Camilla Bruce

I still remember the moment before we left, when I was looking into my storage, thinking, “Oh, look all those sheepskins — well, I probably won’t need those. It isn’t that cold. ” Little did I know I was in for one of the coldest 48 hours of my life, and certainly the least luxurious. Viking life just isn’t for everyone.

The reluctant shield maiden.

We were visiting the island of Jøa, off the coast of Mid-Norway, where a local enthusiast has built a long house amidst a gorgeous landscape studded with graves and other traces of Viking-age settlements. The island is famous amongst the historically inclined for the mysterious sitting graves (dated between 650 – 1000 AD), that no one really knows the meaning of. While other graves on the island are traditional mounds, a small group of people was buried in a sitting position, surrounded by expensive artifacts like knives (though not for combat), jewelry and bone combs. Most of them were women, and they were generally older (at the time of death) and taller than the average Viking. Nothing like it has been found anywhere else in Norway, and there’s speculations that the inhabitants of the sitting graves belonged to some sort of priesthood.

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If you’re feeling a little burned out, there’s no better place to go to refill the well than Røros — which is just what a friend and I did this summer. It’s not far from home at all, just a few hours’ train ride, but I have rarely been there in summer. Røros is more of a winter place with a huge annual fair in freezing temperatures — an ongoing tradition since 1854.

Røros was founded as a mining town in 1644, when they found copper — and later silver — in the area. The mining was the backbone of the community until the mines closed in 1977. The harsh conditions for the workers has been an inspiration for several works of fiction, the most famous being Johan Fakberget’s three volume series Nattens brød (1940-1959). The movie An-Magritt (1966), starring Liv Ullmann, was based on Falkberget’s books.

The beautiful location high up in the mountains and the 17/18th century architecture has drawn a lot of creative people to Røros, and the town today is a playful cross between a artist colony and a living museum. The considerable number of authentic buildings still standing earned Røros a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1980, and has made it a coveted movie location. The town has in the latter years gained a reputation as a gourmet haven with several local specialties on offer, especially dairy and meat products. In addition, Røros has always had a  considerable Sami population (of which many still keep reindeer herds) adding another cultural layer to the mix.

We weren’t there just for the food though. We were there for the dead soldiers.
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