With only two weeks left to see the British Museum’s Vikings Life and Legend exhibition, (closes 22nd June 2014), I set off from work last Friday evening to find out what life was really like in the Viking Age. Hungry for status, power and global domination, it turns out that our Scandinavian predecessors had a lot in common with the movers and shakers of today’s corporate world.
The British Museum The Lewis Chessmen, berserkers. Late 12th century, Uig, Lewis, Scotland. Walrus ivory © The Trustees of the British Museum.
Symbols of wealth and status are a recurrent theme throughout the exhibition as Snoop Dogg style heavy-duty bling is showcased in a range of statement amulet, neck and arm rings weighing up to 2kg each. Just like the Rolexes flashing in the boardroom today, the gold neck ring pictured below would provide the finishing touches to a warrior’s outfit.
The National Museum of Denmark Neck-ring, 10th century. Kalmergården, Tissø, Zealand, Denmark. Gold. © The National Museum of Denmark
In hot pursuit of wealth and global domination, the Viking invasions spanned four continents. As skilled traders, falcons, timber, amber and human slaves were just a few of the items that were exported over spectacularly long distances demonstrating the Viking’s renown ship-building skills.
Despite the fearsome hype, the exhibition points out that the Vikings were no more effective in battle than their contemporaries and amidst the raiding and pillaging, many peaceful exchanges around economic systems, religious thought and literary and artistic styles also formed part of Viking “working” life.
The-installation-of-Roskilde-6-at-the-British-Museum-©-Paul-Raftery
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a reconstruction of the Roskilde 6 Viking warship built in Southern Norway around 1025. At 37 metres-long, the ship would have required forty oarsmen to steer its passage through the seas. The sheer length yet narrow depth of the boat is startling and I can only imagine how it must have fared on the freezing swells of the North Sea.
The-installation-of-Roskilde-6-at-the-British-Museum-3-©-Paul-Raftery
I leave the exhibition with renewed awe for the Vikings who serve as a timely reminder that human motivations haven’t changed all that much over the centuries. Power, status and wealth are still the hallmarks of today’s world but who would have thought that we would still be flashing the bling today?
My exhibition ticket was provided free of charge courtesy of the British Museum
Vikings Life and Legend runs until the 22nd June.
(Open daily 10.00 – 5.30pm and until 8.30pm on Fridays.)
Pre-booking recommended.