Copenhagen's Treasures-Scandinavia Part 5

Gundestrup Cauldron

Peat bog, Gundestrup (Denmark)

First century B.C.E.

Silver partially gilded

Diameter 69cm., Height 42cm.

Copenhagen, Nationalmuseet
Educational Link:  http://www.unc.edu/celtic/catalogue/Gundestrup/kauldron.html

Our first day in Copenhagen, ties together are famous Celts (see Ireland June 2011) and their raiding "cousins" across the seas.  Our Viking exploration continues in Copenhagen's National Museum.  This is an outstanding museum.  It really tells a complete story of the ancient civilizations and provides terrific historical pieces and artifacts.  A very interesting piece is show above (definitely one on the "must see" list according to Lord Clark from his epic Civilization) in the Gundestrup Cauldron.   What is so impressive here is the condition.  It is in excellent condition for a 2000 year old artifact.  This is thanks mostly to the peat bog's preservation characteristics.  I adore the way the Danes have illuminated the cauldron to show off it's highly polished silver -- it adds so to the mysterious and ominous (this may have been used in religious sacrifices) nature.  In it's presence, even behind the glass case, I feel it's pagan power draw me.  

Scandinavia Part 1 - Viking Museum

Our history unit culminated!  This year's exploration of the Vikings and the Celts left us longing for more information on these ancient civilizations.  In Ireland last June, we got up close to our Celtic ancestors and this year we venture a little further north to Scandinavia.  Those brutal, yet poetic Norsemen hold delights and mythic lore that speak to my three young men.  This is the Vikingshiphuset in the Bygdoy neighborhood (greater Oslo) where we begin our field trip.  This impressive museum holds the best-preserved Viking long ships in existence.  The Oseberg ( 834 AD) ornately carved sailed on inland waters during festivals, but not in the open ocean.  The Gokstad ship (950 AD) is a practical working boat, capable of sailing the high seas.  It is just such a vessel that explorers like Eric the Red sailed fro Norway to Iceland to Greenland and then onto North America.