Oslo: Day 2

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The Viking Museum was an absolute highlight for me, returning 41 years after I first visited. The museum has changed little, but my reaction to it was new. My knees now hurt as I climbed the steps, but I viewed the Viking's construction with new understanding and appreciation. The museum contains 3 long ships recovered from burial mounds; the Oseberg ship, Gokstad ship and Tune ship. Additionally, the Viking Age display includes sledges, beds, a horse cart, wood carving, tent components, buckets and other grave goods.

The Oseberg ship (far left and bottom left) excavated from the largest known ship burial in the world.The burial mound dates from 834 AD, but parts of the ship date from around 800, and the ship itself is thought to be older. It was excavated in 1904-1905.

The ship is a clinker built "karv" ship built almost entirely of oak. It is 21.58 m long and 5.10 m broad, with a mast of approximately 9–10 m. With a sail of c. 90 m², the ship could achieve a speed up to 10 knots. The ship has 15 pairs of oar holes, which means that 30 people could row the ship. Other fittings include a broad steering oar, iron anchor, gangplank, and a bailer. It was an ornate pleasure craft.

The Gokstad ship (to right in photo) is also clinker-built and largely of oak. The ship was intended for warfare, trade, transportation of people and cargo. The ship is 23.80 metres (78.1 ft) long and 5.10 m (16.7 ft) wide. Dating suggests that the ship was built around 890 AD.

The clinkers-build method was widely used until the end of the 19th century, and variations are still used today. Iron rivets are about 180mm apart where the planks lie straight and about 125mm apart where the planks bend.

Pictures of a Medieval Christian church: inside and out.

The church was built around 1200 during the age of Catholicism in Norway. After the Reformation it was modified to accommodate the Lutheran liturgy. The term "stave church" refers to the staves, or posts, that support the roof.

 

The folk museum has a town area. Service station from early 1950s (although the VW is from 70s - my guess) and a shop from the 1920s.

 

 

 

Thor Heyerdahl historic Con Tiki Pacific voyage remains the centre piece of the museum. The collage of three photographs to the left show Con Tiki.

 

 

 

Since 1974 the museum has added the Ra2, Heyerdahl second boat of papyrus that crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Morocco in Africa in 1970. Ra1 and Ra2 were based on drawings and models from ancient Egypt. The first boat, named after the Egyptian Sun god was constructed by boat builders from Lake Chad using papyrus reed obtained from Lake Tana in Ethiopia and launched into the Atlantic Ocean from the coast of Morocco. Thor Heyerdahl insisted on an international crew. After a few weeks the boat began to sag and then break up! The knowledge of the ancients had been lost.

After further research of the ancients, in 1970 Ra2 sailed from Morocco and reached Barbados! Ancients could have crossed the Atlantic.

A strong maritime heritage is on display with water and boats/ships almost always in view in our travels of Norway.

 

 

The Polar ship Fram has its own museum, again little changed since 1974, but remains a fitting monument to Norwegian polar and Antarctic exploration, and by extension the exploits of Nansen and Roald Amundsen. Interestingly the fatal expedition of Scott to the South Pole is given significant coverage, which only serves to underline the much better prepared expedition of Amundsen.

And yes, polar bears are big and dangerous!

 

 

The Nobel Peace museum was new for both of us, and gives particular coverage of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize laureates. The story of Malala is well known. The museum has a stunning hi tech room (bottom right) telling the stories of all peace prize winners.

An interesting fact is that as soon as winners are announced, top photographers are engaged to produce a portfolio to complement the winners story. It has produced some powerful photographs.

I was taken by the one of Al Gore balancing a stick on his noise to complete his message on climate change!