Viking Land
by Randi Grace Nilsberg
Title
Viking Land
Artist
Randi Grace Nilsberg
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Black and white photography from Borrehaugene, Horten, Norway.
Borre mound cemetery ( Norwegian: Borrehaugene from the Old Norse words borre and haugr meaning mound) forms part of the Borre National Park in Horten, Vestfold, Norway.
The park covers 45 acres (182,000 square metres) and its collection of burial mounds is exceptional in Scandinavia. Today, seven large mounds and one cairn can be seen. At least two mounds and one cairn have been destroyed in modern times. There are also 25 smaller cairns and the cemetery may have been larger. Some of the monuments are over 45m in diameter and up to 6m high. Borrehaugene provides important historical knowledge and can be seen as evidence that there was a local power center from the Merovingian period to the Viking age.
The first investigations of the cemetery took place in 1852. Local road-builders used one of the mounds as a gravel-pit and in the process destroyed large parts of a richly equipped grave in a Viking ship. Antiquarian Nicolay Nicolaysen examined what was left of the mound. The grave contained weapons and riding equipment suggesting it was a man's grave. The excavations uncovered an unusually good selection of craft work, much of which is on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo.
This artistic craft work has become known as the Borre style and is today known for its beautiful animal and knot ornaments, which were often used for decorating harnesses. Some of the smaller cairns were investigated in 1925. They turned out to be simple cremation graves. New excavations were undertaken during 1989 to 1991, both in and around the national park.
Uploaded
February 21st, 2013
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Comments (1)
Calvin Boyer
In addition to the banner, I am adding this more permanent recognition of its FEATURE on the homepage of A TREE OR TREES IN BLACK AND WHITE. I try mightily to feature only images that would be at home in a juried competition. No doubt that this image fits that bill. CONGRATULATIONS! And consider adding your image to DISCUSSIONS "Please post your featured photograph here" for greater, long-lasting visibility.