A big thank you to Visit Norway and Visit Oslo for providing this adventure! As always, all opinions are our own.
The Viking Ship Museum was specially built to house three ships, the Oseberg, Gokstad, and Tune, which were put on display after being discovered in the late eighteen and early nineteen hundreds by a farmer who had dug into a burial mound on his property.
The vessels were remarkably intact, since they had been intentionally buried centuries ago, and protected by blue clay and turf.
Important Vikings were entombed in these ships, which were filled with items to help them make the journey to the next world and have a well-deserved rest in peace.
Walking in, the Oseberg dominates the main hall.
Used as a grave ship for two prominent women who were buried in 834 AD, it is the best preserved of the three, in fact it is widely considered one of the finest finds to have survived the Viking Age.
The custom gives us an unparalleled look into Nordic life from over one thousand years ago.
Carts, sleds, weapons, furniture, clothes, and many more items, including human remains, were found and are now on display.
Grave gifts were given for the journey into the realm of the dead, including highly decorated sleds.
Carved into the sleds, spooky animal and human forms are combined with geometric patterns and enhanced with iron, silver and brass nails.
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There were five rattles in the Oseberg grave.
Their purpose is unknown, but theories have been thrown around: musical instruments, sleigh “bells,” or possibly cult objects in religious rituals.
The moving of the Oseberg to the museum in 1926 was quite a feat and took six months of careful planning.
Transported by rail to the center of Oslo, it was set onto a float that carried it across the fjord to its new resting place.
Once the Oseberg was home, the museum was then expanded and the Gokstad and Tune were moved in to their wings in 1932 and 1957.
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com
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Make sure you pick up an Oslo Pass card, which is good for all public transportation and entry into dozens of museums and attractions.
A big thank you to Visit Norway and Visit Oslo for providing this peaceful adventure! As always, all opinions are our own.
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