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Several Vikings sealed up leaks in their longboat
using a traditional mix of wool and tar as caulking
material. Hard at work in the wind whipped ancient
Danish capital of Roskilde, the stout and serious
men looked as though they would prefer to be
charging into battle, savagely wielding axes and
sharp swords, rather then focusing on the mundane
repair work. However the care on their Drakkar
skippe, Dragon boat, was necessary. Winter was
slowly shedding its cold mantle and the sailing
season would be coming soon –– they had to be ready.
For well over 300 years the sight of the long sleek
warships, with Dragon neck prows, striped square
sails, and fighting shields hanging from the
gunnels, struck fear and panic into the hearts of
the English, Irish, Scots and other enemies of the
Norse raiders.
The fierce Vikings, who attacked with speed and
ferocity, introduced the word berserk into
the English vocabulary, representing the frenzied
fighting of their own shock troop of berserkrs.
The Old Norse word berserkr, comes from the
bear skin shirts the warriors wore to distinguish
themselves in combat. Although some experts say it
had more to do with their manic actions in battle,
not their manner of dress.
Some leading authorities in the field have suggested
that the manic and battle crazy actions of the
berserkers were possibly brought on by several
reasons. Those reasons vary from their alcohol being
spiked with bog myrtle, to spirit possession,
ingestion of magic mushrooms or other psychotropic
stimulants, or even that the berserkers might
have been bi-polar.
Bi-polar or not, the marauding Vikings of the 8th,
9th and 10th centuries who
contributed much to the history of the region also
contributed to the prayers of the English –– in
Latin no less. Intoning the phrase A furore
normannorum libera nos dominethey pleaded to the
Almighty, “From the fury of the Northmen deliver us,
O Lord!”
However, for several hundred years it didn’t seem to
help. God, as far as everyone in Minnesota knows
during football season, is always on the side of the
Vikings. Oh, and in case you’re wondering… bog
myrtle is a plant that grows in bogs. Traditionally,
it has been used as an insect repellant, to treat
acne, and briefly in the 1500s as a flavoring in
beer.
Today, the Vikings are confined to the
historical sight of longboats in the Roskilde Fjord,
which brings joy to the army of visitors who make
the short bus trip –– or even shorter train ride ––
out of Copenhagen to visit the interactive Viking
museum in the picturesque and quite town.
Roskilde was also recently discovered as the
original capital of the country Denmark. Its unique
brick cathedral holds the interred remains of a
millennium of Danish royals, 37 in fact.
In addition, Roskilde serves as the site of one of
Europe’s largest and some say, raucous annual
four-day Rock Festival. The late June outdoor
festival that originated in 1971 features top named
performers and bands as well as regional talent in a
program that rivals the best of Woodstock, the
three-day outdoor concert held in the late 60s in
upstate New York. Woodstock became three days of
some of the best music to come out of that era; it
also became “three days of searching for a place to
pee.”
The Roskilde Rock Festival, with its own unique
stamp and flavor, carries on the legacy of Woodstock
and other notable festivals, it also shares the same
problems associated with large outdoor venues;
overcrowding and limited facilities.
But we weren’t there for the festival
and we weren’t there in June. This trip was in
mid-April and we were there to visit the Vikings
instead, to learn something of their boat building
techniques, and to see how they went about their
daily lives with thoughts of pillaging dancing
through their heads.
Visitors are delighted to dress up in the
traditional Viking garb, complete with wool cloak,
chain mail armor, and metal helmet (without horns
because there’s no proof Vikings ever really wore
horned helmets). Tourists also have the chance to
pick up a real battle-axe, wooden shield, or
authentic sword at the Viking Museum in Roskilde.
In the warmer summer months visitors can even sail
in a detailed replica of the legendary longboats,
but unlike non-Vikings in the past, tourists can
happily leave when they wish.
A visit to the Viking Museum and its grounds also
gets you acquainted with contributions of the Old
Norse, such as the fact that four of the seven days
of the week are named in honor of Viking lore.
Tuesday named after Tyr, god of single combat
and heroic glory; Wednesday for Wodin or
Odin, the chief god who welcomes warriors to
Valhalla; Thursday for Thor, god of Thunder;
and Friday for Frigg or Frigga,
goddess of love and fertility. Frigga was
Odin’s first wife, a historical hottie.
Besides learning the extraordinary boat building
skills that allowed the Vikings to sail the world’s
oceans and seas, you also discover words that came
from the Vikings like ‘law’. The word ‘by-law’
pertained to laws in villages or towns (‘By’
being the word for village or town). You also learn
that Vikings introduced the concept of a jury, which
they called a Ting, where twelve people could
decide the fate of an accused in a public trial.
On the other hand they also subscribed to the
principal of Holmgang –– a duel where to win
the fight meant the gods were on your side. Today,
we call it painful party politics, and while some
politicians in expensive suits are well groomed,
perfumed, and coifed, it’s plain to see at times
they can be berserk and sinister as well.
You can get all this experience and more for a
nominal price of admission at the Viking Museum in
Roskilde, Demark.
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