Formidling av vikingtiden. En studie av hobbyvikinger, Lofotr Vikingfestival og bruken av forskningsbasert kunnskap

Abstract

The theme of my master thesis is Viking re-enactors, Viking festivals and the archaeological record. My primary goal of the study is to throw light upon how Viking re-enactors at Viking markets and festivals use results from the archaeological record in their clothes and equipment, how the Viking period are interpreted in the Viking festival at Lofotr Viking Museum, and in which way these Viking re-enactors can change and manipulate the history. My study concerns the Viking festival held at Lofotr Viking Museum (August 5th – 9th, 2009). The result of the study shows that the Viking re-enactors use primarily clothes and equipment from rich graves. In this way they symbolize persons with power and wealth. This means that Viking festivals and Viking re-enactors keep the myth alive, and make people believe this is how it was. A Viking festival contributes in this level to a nostalgic market. On the other hand the Viking festival contributes to knowledge production by teaching people about the handcraft from the Viking period, and also let people interact with experimental archaeology, which indeed is a good thing.