Viking aesthetics

Meghan and I took a trip down the Oslo Fjord a little ways, past Frogner where all the "posh" people live, to the Viking Ship Museum and the Folk History Museum on Saturday. I've been reading tons about the two ships that are housed in the museum - the Oesburg and the Gokstad. Both were built in the 800s and they symbolize the Viking spirit of Norway.

Gokstad ship

The Gokstad is probably the most famous and created a little bit of a stir in the 1880s when it was excavated. The Norwegian government (in its sophomoric state of independence from Denmark) had no laws governing archeological finds. The farmer whose land the ship was buried in was out for the highest price and if it weren't for a wealthy Norwegian philanthropist, the long boat may have left Norwegian soil for good. Laws were put in place quickly after this incident to maintain Norsk heritage.

The boat itself was found in pretty great shape, as it had by buried under blue clay, preserving the wood from moisture. Viking kings were often buried with their ships in mounds with close views to the sea. The majority of these mounds were looted by grave-robbers or collapsed when the wood rotted. Gokstad is among the largest of these boats and was found with 64 shields in its hull. There are spaces for 32 oars. This king was unusually wealthy and sailed with a double crew. Thirty two men slept while the others rowed.

Detail of the ribs of the Gokstad

Long boats themselves are amazing innovations for the time. They are extremely shallow, allowing them to work further up rivers. They are easily beached and launched, making raiding a quick and efficient process. The English world was not ready for the Vikings with this new technology, and had relied heavily on inland protections from foreign marauders - an idea that these long boats made obsolete. On top of that, chieftains often owned many more than one boat in their fleet and would lash them together in lines to fight on sea. The whole concept is fascinating to me and definitely lends insight into how the north trade routes functioned.

Oesburg ship

The Oesburg has a little different history. The ship was a burial site for a Viking queen - most likely Queen Åsa - and there were two women found in the remains. There is, of course, a lot of mystery surrounding the identity of each woman. What is remarkable about this ship is the amount of daily items that were found accompanying the bodies. This find alone has informed what life in the 800s was like for Vikings and other northern tribes.

There was a belief in the afterlife for these people, so many were buried with objects that would aid them with travel. This included oxen, horses, sleighs (sledges), and food. The Oesburg ship was found with all sorts of food preparation items and tools - axes, shovels, etc. - giving a clear picture of the technologies of the day.

A sledge found with the Oesburg

The most fascinating part for me was the fact that these ships were built without any measuring tools or plans, using a seemingly haphazard shipwright approach called clinker building. All adjustments were made by eye and the tools used were far from precise (nothing at all resembling a plane or drill). Yet, the ships upon completion were beautiful - still are, even after hundreds of years underground - and among the fastest in the world. A replica of the Gokstad was made in the 1880s for the World's Fair in Chicago. Granted the creator took some liberties in his design, the ship sailed from Norway to Chicago in less than a month, reaching speeds of close to 20 knots in open ocean.

It's an unlikely feat, even by today's standards, but gives credence to the capabilities of the Vikings to raid and terrorize England for so long.

All of this history (even if just a snapshot from a few short years in the late 800s) lends me some insight into the collective mind of Norwegians. It's been said that Norwegians gained their psychological and sociological views from interaction with the sometimes harsh and unforgiving landscape that surrounds them. They have been forced to make everything for themselves, until very recently - their clothes, their tools, their homes, their music and their art - and that this self-reliance has fostered a sense of pride in individual aesthetics and duty. There is a sense in Norway that everything has been hand-crafted and fine tuned - that each line has been contemplated and every curve was manipulated with an intent. It's a very palpable sense when you walk around the older sections of Oslo, or look at the ship yards around Aker Bryyge.

Politics and foreign affairs have followed this mindset, with the understanding that the self should govern the self (not a central power or authoritative control) simply because the individual knows whats best for them. That each should share their wealth in times of abundance because we all share our poverty in lean times. There is an idea that countries with better weather and, consequently, more idle populations have the leisure to create drama in political realms and the time to create struggles for power - the opposite of the wants of Norsk farmers.

More on this topic to come.