Bronseplassen (NO)
Helge SR Grønli and Eli Solgaard conducted thorough research into the Bronze Age which resulted in the novel "the shaman's Horse". From this, the idea was taken to build the Bronze Age longhouse and visualize the small community they wrote about in his novel. In 1994, Bronseplassen was the first reconstructed Bronze Age farm in Norway.
After several years with schools, tourism, courses etc., 1997, a new part opened: "Vikings' World". Here you can see reconstructions from the famous Oseberg find: The great Viking tent, the biggest dragon bed and more functional objects from the Viking Age. In 2008, a Viking smithy opened. In the middle of July Vikings from all over Europe meet at Bronseplassen for the Viking market which is well worth visiting. In Summer time, there are often travelling Vikings from near and far staying for a couple of days.
The Bronze Age longhouse is built as an experiment and produced new understanding of Bronze Age building styles. The house, which is 25 x 8 meters, is a copy of the findings in Sørlandet and Jylland (Denmark). Throughout the Bronze Age, from 3800 to 2500 years ago, people lived in a house like this. For the wooden construction, 25 cubic metres of oak timber was used. TH eroof and walls are woven with 10,000 branches after which the walls were covered with daub made of trampled clay, sand, straw and cow dung. On the roof is the bark and peat. Cow kskin and willows as well as oak plugs were used to keep everything in place. The longhouse contains three rooms. The barn is located in the east end, the living area in the west room.
A labyrinth, 12 meters in diameter is put in place at the site as well. It takes 222 metres to reach the centre and it is claimed that the maze potentiates earth energy. Legends tell that in the centre of the maze was a virgin disguised as Mother Earth. When the prehistoric volver and shamans would sacrifice to her, Spring would be blossoming and animals and people fertile.
There is also a sacrificial bog and a water where you can paddle logboats. The herb garden on Bronseplassen presents a cross section of plants used for food and medicine in the Bronze Age until the present day. On some occasions, one can try out archery.