation at the College of can purchase a coupon that will allow One can step aboard our full-scale The North Atlantic in nearby St. access to both sites. As well, the two sites replica Viking ship, Snorri, and learn how Anthony. They were then all instructed in will be developing joint training the Norse mastered the North Atlantic by “Interpreting the Viking Age” by a workshops for interpreters and are also taking part in the Destination Viking Sagalands Project. Staff of Norstead and the L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site of Canada have traveled to Europe twice in 2003 to take part in a series of workshops on saga trails and Viking museums. The visits have been a great learning experience and staff are looking forward Norstead. to the next workshop in the Shetland and Photo: Orkney Islands in January 2004. Courtesy of the VTTA. http://viking.hgo.se 22 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 International Viking Legacy Symposium in Philadelphia in April ‘04

What do you imagine when you hear the building (Russia), the democratic culture Founding Russia, Exploring to word “Viking”? If what you think of is a of Iceland that produces the sagas, Constantinople. Ruth M. Karras, warrior, a raider, and a looter, you might important ship building and navigational University of Minnesota, will provide a want to be in Philadelphia next April for advances, the roles women played in summary of the day’s program. a different, more modern view of Vikings Viking society, and Norse efforts to settle The Barbro Osher Pro Suecia and their international culture. in North America around the year 1000 Foundation has provided major funding The American Swedish Historical C.E. for the symposium. It is also supported Museum and the Leif Ericson Viking The program features prominent by generous grants from the Elis Olsson Ship, Inc., will present The Viking Legacy: students of Viking culture from Canada, Memorial Foundation, Volvo Group A Symposium About Viking History, Sweden, and the United States. Birgitta North America, Inc., Viking Termite & Culture, and Contributions to World Lindroth Wallace will speak about The Pest Control, Inc., and other corporate Civilization on Saturday, April 24, 2004. Archaeology of L’Anse aux Meadows, and sponsors. Vikings traded and settled from Russia Norse Efforts to Settle North America. Dr. to North America, and founded or Wallace, formerly a Parks Canada For information about the symposium, contributed to societies in Iceland, archaeologist, is well known for her study contact: Russia, France, Ireland, and the North of the Viking site at L’Anse aux Meadows The ASHM, American Swedish Atlantic islands. They made important in Newfoundland. William Miller, Historical Museum advances in navigation and ship building, University of Michigan Law School, will 1900 Pattison Ave., Philadelphia, founded a democratic society in Iceland, speak about The Icelandic Culture That PA 19145, USA and that culture produced the sagas Produced the Sagas. John Hale, University Phone 215.389.1776, fax 389.7701, about life in Iceland and elsewhere in the of Louisville, will present Viking Ship email [email protected], Viking world that people still read today. Construction and Navigation. Jenny website: www.americanswedish.org This symposium will examine several Jochens, Towson University, will speak LEVS, Leif Ericson Viking Ship, Inc aspects of Viking history and culture that about Women in Viking Society. Dan Phone 302.656.3257, fax 656.8414, are overlooked by the prevailing popular Carlsson, Center for Baltic Studies, email [email protected], image of Vikings merely as warriors and Gotland University, Sweden, will discuss website, www.vikingship.org raiders. Topics include Viking nation- The Eastern Face of Viking Culture:

About the front page The Leif Eriksson Runestone The Leif Eriksson runestone is certainly one of the most The inscription reads: recent runestones to have been raised in North America. VTTA and Barbara Genge raised stone to commemorate the On July 28, 2000, the Viking Trail Tourist Association exploration of North America by Leif Eriksson in the year one (VTTA) in Newfoundland had this rune stone raised at thousand. Kalle rista. L’Anse aux Meadows to commemorate Leif Eriksson’s (rista = carve) exploration of North America. This happened the same day as several Viking ships sailed into the bay where Leif Eriksson is At that time Barbara Genge was the Executive Director of supposed to have landed. the Viking Trail Tourism Association in Newfoundland. The “Kalle” in the inscription is Kalle Runristare on The stone was chiseled by a rune carver, Kalle Runristare, Adelsö. His rune stone workshop is located near Adelsö’s in Sweden on the island of Adelsö, 50 km west of Stockholm ancient monument area and Viking-period royal residence in Lake Mälaren. It was then shipped by boat to Canada. (Hovgården). This area, together with Birka, the Viking town The rune stone is a beautiful piece of Vätö granite on the nearby island of Björkö, is a UNESCO World weighing nearly two tons. On top is a solar compass, a copy Heritage site. The Adelsö Historical Society’s museum and of a find from Greenland, surrounded by sunrays, or a cross, Café Uppgården lie near the workshop. if you prefer. Everything is suspended from the rune-carrying dragon. Under the solar compass, there is a Viking ship, a On Kalle’s website you can follow the story of the stone copy of the VTTA logo. VTTA = Viking Tourist Trail www.runristare.se Association. Click for Vinland 1 and 2.

http://viking.hgo.se 23 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 Viking Forum A California Runestone

By Birger A. Pearson stone by hand with steel chisels and a Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies hand sledge. The inscription reads: *** University of California, Santa Barbara Birkir * lit * raisa * stain * dhina * at * sik * kuikuan * tauit * risti ***, “Birger had ON A VISIT TO SIGTUNA one fine day this stone set up for himself while he was in June 1981, I stopped to admire a still alive. David carved.” I added the last beautiful runestone in front of St. Per's two words to credit my son for all of his ruined church. I was intrigued by its text, work. in eleventh-century Futhark: ...nuntr * lit David worked on the stone in his spare * raisa * stain dhina * at * sik * kuik...n *. time, and it was finished in June. I call it "[An]und had this stone set up for “Fridhemstenen” (The Fridhem stone) himself while he was still al[iv]e." I took a after the name we have given to our place. picture of it, and said to myself, "I'd like We had a dedication party at Fridhem to have a stone like that some day." soon after, led by the local godhi (myself), Anund’s stone inscription is not with readings from Havamal, unique. I know of four other examples “consecration” with the sledge serving as a with the same formula, all four set up by Thor’s Hammer, and libations of beer Jarlabanke at Täby, in Uppland. (See Sven poured out of a drinking horn. It was all in good fun, which even our local B. F. Jansson, Runes in Sweden, pp. 108, The author and his runestone. 121.) Lutheran pastor enjoyed. The Fast forward to April, 1994. I had just congregation consisted for the most part retired from my professorship and moved I brought it home, dug a trench, and of svenskättlingar (Swedish descendants), to a country home outside of Escalon, slowly lowered the stone into the trench. but we did include a couple of Norwegian California. I received a telephone call A neighbor came down with his tractor friends. from my son David, then working as a and righted the stone into position. My I suppose that people who drive by our plumber on a job site at Oakhurst, near son David volunteered to chisel the place don’t know what to make of my Yosemite, California. “I found a great inscription for me. runestone. After all, there aren’t many like piece of granite for your runestone,” he Using Anund’s stone as a model, I it in these parts. Some probably regard it said. I rented a flat-bed truck, drove up to traced the inscription inside a coiled (and its owner) with some suspicion. But Oakhurst, and my son had the stone serpent, with a square cross (crux I'm happy to tell its story to whoever is placed on the truck. (He paid the quadrata) within the coil (see photo), interested. operator of the crane a six-pack of beer.) using a red felt pen. David "carved" the The golden vane from Söderala – a living historical play! By Rolf Bergstedt, The drama is based upon this legend alias Gånge-Rolf and about 40 amateurs perform the play in open air during summer season. At this first year’s performance about 550 LEGEND TELLS that a Viking longboat persons attended the drama! was caught in a storm on the Baltic Sea 1000 years ago. Desperately the crew Please contact the tourist office for prayed to Odin and Thor for their lives details of the next year’s performance, but nothing remarkable happened. Then accommodation, sights worth seeing in the chieftain remembered the White the area etc. Christ and promised to give away the gilded bronze vane to the first Christian Phone +46 270 753 53 church they came across if they were Email: [email protected] rescued. The prayer was answered in a www.soderalaflojeln.sida.nu miraculous way and they reached land at Söderala.

24 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03

. Text: Blazej M. Stanislawski Drawings: M. Jusza

Very often we read about the great events, battles or persons in the Viking Age but books keep quiet about the fundamental parts of everyday life like food and eating. Although we don’t know very much about the kitchens of this time, the rich source materials dealing with the preparation of victuals and the quality of the tableware sometimes suggest the great importance the eating ceremony had in everyday life. The high artistic and symbolic quality of the tableware is also very often evident. The aim of this article is to Fig 2. One of a few describe the diet and tableware of inhabitants in Wolin during the bronze kettle from Wolin (10th th century) (Filipowiak & Gundlach Early Middle Ages (8-12 century). 1992). Diet and tableware in Wolin

Victuals fertile for the different grains, vegetables and archaeological excavations. From The sources of our information about the seeds; any area has plenty of honey, pastures archaeozoological, ichtiological and diet in the early medieval times are and grass...” and in the other place: "for paleobotanical research we can distinguish historical and archaeological. the butter from cows and milk of sheep, for dietary components like animals, fishes, Some messages helpful for fat lambs and rams, for the abundance of grains, fruits, vegetables and herbs. Next reconstructing the Slavic diet are honey and wheat, hemp and poppy and to ceramics, animal bones are the most mentioned in Ibrahim ibn Jakub’s and different kinds of vegetables, for plentiful common archaeological artifacts from the Herbord’s historical texts. The first of fruit-trees…” and also: “the whole region settlement levels in Wolin. Animal bones, them writes: “ ... they sow twice a year: in abounds with deer, aurochs, wild horses, fish bones and botanic materials are the late summer and in the early spring and bears, boars, hogs and different other wild fundamentally significant as the source of they harvest twice. They sow mostly animals”. information about the early medieval diet. millet…” Knowledge about the diet of this The conclusion of the And Herbord writes: “the soil is very period is based on the results of archaeozoological research of the animal bones from Wolin is – the basis of the Fig 1. The fish-bones from the settlement levels at Wolin. meat diet was domestic animals. The importance of wild animals was very exiguous in Wolin. Among the remains of domestic animals from Wolin are the following species: swine (Sus domesticus), goat (Capra hircus), sheep (Ovis aries), cow (Bos taurus), horse (Equus caballus), dog (Canis familiaris) and cat (Felis ocreata domestica). Among the bones of the wild animals are the following species, which could be only a supplementary dietary component: wild boar (Sus scrofa ferus), deer (Cervus elaphus), elk (Alces alces), aurochs (Bos primigenius), roe (Capreolus capreolus), bear (Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus L.), otter (Lutra lutra L.), seal (Halichoerus grypus), fox (Vulpes vulpes), beaver (Castor fiber), hare (Lepus europaeus) and rat (Mus

25 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 rattus). We can suppose that wild Fig 5. The Fresendorf type animals were mainly the source vessel is very characteristic of raw material like hides and for Slavic ceramic workshops fur, fat and antlers. of early medieval Wolin. We The majority of artifacts know the same pots from the from the excavations in Wolin excavations in Scania, Birka, are objects connected with Hedeby and Kaupang (the second half of the 9th century). fishing and fish bones (fig. 1), which must have been an important component of diet. In the result of ichtiological analysis, the following fish species were distinguished as the most common: celery, parsley, lentil, buckwheat and bream (Abramis brama), roach (Rutilus savoy cabbage. Among numerous herbs is rutilus), zander (Stizostedion lucioperca), chamomile. perch (Perca fluwiatilis) and western Although the dietary components sturgeon (Acipenser sturio). mentioned above were very rich and Knowledge about the grains, numerous, our knowledge about the bill vegetables, fruits and herbs from Wolin is of fare is relatively slight. Archaeological evidence such as a bronze kettle (fig. 2), three ovens and grain-grinding mill (fig. 4) say something about the means of food preparation but unfortunately nothing about the victuals.

Table service Fig 6. The Woldegk- During the archaeological excavations in type vessels are the Wolin numerous objects connected with next example of the high quality ceramic production from early medieval Wolin. Fig 7. The large Weisdin-type vessel for preservation the root materials and food (11th century).

the result of paleobotanycal research. (Panicum miliaceum). Flax (Linum Among grains were the following species: usitatissimum) was probably used rye (Secale cereale), wheat (Triticum for oil production. The very aestivum), barley (Hordeum vulgare important dietary component vulgare), oats (Avena sativa) and millet was fruits like: cherry, plum, apple, nut, pear, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry and The wooden grain-grinding mill from bilberry; and vegetables Wolin (11th century). like: sorrel, radish, carrot,

http://viking.hgo.se 26 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 the tableware of this period were References . discovered. Unfortunately there is no 8 b. Alsleben, A. 1996. Ro´sliny uzytkowe z wczesno´sredniowiecznego Wolina – furniture like the tables among a great . quantity of very well-preserved wooden dwie wybrane grupy: zboza i len, Materialy Zachodniopomorskie 42:77- artifacts. The tableware from Wolin is 137. very rich and is represented by ceramic Filipiak, J. & Z. Chelkowski, 1999. Szczatki, vessels, wooden bowls, knives, spoons and ichtiologiczne z ladles made of wood and bone. wczesno´sredniowiecznych warstw First of all the Slavic southern coast of osadniczych w Wolinie – Porcie the Baltic sea and Wolin was the (stanowisko 1, wykop 8), Materialy production place of the very good ceramic Zachodniopomorskie 45: 385-401. until the end of the10th century. The high Filipowiak, W. & H. Gundlach. 1992. Wolin, quality aesthetic Slavic vessels (fig. 5 & 6) Vineta. Die tatschliche Legende vom Untergang und Aufstieg der Stadt. are in great contrast to the contemporary Rostock primitive Scandinavian pottery. The Kubasiewicz, M. & J. Gawlikowski, 1965. collection of vessels is dominated by pots Szczatki, zwierzece, z Wolina-Miasta of different sizes. Bowls are very rare (stanowisko wykopaliskowe nr 5), cze´, s´c though they are a bit more common in II, Materialy Zachodniopomorskie the 11th and 12th centuries. One of the 11:563-570. functions of ceramic vessels was the Kubasiewicz, M. 1959. Szczatki, zwierzat, preservation of root materials and food. wczesno´sredniowiecznych z Wolina, Szczecin. This function led to large vessels often Rogosz, R. 1965. Wczesno´sredniowieczna very beautifully decorated with plaited osada otwarta w Jarszewie, pow. Kamie ornamentation (fig. 7). Pomorski, Materialy Drinking cups, bowls and plates were Zachodniopomorskie 11: 317-409. mostly made of wood. Archaeological evidence has the other components of tableware like spoons (fig. 8) and knives (fig. 9) too. In the second half of 10th–first half of 11th century many of them were Based on the numerous source 8 c. very often beautifully decorated. materials for food preparation and the quality of tableware, the bill of fare and the food flavors should be 8 a. very special too.

8 a, 8 b, 8 c. Wooden spoons from the last excavations in About the author . Wolin (after Blazej M. Stanislawski is 980 AD). 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. Over the years he has contributed several articles to VHM. Email: [email protected]

Fig 9. The knife with the wooden handle decorated in Scandinavian Borre-style (the second half of the 10th century).

27 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 Viking-age Horse Offerings in Lithuania

Text and photos by Mindaugas Berta˘sius

Introduction There is only a little information about Viking routes and Viking monuments in the territory of Baltic tribes, which were living in the East Baltic. Some aspects were ascertained by the results of archaeological investigation from Trusso (Poland, near Elblag),, Grobinia (Lettland), Kaup-Wiskiauten (present-day Russia, Kaliningrad region). Remnants of old Viking colonies, established since 7-8th century were found. The material gained mostly from earlier investigations is more or less published. Meanwhile, the Fig 1. Distribution of horse graves in the Balts’ territories from 7th to 11th centuries. archaeological investigations are continuing every day and new material is emerging all the time. seeking for new ways to reach the Far rivers in the Baltic region (Roesdahl It is known that Viking travelers were East. Rivers constituted the main overland 1992). That kind of communication routes. Thus often main archaeological determined the multi-ethnical structure of sites, like cemeteries, settlements and hill- settlers in the Middle Lithuania – data of Fig 2. Horse grave with complete horse forts or single artifacts, are situated on the burial rituals, imported goods, specific skeleton. banks of rivers. The lower Nemunas details and commodities of life give us (Memel) – from the Baltic coast to material evidence of the multi-ethnic Middle Lithuania (Kaunas region) –was of population in this region. great importance at all times for the Baltic Great variance in burying customs region. This area can be perceived as a among the Baltic tribes is characteristic. constant contact zone, where people However when investigating the Middle wandered and wares have drifted. Access Lithuania burial rites we sometimes find to water and favourable environmental unexpected similarities. Some burial rites conditions in the river valley determined are comparable only within extremely human activities. The river valleys may remote regions. It is impossible to have been a contributing factor to examine the nature and structure of all arranging the settlement network system; burial rites that reflect the complicated the river being the only means of network of Baltic connections. It could be communication. a good pattern when considering a But not only material objects reached population’s mobility. Decoding symbols the Middle Lithuania region by river. is the most challenging task for the Different cultural traits reached this archaeologist studying burial rites and I region by this route, different patterns of would like to disclose one expressive and burial rites and models of social life demonstrative ritual – the horse-offering wandered to remote lands. No doubt the ritual. Baltic Sea, but even the coastal river net connected the tribes. During the Horse-offering ritual Christian Iron Age this region could There are well known horse-offering profit from a geopolitical and rituals in some regions of Europe (Müller- geographical situation. This is especially Wille, 1972; Oexle 1984). Very expressive noticeable during Viking period. such rituals appear in the Scandinavian All Northern Europe had seen world and in the East Baltic populated by economic growth, including establishment Balts‘. of trading centres along the coasts and Balts‘ territories have a peculiarity – a http://viking.hgo.se 28 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03

Fig 3. Horse offering with scattered horse skeleton.

large amount of horse bones are found in burial grounds. In this area horse burials have been known since the period of Roman influence (2nd–4th cent. A.D). In the Early Middle Ages a horizon with an abundance of horse graves was found in some areas settled by Balts’. This is most characteristic of Prussians (Sambia – Samland peninsula, 5th–11th c.) and the population of Middle Lithuania in Kaunas region (8th–11th c.), fig. 1. Some burial grounds were investigated during the few last decades. But principally new material was obtained no relation to the human cremations and oriented, with the croup 0.05–0.6 m through the investigations of the newly this raises some problems when dating higher than the head, quite close to the . discovered burial ground of Marvele in those graves. The location of the section former burial surface. Kaunas. More than 1300 graves, of the cemetery containing horse graves By means of reins and bridle bits (and inhumations and cremations dated to usually varies in respect to human graves nearly all horses are buried with bridle 2nd–12th century and an abundance of – north, south (Pakalni˘skiai), west bits) it is possible to place a live horse in a . horse graves were investigated there (Ver˘svai), east and west (Marvele). position that prevents it from climbing (Berta˘sius 2002). Sometimes, this burial group forms a out. Horse skeletons in graves were found Both human and horse burials of this separate cluster; sometimes, it is a narrow on their stomachs, with their legs tightly period are not exactly dated, since dating line. The archaeological material allows pressed, the head under the breastbone principles are not consistent. Human the supposition that a horse had been a (sternum), indicating that they were graves are usually found separate from ritual offering. probably buried alive (some of the horses horse burials, which causes difficulties were buried with a sack over their head at when comparing burial items. Some Horse graves Ver˘svai cemetery). The described situation . authors regard the territory of Balts’ as a During the excavation of the Marvele suggests the idea of performing some kind kind of “fashion designer” for the custom burial ground, the distinctive burial of ritual, as only an exhausted horse could of burying horses and bridling mode for indications have been fixed. Several horse be forced into the pit. neighbouring countries, which makes burial types have been defined on the The data from historical sources are of comparison and identification of burials basis of the archaeological data. A particular interest in this respect. The more complicated. common horse grave is when the whole Aestii (old historic name of Baltic tribes) Horse burials from the 8th–11th century horse was buried (Fig. 2). Sometimes rituals prior to cremation are mentioned reflect the territory of Middle Lithuania there is only a head or a head with in Vulfstan’s stories and are included in most significantly. Regional differences are forelegs, or scattered horse remains in a King Alfred’s edition of Orosius’ “History obvious. The largest burial grounds of this burial are found (Fig. 3). of the World” (9th c.). Horse races and type are located in Kaunas district. Burials of the first type are common in games are also discussed. Later Abundant horse graves have been Lithuania, Prussia and are rather frequent (13th–14th c.) Peter von Dusburg writes excavated there. The number of buried in Europe. Most frequently in these cases that before ritual horse offering Prussians horses is sometimes absolutely staggering. a horse was squeezed into a small oval pit and Lithuanians “run the horses off their For instance, 185 burials containing (measuring 1.05–1.7 to 0.43–0.8 m). In feet to such an extent, that the animals remains of 217 horses have been the burial the croup (hind quarters) of can hardly stand” (Dusburgietis, 1985). investigated at Ver˘svai; 236 burials many horses has been noticed to be Likely a horse exhausted by such games containing remains of about 290 horses higher than the head. It was showed less resistance to being pushed . were excavated at Marvele burial ground predetermined by the oblique (irregular) into the pit. Similar ritual horse races are (both in Kaunas); and 236 burials at shape of the pit – its bottom gradually known among some Caucasian nations; Pakalniskiai‹ near Kaunas. On the Balts’ slants in a western direction and the they were organized by Greeks and territories, a similar phenomenon is only western slope is absolutely steep. The pit Romans. Horse racing is well known noted on old Prussian lands (today the has also a deeper part. Fig. 4. among Scandinavians. region of Kaliningrad) – in some burial The shape of the pit is directly The manner of burial corresponds to grounds of old Sambia (Samland) where associated with the funeral process. When the beliefs of various nations, that the the number of horse burials exceeds 100. burying a horse its head is always located world of the dead is the place where the As the horses were usually buried in a in a deeper part of a pit and a horse sun sets and a horse escorts the dead to separate section of the cemetery, they have skeleton is nearly always west-northwest- Eternity. The western orientation of the

29 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 horse burials in the Middle Lithuania confirms this. The other burial group is distinguished by ritual offering of separate horse parts: the head and forelegs, the hindquarters (croup). In the major burial grounds in the Kaunas region these graves comprise 14–15 % of all horse graves. In some cemeteries they dominate. Such isolated pits containing animal remains are regarded as ritual offering pits. It was much more usual to bury the head separately (even 12.5% in Nendriniai burial ground) or both the head and . forelegs (Marvele - 20 burials, 10 %). Such a manner of burial testifies to the presence of funeral rituals, maybe a long complicated ritual by the grave. Different parts of horses were buried in cemeteries and according researchers of mythology this had particular ritual Fig 4. Horse skeleton in the pit with irregular shape. meaning. We will never be able to discover more details of this ritual by their fragments. Sometimes on the bone similar to those used in Scandinavia archaeological means, only a few glimpses surfaces signs of chopping are evident. (Roesdahl 1992:157). Meanwhile from . of the ritual could be reconstructed by Ribs, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae are the investigated material from Marvele we investigated material. found less frequently. The graves are have a fascinating data about burial rites, In another type of burial, horse found in the largest burial grounds of as performed in the Volga region remains are scattered in a definite area. Kaunas region. In various burial grounds according to the words of the afore- Burial items, together with the bones of they comprise 17 % (Ver˘svai, Grau˘ziai, mentioned Arab envoy. . one or several horses, are usually scattered Pakalni˘skiai) to 28 % (Marvele) of the It was confirmed osteologically that in the area measuring 0.8–1.2 x 1–2.2 m, total number of graves. remains of two individuals are most in one, or more layers, 0.15–0.4 m thick, The distinguished Arabian traveller and frequently found (40 % of the third group or even more, sometimes up to one meter. envoy, Ibn Fadhlan, who attended a of burials; Berta˘sius&Daugnora 2001). The areas where this type of grave is Viking funeral on his travels, describes a Occasionally, the remains of three encountered in separate sections of ritual horse offering in the account of his individuals are found in the graves of this cemeteries testify to simultaneity and travels along the river Volga. type. It is interesting to note that the distinctly original tradition. The burials Archaeological finds confirm that the graves containing remains of two horses usually contain skull, neck, leg bones and burial rites witnessed by Ibn Fahdlan were included dogs’ bones too. Therefore, it is possible to draw an important comparison with Fahdlan’s impressions from a Viking funeral: “...a dog was brought, chopped into two (parts) and thrown.... Two horses were taken..., then chopped with swords”*, all of that was left as food for a buried individual (Kovalevskij 1956). Analogies of ritual horse offering of this kind are rather widespread. The nearest are found in old Prussian burial grounds (Hollack 1908). Graves of this type are known in north Russia, near the Volga (Golubeva 1981), where Viking-age graves related to Viking voyages are known. Archaeological data in Scandinavian countries testify to horse chopping for ritual offering, here the horse was the sacrificial animal of the warrior and aristocratic class (Medieval Scandinavia 1993). Eating horse meat was part of the sacrificial meal that took place near the Fig 5. The present-day native Lithuanian horse originated from Viking-age Middle grave. It is not known whether the Lithuanian horses. sacrifice was personally offered for http://viking.hgo.se 30 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 recollection of the deceased, or if it was an References: institutionalised offering that happened Berta˘sius, M. 2002: Vidurio Lietuva VIII-XII 922. Kharkov, in Russian. methodically. Perhaps there was a a. Kaunas. Medieval Scandinavia. 1993: An traditional day of deceased like in today’s Berta˘sius, M. & Daugnora, L. 2001: Viking Encyclopedia. New York / London. Age Horse Graves from Kaunas Region Müller-Wille, M. 1972: Pferdegrab und Lithuania the Day of Deceased on Pferdeopfer im frühen Mittelalter. In: nd (Middle Lithuania). In: Int. J. November 2 (the day when it is believed Osteoarchaeol. 11 (2001). Berichten van de Rijksdienst voor het . that dead people’s souls appeared and took Dusburgietis P. 1995: Pru-sijos ˘zemes Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek. part in the Holy Supper in the evening). kronika. Vilnius. Jaargang 20-21. Golubeva, A. 1981: Horse graves from Oexle, J. 1984: Merowingerzeitliche Institutionalised ritual barrows in the north-east Russia from Pferdebestattungen – Opfer oder The character of graves testifies to a 8th–11th century. In: Soviet Archaeology 4 Beigaben ? In: Frühmittelalterliche complicated burying ritual. The form of (1981), in Russian. Studien, Band 18. grave and burying peculiarities (careful Hollack, E. 1908: Die Grabformen Pohl, W. 1991: Conceptions of ethnicity in ostpreußischer Gräberfelder. In: Early Medieval studies. In: Archaeologia burying of the horse in the small pit, Zeitschrift Ethnol, Bd.40, Heft 2. Polona, vol. 29:1991. definite situation of graves) give evidence Kovalevskij, V. 1956: The Book of Ibn Roesdahl, E. 1992: The Vikings. Penguin that burials were performed according to a Fadlan’s Journey to the Volga in 921- Books. certain ritual. Separate pits for offered animals in some of the Middle Lithuania cemeteries have testified that bloody rituals for mentioning of the dead took part there. Finally, on the one hand, the horse WANTS TO DNA TEST testifies supplying the dead with wealth, common in the surrounding society, on News the other hand the horse burials show the A VIKING QUEEN! bloody ritual at the grave. Great Were the two females found in the famous Oseberg-ship importance was namely attached to those in 1904 related, or was it a queen and her slave? rituals in Middle Lithuania. Often horse sacrifices were connected with a sacrificial The board of the Oslo university cultural historic museum – Vikingskipshuset meal establishing a communion among (Vikingshiphouse), wants to use modern DNA-analysis to solve the 100 year-old the participants. Considering the partial mystery. When the ship-grave was first discovered in 1904, remnants of two horse offerings (such as heads and skeletons were found. Both were female, one 60-70 years old and the other 24–40. forelegs) we could assume they were But ever since, the relation between the two women has never been made clear, offered for the gods. nor which of them could possibly be the queen. Today’s scientific methods could Evidently the sacrifices were linked to offer a solution and help determine if there is any relationship between the queen important occasions that helped to from the Oseberg ship and whoever her companion was. emphasis the cultural identity of local – We have referred to them as queen and slave all these years, but we don’t know society. It is something like an “ethnic if our interpretation is correct, says Arne Emil Christensen, archaeologist at the practice”, through the reiteration of the University’s cultural historical museum/Vikingshiphouse. – We know from historical sources that during the Viking Age people were ties that joined the members of sacrificed to follow their masters in death. We have an Arabian description of a community (Pohl 1991). The reality of Viking burial on the Volga river from the 10th century, which tells us how a slave that connection must be re-created by was sacrificed. From Denmark we have a Viking grave with two males, where one ritual activity in the everyday life of the of them had bound hands and had been decapitated. One of the females from the community. We could see a deliberate Oseberg ship could be such a sacrificed slave. But she could just as well be a selection of some rituals that build up the relative or family member. tradition. After the excavation in 1904 the remains of the two women were in storage for a long time, until they were brought back and reburied in Oseberg mound in * Translated from Russian text by 1948. – They were put in twin granite sarcophagi, says Christensen. – We don’t know author. whether the coffin was lead-lined for the sake of preservation. Both skeleton remains were fragmentary. The skeleton of one of the females was relatively complete and contained among other material, bones and knuckles with traces of About the author rheumatism and also the top part of the cranium. From the younger woman, the Mindaugas Berta˘sius, Dr. Department lower jaw was preserved with abrasion marks on the teeth from a metal toothpick, of Philosophy and Cultural Sciences possibly silver. To carry out the DNA- analysis the grave must be reopened. It is of at the Kaunas Technological course an open question if it is possible to obtain DNA from such old material, University. He has worked as an but it would be desirable. archaeologist for twenty years, mainly – Financing for the analyses still remains to be found. It shouldn’t be a problem in Kaunas region (Middle Lithuania), to localise and reopen the grave. If the DNA-analysis could give us a concrete has a research interest in archaeology answer, it would be a step on the way to answering who was buried together with of Viking-age and medieaval town our greatest national historical treasure, says Christensen. archaeology. Email: [email protected] Source: www.aftenposten.no

31 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 BLACKBIRD: A replica of the Gokstad Faering

Carving the stem. After rough cutting with a chain saw, we used various tools to remove the waste wood. We discovered this was and inappropriate use of a slick. Photo: Michael I. Stratton

By Michael I. Stratton supplying us with an original of this power tools, including a chain-saw, and publication. several more traditional tools, mainly Using the National Maritime Museum gouges, chisels and an adz. The difficulty in “I’d like to have a Viking boat”. Monograph, important components of the translating two dimensional photographs “Do you think we could build one?” faering were scaled-up from the original and drawings into a three dimensional “Sure, they did it a thousand years ago with drawings and diagrams. This was done by object proved quite challenging. In the end, hand tools. We can certainly build one with marking a grid on the drawing and two nearly identical stems were completed our modern tools!” transferring the measurements to a full size and attached to a keel made from a single grid to make a pattern. A two-dimensional length of 1 x 12 pine lumber. pattern was made for the carved stems, and Regarding the process of carving the With these few simple words and a patterns were made for each of the cross- stems, we can offer very little advice. It is a “mild” misconception about the complexity sections taken from the replica built by the task that has to be performed to be of these ancient boats, my friends and I set museum. understood. It would certainly help to out to build a replica of the Gokstad We decided to make two faerings. The examine an actual stem during the carving Faering. That was about two years ago, and first would be made from easily obtained process. we have just finished the planking and modern materials, while the second would moved her out of my garage. The time The lessons learned are: be made in a more “period” manner after between has been filled with a lot of we had a better understanding of how a discovery, training, problem solving, (1) Don’t use pine for the wooden block. It faering was built. frustration and huge amounts of has turned out to be very unsatisfactory for satisfaction! this purpose, tending to split along the We quickly found that a number of The first step was to construct the grain, which generally runs off of the stem people were interested in the project. Their carved stem pieces. Laminating five three at an angle. Thus far we have been able to skill range varied from those who had never foot long pine 2 x 12’s with marine grade repair these cracks with epoxy putty. picked up a woodworking tool to those that epoxy gave a wooden block thick enough (2) Have the people doing the carving were skilled carvers. None of us had ever for the stems. From these blocks the stems under constant supervision by someone built a boat, but there was a lot of were carved using a combination of modern with a thorough understanding of the three- enthusiasm for building this one. So, we forged ahead and now have an almost completed faering, which we call Positioning the “Blackbird”. cross-section We started by consulting two forms. The string publications, both unfortunately out of stretched print: between the bow Christensen, A. E. (1959) “Faeringen fra and stern was Gokstad”. Viking, 23: pp. 57-69. used to measure McGrail, Sean (1974) The Building and the correct Trials of the Replica of an Ancient Boat: distance for The Gokstad Faering. Part 1 Building the placement of the Replica. Maritime Monographs and forms. Other Reports, No. 11. National Maritime strings were used Museum, Greenwich, London. 59 pp. as plumbs to correctly mark the Had it not been for the National keel for Maritime Museum Monograph, I do not placement of the forms. believe we could have built this replica. We Photo: Michael I. are indebted to Mr. Bruce Blackistone, Stratton. founder of The Longship Co., Ltd, for http://viking.hgo.se 32 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03

With all of the strakes attached, Blackbird is ready for transport. Photo: Guy W. Tessum.

dimensional form you are trying to achieve. between the clamps and the strakes use of various tools, and learning how to Work with your carvers to insure they have permitted much closer fits because the use tools that no one in our group had ever an understanding of the object’s intended pressure could be applied exactly where used before. shape and purpose. Making a small model needed. Unfortunately this put tremendous Our original estimate of six to twelve or carving would probably facilitate this strain on the stems, which cracked in two months to complete the boat was wildly process. places. Epoxy was used to repair the splits. optimistic, given our lack of skills and (3) Realize this is where the most serious Currently all of the strakes are riveted in knowledge, and the unplanned interference mistakes will occur. However, they will not place. The remaining work is to install the of the everyday affairs of living in our work be so severe as to be insurmountable! ribs, install a top rail to hide the plywood schedule. Would we do it again? I do not edge, install the kabe, caulk the seams, and know of a member who would answer “no”. The completed stems were attached to apply a couple of coats of paint. An epoxy But perhaps the most important thing to the keel, and the top part of the "T" was paint will be used as the base coat to seal come from the Blackbird project is a fuller formed from a one inch thick board, the wood because she will be in and out of understanding and appreciation of the attached with glue and screws to the already the water frequently. absolute genius of those ancient laid keel. Cutting the cross-section patterns Although the original did not have Scandinavian people that designed and built from 3/4 inch plywood, we attached them evidence of a mast or sail, a removable mast such a magnificent boat. Even though to the keel. This gave a guide for cutting the is also planned. The first launching will be Blackbird is nearing completion, I still do correct bevel into the “T” with a block in the spring of 2004. not fully understand why she was designed plane. Cutting the bevel in this fashion will exactly that way. Perhaps, with a lot of set the angle for the first strake perfectly. The task that was started so easily is study and experience, I might come close to now nearing completion. It was definitely understanding in the future. Constructing a pattern for the strakes not what we expected. Almost half of the involved clamping a piece of masonite (a original time spent was in group discussions 1/8 inch thick fiberboard that is fairly – trying to understand the design and how flexible) against the keel and holding it to translate the plans into reality. A lot of tightly against the plywood cross-section time was spent teaching people the proper Viking Age Vessels is an organization forms. This usually required two people dedicated to building and operating with a third person marking where the Making the strake pattern from vessels of the Viking Age. Our strake should be at each form. “Connecting masonite. Photo: Guy W. Tessum. members study and practice the skills the dots” from each of the cross-section needed to achieve that end. We are forms with smooth curves formed the also available for demonstrations of pattern. After cutting the pattern, it was Viking boat-building and Viking life. again fitted against the keel and forms to VAV currently has a single chapter, insure a proper fit. VestRus Viking Ships. VestRus is Using the pattern, the strakes were easily group of persons interested in sailing cut from 3/8 inch thick exterior grade and building Viking boat replicas. Our plywood. Because the plywood was available geographic area is roughly Southeast only in eight foot lengths, each strake has Ohio, including parts of Kentucky and two scarf joints. The front and rear portions West Virginia, USA. Since we will be of the strake were first riveted in place and navigating on rivers and lakes, we the center section was added last. This are the Western Rus, or VestRus. The purpose of Vest Rus Viking permitted close fitting of the strakes against Ships is to promote, encourage and the stems. provide the opportunity for Because the stems were not correctly development of knowledge and skills shaped, attachment of the strakes directly in the building, sailing, and adjacent to the stem without a large gap maintenance of replicas of Viking Age between the strakes was frustrating. ships and boats of northern Europe. Improper stem shape required the strakes to be bent into multiple curves to obtain a For more information please visit our tight fit. Frustration mounted because the websites: clamps would not adequately pull the http://www.vikingagevessels.org or strakes together. http://www.vestrusvikingships.org Then it was discovered that using wedges

33 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03 International courses offered by Gotland University

Viking Archaeology and Lena using the total station Internet, and one involving practical Advanced Archaeological during the excavation 2003. training. Field Methodology, 10 points Photo: Tove Eriksson. A first part deals with human (15 ECTS) osteological theory and methodology, including practical training in the various Summer 2004 elements of the skeleton; physical and On the southwest shore of chemical characteristics; as well as Gotland in Fröjel parish, one of methods for the determination of sex, the island’s largest and most length, and age of death. Pathological important Viking-age harbour GIS (Geographical changes and activity marks on the and trading places has been Information System) and skeleton are presented. found. The site was swarming the use of digital techniques A second part provides knowledge of with activity over a period of for surveying, landscape animal osteological theory and 400–500 years. Along the reconstruction, methodology, and includes practical shoreline of Gotland some 60 documentation, training in determining the specific traits conceivable harbour places have photography, analysis, of the most common species in the been found, some are small presentation and Nordic fauna. Finally, a third part fishing hamlets and some are visualization using virtual concerns the specific problems of much larger, like Fröjel. reality and 3D modelling. osteological documentation at For several years, Gotland The overall aim is to give archaeological excavations, as well as University has been running a an introduction to the taphonomical processes, i.e. what happens research programme with the aim of Viking-age period and provide practical to human and animal skeletal material investigating this Viking port of trade. and circumstantial knowledge of advanced before and after it ends up in the ground, Contemporaneously with this research an archaeological and human geographical either from graves or settlements. international archaeological field course methodology. has been carried out. The aim of the The course is divided into two units; course is to investigate the social patterns the first unit begins with two weeks of The Viking Society – General Course, literature studies, followed by five weeks and physical structures of the site using 10 points (15 ECTS) advanced archaeological and human of practical field investigations combined geographical field methodology. with lectures. Spring and Fall 2004–2005 The harbour extends over an area of The second part is three weeks long This course is an introduction to the approximately 100,000 m2 and was used and focuses producing a paper on a Viking-age society and its development. from late 6th century to the end of 12th chosen theme connected to the course. The course is interdisciplinary and, century AD. So far, about 1500 m2 have The first two and last three weeks are through primary and secondary sources, been excavated and the excavation has Internet-based. analyses the Vikings and the Viking Age. produced a rough idea of how the The literature as well as teaching will It is divided in two main parts: Who were harbour developed and expanded. be in English. the Vikings? and The Viking Homelands. Remains of buildings have provided an The aim of the course is to diversify th th insight into the settlement pattern and Date: June 7 –August 15 (Week 24–33). the term Viking and an overarching view three different grave fields have also been of the Scandinavian Viking society located. The research at Fröjel intends to If you are interested in more through literature studies and chats. Issues throw light upon the development of the information concerning earlier excavations to be discussed are the physical remains Gotlandic society during the Viking Age. at Fröjel please visit our homepage at found in the landscape and theoretical Much emphasis is put on the use of http://frojel.hgo.se. Click on “join us”. issues such as social change and cultural interchange.

Students investigating a female grave. Photo: Introduction to osteology, 10 points Tove Eriksson. (15 ECTS Credits) For further information about the courses, prerequisites and Summer 2004 The course provides an introduction to downloadable application forms please the human skeleton and how relevant visit Gotland University’s homepage at information can be extracted from it, as www.hgo.se, click on “English pages”. well as knowledge of the skeletons of the most common mammals in the Nordic countries. Furthermore, knowledge regarding osteological documentation problems and taphonomical processes is offered. The course is divided into two units, a theoretical one, which is provided via the http://viking.hgo.se 34 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03

News The ancient mystery of the “Blond Eskimos” of the Arctic solved by DNA?

An ancient mystery of the Arctic may have been solved when caught up with the Inuit he was looking for. In his Journal he anthropologists from Iceland released their research results with wrote: “There were three men here whose beards are almost the DNA-material about the Inuit from the north of Canada, the same colour as mine and who look like typical so-called “Blond Eskimos”. Scandinavians… One woman has the delicate features one sees According to the Icelandic sagas, the Norse in Greenland in Scandinavian girls…” and so on. He also speculated about met people who belonged to different cultures. On the other the origin of these Inuit and thought they descended from hand the Inuit also tell legends of ancient meetings with people inhabitants of the Norse settlements, which had disappeared. from other cultures. The legends tell of Inuit, living in the Anthropologist Gisli Palsson from the University of Iceland central Arctic, with distinct European features like fair hair, in Reykjavik, with the help of anthropologist Agnar Helgason, beards and blue eyes. has now applied DNA-technology to Stefansson’s speculations. The Norse explorations westward from Greenland took During 2002 his team were in Greenland and in Cambridge place in the 9th and 10th centuries. By the 15th century all the Bay to gather saliva samples from 350 Inuit to compare them settlements mysteriously disappeared and the fate of the Norse with genetic markers known to have been prevalent in settlers is still unknown. One possibility is that they simply medieval Scandinavia. disappeared through mingling with the origin population. The samples have now been analysed and the preliminary The tantalizing stories about the “Blond Eskimos” originate finding negate the blond Inuit legend. The two scientists say from earliest Arctic explorations. To state one example, the that their DNA tests have now failed to find any evidence that famous Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson heard a rumour the Europeans mingled genetically with the Inuit. Helgason from a whaling captain about European-looking Eskimos says: –“Stefansson’s hypothesis doesn’t seem to be supported by living among the Cooper Inuit close to what we now call the data. But I wouldn’t want to give a final death certificate Cambrige Bay in Nunavut. Stefansson, who wished to become for Stefansson’s hypothesis at this point in time.” famous, took advantage of these rumours to raise funds for an expedition to the area. In the first decade of the last century he Source: CNEWS, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

35 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03

Föreställningar om det förflutna. English title: Images of the past.

It doesn’t very often happen that a several times in the usual manner, i.e. reconstructions, presents a number of modern doctoral thesis can be read like a underlining, comments in the margin and examples of reconstructions from the 17th so-called good book. One criterion for a attached notes. century up until 1964 when what is now good book is that you want to read it from In the introductory chapter, Archaeology called Lejre Forsøgscenter in Denmark was cover to cover at one sitting. Bodil and reconstruction, the author establishes founded. This centre has been used as a Petersson has succeeded in making good the structure of the thesis. This is based on model for many reconstructions in our literature of her doctoral thesis. This is my three perspectives: politics, knowledge and time. The author therefore allows the first and lasting impression. adventure, which correspond to the centre’s establishment to act as a link to the Besides a feeling for style and a superb three following chapters, which are based use of language, naturally the choice of on thematic perspectives. subject adds to this impression. To quote the blurb on the back cover: “Never has the Seen from a political perspective, the Written by Bodil Petersson interest in creating milieus from the past Viking Age is used to create an identity for Published by Nordic Academic been as great as it is now. Viking villages are the Nordic countries vis à vis Europe and Press, Lund, Sweden, 2003. springing up in several places and the the EU. Vikings and the Viking Age are Academic thesis. number of medieval markets is increasing often seen as a common Nordic affair but ISBN 91-89116-48-8 all the time. Even Stone-, Bronze- and Iron- at the same time the Viking is extremely age settlements and milieu are now being nationalised. In Denmark the nation- and reawakened. Behind this expanding boat-builder is prominent, in Norway the phenomenon, a combination of research seafarer and adventurer, and in Sweden, the ambition and a desire to spread this concepts of reconstruction, experiment and businessman and trader. According to the knowledge to the general public is bringing to life where the latter two are sub- author the national Viking can be roughly flourishing”. types of the overall reconstruction concept. classified in these terms, which is clearly That this really is an expanding field is Unfortunately here we encounter a manifested in the world of reconstructions. evident from the more than three hundred divergence from the strict trinity in the It is interesting that the national image objects on the list of reconstructions of lost concept organisation. of the Viking Age repeats itself in the objects and environments in the Reconstruction can mean both choice of world heritages in each respective Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Norway recreating in general as well as building country: the Jelling monument and and Sweden. The author herself admits that specific objects and milieu. This leads to a Roskilde cathedral emphasize Denmark as a the list included in the thesis appendix is certain terminological muddle. In terms of consummate nation with royal continuity, not complete and needs to be updated with what has been reconstructed and where this Urnes stave church stands for the genuine new objects, as they appear each year. has been studied, we return once again to a Norwegian, while the Swedish world harmonious triad. The answers are: heritage sites, Birka-Adelsö and Visby, focus In order to examine the critical aspects buildings, transportation and happenings in clearly on trading contacts to the east and connected with the subject of Denmark, Norway and Sweden respectively. south far beyond the Baltic region. reconstruction, the thesis must be read The following chapter, Stories of the The regional identity reflects different

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For further information contact: Luella Godman E-mail: [email protected]

http://viking.hgo.se 36 Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03

New Arkeologi och rekonstruktion. book! Archaeology and reconstruction

political aims. Hjemsteds Oldtidspark in Öland and reconstructions of Viking-age humanistic tradition wishes to understand Sønderjylland lies in a part of Denmark boats. the conditions people lived under and how that belonged to Germany from 1864 to Here the discussion has followed two they acted in the past. In reconstruction, an 1920. The area has a strong national different lines of learning: a scientific and a attempt is made to present living significance partly due to the defeat in humanistic. The conditions of the past. 1864, and partly because the place became Time travel adventure is the third chapter important as a symbol in 1920 when the with a thematic perspective. Using country was reunited. Hjemsteds reconstruction as a means of Oldtidspark serves as a marker of the conveyance, the trip combines border country’s alliance with the nation. time and space, providing an In southwestern Norway with Stavanger inner journey simultaneously. The as its centre lies Rogaland, which is transportation is physically, designated in tourist brochures as an area of mentally and time-related all at the national interest. Even here the national same time. It is possible to roughly and regional identity work together. But in divide the reconstructions into three the long, regionally divided Norway there is categories: buildings, transport and a need for balance, which is represented in happenings. The author’s aim in this case by Borg in Lofoten. Here Borg is making the division is to show that presented as a power centre for the mighty each category provides its own special chieftains of North Norway with their framing of the journey in time. contacts in Europe. Reconstructions reflect their era. The In Sweden the border areas of Gotland longing, visions and dreams that can be and Scania stand out as strong regional found in a period are distinctly expressed identities. Contrary to Sønderjylland and in our images of the past. Bodil Petersson Rogaland, regionalism is presented in has, in an excellent way, described and opposition to the central Swedish analysed the way we handle our central power, which is made manifest relationship with and how we use the time in Medieval Week on Gotland and the that has been – our past. reconstruction of the Viking-age ring fortress at Trelleborg. By Sven-Olof Lindquist, scientific In the chapter, Dimensions of knowledge, focuses on methods, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Human Geography, Centre for Baltic Studies, there is an exciting discussion concerning controlled experiments that can be Gotland University. the value of reconstructions in terms of repeated, and artefacts. The humanistic science and conveying knowledge. The puts the emphasis on happenings, like discussion is centred on Eketorps fort on residence, living and travelling. The

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37 http://viking.hgo.se Viking Heritage Magazine 4/03

V king Heritage Heritage News magazine

The ultimate forum for all those Swedish schools receive multi- interested in Vikings and the Viking Age! Viking Heritage Magazine, Centre for Baltic Studies, media CD about the Viking Age Gotland University, Cramérgatan 3, 621 67 Visby, Sweden. The Swedish Museum of National the Internet and the museum’s website in Tel. +46 498 29 97 43, +46 29 98 30, Antiquities in Stockholm has recently contrary to the previous one (Birka of the Fax +46 498 29 98 92 distributed a multimedia compact disc, Vikings). [email protected] http://viking.hgo.se “Vikingarnas tid” (trans. Viking Age) to In order to further assist teachers, the Gotland University: http://www.hgo.se Swedish elementary and secondary museum’s Internet educational advisor has schools. The CD is based on the material developed a Web-based guide for the Publisher and Editor-in-chief from the museum’s exhibition “Vikingar”, teachers (see Dan Carlsson, [email protected] (trans. Vikings) that opened in 2001, and http://www.historiska.se/vikingar). The Editor is produced by the museum with financial guide shows the teacher how to use the Marita E Ekman, [email protected] assistance from Fortum (a leading electric CD in the classroom, for example in Editorial staff this issue energy company in the Nordic countries). different themes. Peter D’agnan. – Our hope is that the CD will – We are happy to be able to support Language and translation check become an aid in teaching about the history teaching in school and see this as Luella Godman, Viking Age by supplying the teachers with an important element of our community [email protected] texts, illustrations and films, says Kristian efforts, says Merril Boman, Fortum’s Berg, head of the museum. This is the trademark manager. Of course it is a great Subscriptions second CD we send out free to schools, delight for us to cooperate with the Subscription rate, four issues Sweden 200 SEK and the previous CD “Vikingarnas Birka” Museum of National Antiquities in giving Denmark, Finland, Norway and the Baltic (trans. Birka of the Vikings) was very away this complete multimedia compact countries 210 SEK appreciated. disk to the schools. Other countries 250 SEK

The CD is the basis for problem and The work with the CD is a part of the As a new subscriber you will receive the pupil-oriented, multidisciplinary teaching. museum’s aim to reach more public guidebook, Follow the Vikings. Highlights of The material consists of texts, maps, groups through different media. Thanks the Viking World, as a special gift. This book contains 50 of the most important pictures and films together with a to digital media technology the entire destinations in different countries, selected by searchable database containing almost country can access the museum’s an international group of archaeologist and is 2000 artefacts. The pupils can, for collection and exhibitions. The CD also richly illustrated in full colour. instance, learn how runestone carving was doubles as a digital exhibition catalogue Subscription conditions done, or about various Viking routes. The for the visitors. For orders outside Scandinavia we can “Viking Age” CD can be installed on the Source: Statens Historiska Museum, The only accept payment in advance by computer’s hard drive, and upgraded over Museum of National Antiquities credit card (VISA, Mastercard, Eurocard). Within Scandinavia orders can be sent by mail order or payment in advance by credit card. A letter to our readers Subscription information What size were East-going ships? [email protected] Tel. +46 498 29 98 29, +46 498 29 97 43 “In July 2003 , when we displayed our small ship, Viking Plym (11 m) in St http://viking.hgo.se Petersburg (see VHM 3/2003) we told all visitors that her size is historically Advertising correct, in that they had to be small to be hauled on land past Russian rapids. Luella Godman, But some sources tell that they might have been a bit bigger than this – at least [email protected] travelling as far as the Neva entrance. Perhaps the Svea Vikings arrived in ledung Viking Heritage [email protected] ships? If a “hundare” had to man four ships as we are told in our sources, Layout and printed meaning 25 men onboard, a ledung ship must have been 12–15 m long. by Godrings Tryckeri, Visby, If they arrived in these ships they would have had to change to smaller ones for Sweden 2003 the river part of the voyage. This possibility is mentioned in literature. ISSN 1403-7319 And now my question: Have ships of this size been found anywhere – and if not WHY?” Please answer to Carl Norberg [email protected] This project is co-financed by the EU-programme For further info www.vikingplym.org Interreg IIIB Baltic Sea Region.

http://viking.hgo.se 38 VIKINGTHE AGE

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K. NORMAN Est. 1979 SE-930 15 BUREÅ SWEDEN phone +46 910 78 19 88 • fax +46 910 78 19 98 www.guldriket.se 9

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Western Viking Route. e Golden Vanes • The North Atlantic The Mammen style from West Viking Age glass beads (five , s n d e Inspiring guidebook to Viking

l Viking Heritage Resources • Masculine Pomerania • Vikings in Russia: articles) • Cultural transmission r d d i places in the west. Richly o – Feminine – Human – about a Viking- Military Affairs part 1 • Ukranenland • Children’s graves • Destination s n w e a age grave-field • Transvestite Vikings? • Philatelic Vikings • Golden Vanes Viking Saga Landscapes and Saga illustrated in full colour, 184 • A Viking-age Tumour • Kaupang • Vikings in Melbourne Routes • Trondarnes • The Orkney pages. Price: SEK 100 per copy Islands • Tablet Weaving B All issues from 2000 are now available

Issues from 2000-2002 SEK 50 per copy All prices include taxes. Postage will Prices: be added. We can only accept

Issues from 1997-1999 SEK 25 per copy payment in advance by credit card. For orders that include all available back issues we offer 25% discount. Checks are not accepted. ✄

COPIES 1/2001 2/2001 3/2001 4/2001

1/2002 2/2002 3/2002 4/2002

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Visa/Mastercard/Eurocard number Expiry date Gotland Heritage, Viking to this order Send Sweden Visby, SE-621 67 University, +46 498 29 98 92, Fax: E-mail: [email protected] Yes