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Entrance
Overview
1. The Silver Route – From Bagdad to Teisen
2. The Viking World in a Single Treasure
3. Treasures from Charlemagne’s Empire
4. Long-distance Luxury
5. Oval Brooches – Typically Scandinavian
6. From Sword Belt to Brooch
7. An Exceptional Spur
8. The Gjermundbu Helmet
9. Chainmail from Gjermundbu
10. Horse and Warrior
11. The Sword – Warrior’s Jewellery
12. The Broken Sword
13. Spears for Battle
14. A Female Warrior?
15. ‘Murdered’ Weapons
16. The Sword from Langeid
17. From Ship’s Prow to Church Spire
18. A Royal Coin Hoard
19. From Thor’s Hammer to Christian Cross
20. Gunnvor Built a Bridge
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C1143a
C1140
C1138 C1143b
C1139
C1141
C1137 C1142
1. The Silver Route – From Bagdad to Teisen
This silver hoard from the 900s was found in 1844 at Teisen Farm in Oslo. It consists of
seven silver arm rings, pieces of hack-silver and Arabian and Persian coins from areas
now in Iraq and Iran. The arm rings were probably made of silver that was melted down
from coins like these.
Hacked-up bits of silver ingots, jewellery and coins were used as means of payment in
the time before coins were minted in Norway. The Vikings who engaged in international
trade eastward were paid with silver coins, and large amounts of silver arrived in
Scandinavia.
C1137–C1143 and coins, silver hoard from Teisen in Oslo. Dating: Deposited after 919.
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2. The Viking World in a Single Treasure
In the summer of 1834, a tenant farmer was working on Nedre Hon Farm in Øvre Eiker,
Buskerud. He was digging drainage ditches when he suddenly unearthed Norway’s
largest gold hoard from the Viking Age.
The Hon Hoard is a unique collection of treasures: large gold rings, Frankish gold jewel-
lery, Arabian coins, colourful beads, a Roman gemstone, and an English ring. The hoard
is a reflection of Viking journeys and contacts, from the Caliphate in the east to England
in the west.
From left: C719-C723, C725-C729, C738-C751, C13451-C13452, C14473-C14474, C14616-C14617
and coins, from Hon, Øvre Eiker in Buskerud. Dating: 875–900.
.
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3. Treasures from Charlemagne’s Empire
Several gold objects from the Hon Hoard were made in the Carolingian Empire in about
800. This large gold brooch originally adorned a warrior’s sword belt, or bandolier. Its
shape and exquisite craftsmanship indicate that it was once used at the Carolinian court.
It was later made into a brooch in Norway.
Powerful Scandinavians were attracted to ideas and objects from many places. They
sought to emulate the culture of the royal European elites.
C724, C730-C737 and coins, from Hon, Øvre Eiker in Buskerud. Dating: 875-900.
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C57043/12
C18116
C3762
C19364 C646
C6185
C758
C30540
C20519 C1773
C15811
4. Long-distance Luxury
These pieces were made in the British Isles in the 700s. Many were originally used as
decorative mounts on sacred objects used in churches, for instance on books and reli-
quaries. In Scandinavia, these types of objects are usually found in women’s graves and
have been refashioned into brooches.
They are evidence of the early Viking raids. When the Scandinavian Vikings first arrived
in the British Isles, they attacked churches and monasteries. These places were often
undefended and were easy to overwhelm.
Objects in the exhibition. All objects were produced in the British Isles in the 700s. The dates given
indicate the dates of the find in Norway.
From left: C3762, mount from Øvre Eiker in Buskerud, dated to 850–950; C57043/12, mount from
Larvik in Vestfold, dated to ca. 950; C18116, mount of copper alloy, Lom in Oppland, dated to the
Viking Age; C6185, mount from Sunndal in Møre og Romsdal, dated to 900s; C19364,mount from
Lindesnes in Vest-Agder, dated to 900–950; C758, ring-brooch from Snåsa in Trøndelag, dated to
900s; C646, mount from Oppdal in Trøndelag, dated to 900s; C30540, mount from Valle in Aust-
Agder, dated to the Viking Age; C20519 a, mount from Kongsberg in Buskerud, dated to 800–850;
C15811, mount from Skedsmo in Akershus, dated to 825–900; C1773, mount from Farsund in
Vest-Agder. Dated to 800–850.
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C92ab C17828ab
C1724ab
C29905ab C5305ab
5. Oval Brooches – Typically Scandinavian
Oval brooches are the most common type of brooch from the Viking Age and are often
found in pairs. They were used to fasten the straps on a woman’s suspended dress
(dress with shoulder straps), with one on each side, just below the shoulders. This is the
best-known dress for Scandinavian women in the Viking Age.
The brooches are found throughout Scandinavia and also in areas where Scandinavians
settled, from Russia in the east to England in the west. Ornamentation styles changed
over time and reflect trends in jewellery design.
Oval brooches. C92 a, b (type R657), from Morstad in Oppland, dated to 850–900; C17828 a, b (type
JP 23), from Bjerke in Vestfold, dated to 800–850; C1724 a, b (R655), from Tinglem in Nord-Trøn-
delag, dated to 950–1000; C29905 a, b (type Berdal), from Lerberg in Buskerud, dated to 800–850;
C5305 a, b (type R655), from Haugen in Vestfold. Dated to 950–1000.
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C1095
C18007 C4730
C6743
C12767
C23113b
C10573
C19097
C5073
C11414
6. From Sword Belt to Brooch
Brooches with a characteristic triangular shape are called trefoil brooches. They were
worn by women on the front of their clothing. Trefoil brooches reveal how Scandinavian
craftsmen absorbed foreign impulses and incorporated them into their own visual
language.
Scandinavian trefoil brooches were modelled on Frankish sword-belt mounts from the
800s. In pictures of Charlemagne’s court, we see that the king’s warriors had three-
armed mounts on their weapon belts. An elaborate example in gold was part of the Hon
Hoard (see case no. 2). The ornamentation on the brooches developed from Frankish-
inspired geometrical designs to a pure Scandinavian animal-art style.
Trefoil brooches. From left: C5073, from Eidsvoll in Akershus, dated to 900–950; C23113 b, from
Vadsø in Finnmark, dated to 900–950; C11414, from Nome in Telemark, dated to 900–950; C19097
(type JP 103), from an unknown farm in Hedmark, dated to 900–950; C6743 (type JP 108), from Lom
in Oppland, dated to 900–950; C10537 (type JP 107), from Vågå in Oppland,
dated to 900–950; C18007 (type JP 105), from Larvik in Vestfold, dated to 900–950; C12767, from
Gran in Oppland, dated to 1000–1050; C4730 (type JP 98), from an unknown find spot, dated to the
900s; C1095 (type JP 90), from Elverum in Hedmark. Dated to 900–950.
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C5906
C22406
C5905
7. An Exceptional Spur
This gold spur was found in 1887 on Rød farm, during ploughing, along with a strap
mount from the same spur. 30 years later a second mount was found in the same field.
There were no traces of a grave or a second spur. Spurs are fastened to boots with
leather straps and used to control a horse while riding.
The gold spur is the only one of its kind from Viking-Age Scandinavia. Its intricate
ornamentation is made of gold filigree and soldiered granules and depicts animals and
patterns in the Borre style. It was probably made by a Scandinavian goldsmith in the
latter half of the 900s.
C5905, C5906, C 22406, gold spur and strap mounts from Rygge in Østfold. Dated to the 900s.
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8. The Gjermundbu Helmet
This helmet from Gjermundbu Farm is the best-preserved Viking helmet in the world.
It was found in a well-furnished man’s grave that also contained a chain-mail shirt
(Showcase 9), a sword, two spears, two axes, a shield, riding gear, gaming pieces and
equipment for making food. The man who was buried had belonged to an elite group of
equestrian warriors.
The helmet was deliberately destroyed in connection with the funeral – it was pierced
with the spears that lay in the grave – one stab from each.
C27317 k, iron helmet from Gjermundbu, Buskerud. Dated to the latter half of the 900s.
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9. Chainmail from Gjermundbu
This chainmail comes from the same grave as the Viking helmet (Showcase 8). It was
found in many small pieces and only some fragments are displayed here. About 25,000
metal rings survive. This corresponds to the better part of the original shirt, which would
have weighed between 8 and 10 kg.
The process of making chainmail was time-consuming and could take up to half a year.
One chainmail shirt cost as much as a shield, spear, sword and helmet combined. This
type of armour was reserved for professional warriors and other elites in the Viking Age.
C27317, iron chainmail from Gjermundbu in Buskerud. Dated to latter half of the 900s.
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10. Horse and Warrior
This uncommonly fine horse bridle comes from a rich ship grave from the early 900s that
was found in 1851 at Borre in Vestfold. The deceased man was also buried with other
pieces of riding equipment and three horses. Horses had high status in the Viking Age.
The small mounts fastened to the leather straps are made of bronze covered with a thin
layer of gold. The rich ornamentation, with mythic animals, face masks and braided pat-
terns, is in the Borre style, a name derived from these particular finds. The style is typical
for Viking art from the end of the 800s and throughout the 900s.
Object in the exhibition: C1804, bridle from Borre in Vestfold. Dated to the 900s.
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C20317
C28352
C257
C24217 C11014
11. The Sword – Warrior’s Jewellery
Some swords from the Viking Age are especially elaborate. Over 3,000 swords from
the Viking Age have been found in Norway, and most were discovered in graves along
with other weapons. The swords vary from simple home-forged blades to foreign-made
ornated blades with intricate patterns and hilts decorated with precious metal. Swords
with the inscriptions VLFBERHT or INGELRII probably came from workshops in southern
Germany. The inscriptions could be like trademarks. The Old Norse myths tell of swords
made by dwarves and which possessed magical power. The sagas tell of mighty swords
passed down from one generation to the next.
From left: Swords. C24217 a (type C), from Risvold in Telemark dated to 800-850; C28352 a (type T),
from Momrak in Telemark dated to 950-1000; C20317 a (type 1), from Steinsvik in Nordland dated to
ca. 800; C257 (type R), from Hedmark dated to the 900s; C11014 (type K), from Kilde in Hedmark.
Dated to the 800s.
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12. The Broken Sword
This sword was bent and destroyed before being buried as a grave gift. It is not a unique
case. Many swords found in Viking Age graves are broken, bent or folded together and
show signs of being subjected to hard blows and other violent damage. The destruction
was deliberate.
Viking burial rituals reflect complex ideas about life, death and the afterlife. Perhaps
‘weapon killing’ was part of a ritual connected to the transition from the world of the living
to the world of the dead, where the dangerous power of the sword had to be destroyed?
C15888, sword (type R), from Vold in Hedmark. Dated to 900s.
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C115
C24244b
C15917 C29878b C29700d C5613
C4294
13. Spears for Battle
The spear was one of the warrior’s most important weapons. Spears vary in both form
and size. Most spears found in Viking Age graves were used for stabbing, but some slim
and light spears may have been thrown.
When armies clashed and frontlines stood face-to-face on the battlefield, spears were
the weapons of choice. With a length of over two metres, they had a greater range than
swords and axes.
In Old Norse mythology, spears are associated with the war god Odin. When his spear
Gungnir is thrown, it never misses its mark.
From left: C15917, spear (type D2/G), from Garder in Akershus, dated to 950–1000; C24244b, spear
(type F), from Argehovd in Telemark dated to 825–950; C29878 b, spear (type M), from Bøen in
Telemark dated to 975–1075; C4294, spear (type E,) from Kaupang in Vestfold, dated to 825–925;
C29700 d, spear (type K), from Maarem in Telemark, dated to 900s; C115, spear (type K), from Ås in
Hedmark dated to 900; C5613, spear (type G), from Alsøy in Nordland. Dated to 950–1000.
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14. A Female Warrior?
This woman was buried with a sword, spear, battle axe and arrows at Nordre Kjølen Farm
in Solør. Her skeleton shows that she was about 155 cm tall and 18 or 19 years old when
she died.
When archaeologists find graves with weapons, they usually assume that the people
buried in the graves are men. But few graves have preserved skeletal material that can
reveal a person’s sex, so this assumption is difficult to prove or refute.
The woman from Solør could have been a female warrior, but the weapons could also
have been symbols of her role in the family or local community.
C22541 a–g, grave finds from Nordre Kjølen, Solør. Dated to the latter half of the 900s.
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C13772
C16161
C2292
C16159
C13771
15. ‘Murdered’ Weapons
The shield bosses shown here were hacked with axes and pierced with spears.
They were deliberately ‘killed’ before being burned and buried with the dead.
The idea of destroying weapons at a funeral could be compared with sacrificing animals.
The Vikings may have understood it as a process of liberation that ensured that the dead
and their grave goods entered the afterlife (see also Showcase 12).
C2292, shield boss from Bleken in Oppland, dated to 975–1025; C13771 and C13772, shield boss
and spear from Ås in Akershus, dated to 850–950; C16159 and C16161, shield boss and axe from
Teige in Buskerud. Dated to 975–1000.
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16. The Sword from Langeid
This ornate sword from the first half of the 1000s bears witness of the time when the
Vikings’ world was ending and the Christian Middle Ages were beginning. It was found
at Langeid Farm in Aust-Agder.
The decoration on the hilt is partly made of gold edged with copper wire, and partly of
silver. Silver wire is wrapped around the grip. The inscription in Latin letters is difficult to
interpret, but could be an abbreviation of a verse from the Bible or a prayer. The crosses
on the hilt are also Christian motifs. This sword, loaded with Christian symbolism, was
laid in a pagan grave.
C 58882/3, sword (type Æ) with inlays of gold, silver and copper, from Langeid in Aust-Agder. Dated
to first half of 1000s.
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17. From Ship’s Prow to Church Spire
This weathervane from Heggen Church had an earlier life as a decoration atop a ship.
There are only four such weathervanes preserved in Norway. This is the oldest, made in
the mid-1000s.
The Old Norse sagas tell of golden weathervanes mounted on the prows of warships.
When people saw them glinting in the sunlight, they knew a chieftain or a king was
approaching. The weathervanes were later removed and placed on medieval churches.
C23602, ship’s vane, gilded copper alloy, from Heggen Church, Buskerud, Dated to 1000–1050.
.
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18. A Royal Coin Hoard
In 1836 this hoard was found by a farmer under a large stone at Årstad Farm, near
Egersund. The stone hid over 1, 900 coins and coin fragments, many from the time when
Canute the Great was king of England.
In 1028 the Anglo-Danish king paid powerful Norwegian chieftains large amounts of An-
glo-Saxon silver coins in return for their support in fighting against King Olav Haraldsson
at the battle of Stiklestad in 1030. The Årstad Hoard could be part of this payout.
Objects in the exhibition: Silver coin hoard from Årstad, Rogaland. Buried after 1028.
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C59717
C60592
C60421
C52517/
2458 C59393
C21858e
C2076
C13216
C36000f
C5454 - 5463
C57025/1-8
C59443
C2930
19. From Thor’s Hammer to Christian Cross
The pieces in this showcase were made between 800 and 1100. They tell of how beliefs
changed in the course of the Viking Age.
For many people, Thor’s hammer symbolizes the Old Norse religion. The main attribute
of the god Thor is his hammer Mjølner, which he uses to maintain order in the world.
Pendants with the symbol of the Christian cross have been used in Norway since the
late Viking Age. The oldest form, with four equal-length arms tipped with ‘wings’, is often
called a Saint Cuthbert’s cross, after the Celtic saint from the 600s.
From top left: C59717, silver Thor’s hammer from Hovin, Akershus; C60421, silver Thor’s hammer
from Gislevold, Akershus; C52517/2458, Thor’s hammer, from Kaupang, Vestfold; C60592, silver
Thor’s hammer from Eidanger, Telemark; C21858 e, silver Thor’s hammer from Tråen, Buskerud;
C13216, Thor’s hammer from Huse, Hedmark; C59393, silver Thor’s hammer from Ven, Hedmark;
C2076, copper cross from Vardø, Finnmark; C5456–C5457, C5461 pendants and beads from Vær-
dal, Nord-Trøndelag; C2930, silver cross from Kroken, Aust-Agder; C59443, copper cross from Er-
stad, Oppland; C57025/1–8, silver cross and beads from Kaupang, Vestfold; C36000 f, pendant of
gold from Slemmedal, Aust-Agder. Dating: ca. 800–1100.
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20. Gunnvor Built a Bridge
“Gunnvor, Trydrik’s daughter, made the bridge in memory of her daughter Astrid. She was
the handiest maiden in Hadeland.”
This is the meaning of the inscription on the runestone from Dyne in Oppland. The stone
is from the mid-1000s and testifies to Norway’s transition from paganism to Christianity.
The motifs are clearly Christian, but both the style and the practice of raising monumental
stones have deep roots in pre-Christian times.
The front of the stone is engraved with motifs from the New Testament. We see the three
wise men following the star of Bethlehem to the stall where they find Mary and the baby
Jesus.
C9909. Runestone made of Ringerike sandstone, from Nordre Dynna, Oppland. Dated to 1040-1050.
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