We set the tone for the festival and start off at 10.00 with exploring heavy music’s use and inspiration of the Viking age. 

Next, we dive into the medieval, European witch hunts, that has also been a popular theme in metal music, as week as in films, comics and books. After, we go back in time to meet up with Snorri Sturlusson, ascribed author of some of the most important medieval sources to the Viking age. He visited Vestfold on several times and was involved in a major Icelandic-Norwegian power struggle, that in the end had him killed. 

This talk also creates a background for trying out our  brand new VR experience, where you can join in on the battle of Iceland where his family, the Sturlungs, were central. The realms of death in Norse mythology is endlessly fascinatin, and in the last talk of the day we travel to death on horseback to find out more. 

We wrap up the day exploring how the Viking age is used in popular culture. 

The Vestfold museum’s Peter Bøttinger will host a panel with Viking experts and the audience is welcome to join in. 

Adam Kelly 

Adam Kelly is a doctoral researcher at the University of Oxford, where he works on the benefits of melancholy in the Middle Ages. He specialises in Old and Middle English literature. He’s been obsessed with heavy music for as long as he can remember. 

Rune Blix Hagen 

Rune Blix Hagen is a specialist in witchcraft and has published several books on the topic. He was also central in the anarchist movement in Northern Norway in the 70s, and has an interview with the one and only Lemmy on his CV.  

Bjørn Bandlien 

Bjørn Bandlien is the local, award-winning history professor down the road from Midgard Viking Centre. Immensely productive, he has published a long list of books on a wide variety of themes like gender and masculinity, identity, kings and queens, love and marriage. 

Terje Østigård 

Terje Østigård has been intrigued with the theme of death in general in his career, and more specifically cremation. In recent years, he has been focusing on how water and frozen winter landscapes have been defining northern societies. As an archaeologist he has work all over the world, Egypt, Nepal, Palestine, Tanzania, Norway and more. 

Rune Hjarnø Rasmussen 

He has lived in several countries in Europe, Africa, North- and South America. He works to revitalize animist knowledge and practice to recover land-connectedness, ecological knowledge and kinship with a greater community of beings.  

Our “Green Viking” courses are designed to teach practical skills known from the Viking Age, but also how to use and reuse materials you may have in your home or garden. Experience the joy of DIY the Viking way!

5-hour courses:

These courses offer two different designs (see photos).

Monday August 12^th at 11.00 – 16.00

Design 1: Learn how to make your own coiled basket. We provide the materials, and you get enough to finish your creation if you run out of time. Capacity: 11-16 people.

Tuesday august 13^th at 11.00 – 16.00

Design 2: Learn how to make your own coiled basket. We provide the materials, and you get enough to finish your creation if you run out of time. Capacity: 11-16 people.

Tickets: 550 Nkr. See link below for purchasing tickets.

3-hour courses:

Wednesday August 14^th at 11.00 – 14.00:  learn the looping technique and make your own small bag for toiletries or water bottles. We provide string of hemp or flax, that you use for your creation, and you get enough to finish it at home if you are not done. Capacity: 8 people.

Thursday August 15^th at 11.00 – 14.00: learn the looping technique and make your own small bag for toiletries or water bottles. We provide string of hemp or flax, that you use for your creation, and you get enough to finish it at home if you are not done. Capacity: 8 people.

Tickets: 320 Nkr. See link below for purchasing tickets.

• A part of Midgard Talks, Midgardsblot