Stuff to do in Ribe Vikingecenter

A lanrge part of our activities during our stau evolved around food. Preparing our meals takes a little longer then it does back home since we cook over open fire. Here Blue (in the semi-dark) is cutting up ingredients for dinner.

Cooking

Becouse of the smoke problem in the shoemakershouse we tried to cook outside as much as possible. but on days that there was to much wind, we fled into the thinghouse. Here Blue is making porridge for lunch.

Repairs

Ronals did a lot of needlebinding but there we other jobs that nedded to get done. Like repairing the holes in his mantle. He spent several afternoons working on it but his mantle looksr fine ones more...

Training

The volenteers of the Vikingecenter give shows for the people visiting the center. This includes showing the audiance different fighting techniques. The best to watch is probbibly the archersshow.

Blue with a bow

Blue gets to try

And she wasn't that bad at it either. Her posture is really good only her aim was somewhat of at first. She really needed to get used to this bow.

35 pounds

These bows have about 35 pounds of pullingstrenght on them, Blue is used to 20 pound bows so handeling these much having bows was a big challange for her.

Birdshow

Why a birdshow?

Birds of pray were used to hunt with. It was the privilege of a nobleman to own a bird of prey like a hawk. On the famous tapestry of Bayleux the noblemen are identified by the birds the carry on their hand.

Beautiful birds.

There are daily birdshows in wich they show the spectators how the birds fly and hunt ther prey.

Public

The public always include lots of children. 1 by 1 they get to hold the bird on their hand and let it fly. The birds like to fly very close over the childrens heads, something that never fails to exite the kids.

Falcon

This gorgeous falcon is also shown suring the birdshow. And these falcons are so unbelievably fast! It is very hard to make a good picture when they are in flight. So instead a picture of the falcon on its trainers hand.

Woodworkshop

In the woodworkshop the men are working on different projects. Visitiers of the Vikingecenter can also try their hands at some woodwork. Ever tried to make wooden nails? You can try to do so here.

Sprangloom

For the Vikingecenter this workshop is very important. A number of students are being taught in different old techniques that are olmost forgotten. This way they help to preserve knoledge that would otherwise be lost for futere generations. It also gives them the oppertunaty to make their own tools in a authentic manner, like this sprangloom.

Spranglesson

The following day Blue got to give a little spranglesson to some of the volenteers of the Vikingecenter something she thought was great fun. And the ladies picked up on it really quickly!

Present

Blue has been doing sprang for most of her stay in Ribe. She even injures her right indexfinger doing so. (sprained a muscle in her finger on day 4.) That was a first! The sprangpiece she made during the stay in Ribe was left behind as a 'thank you' present.

Dying wool

As you walked through the Vikingecenter you find people everywhere doing their own activities. Like in this case, dying wool with the leaves of feverfew/ tansy.

Painting

Or you find someone in a quit corner painting decorations onto a warriors shield. There is a big variaty of techniques shown.

Making rope

Another technique is making rope. the visaitiers of the center can try their hand at this to. It is not a job for one..

Grinding flower

The visiters can also experiance how much work their is to making something as basic as wheatflower. If your lucke you can also see how the bread is backed in the breadoven.

The Vikingecenter is a museum where their is lots to see and hear and smell and get active yourself so you can experiance what live in the Vikingperiod may have been like.

Absolutely worth a visit!
If you want to know more about he Vikingecenter, visit their website.