Using examples from the Scandinavian Iron Age and Viking Age, problems in realising house reconstructions are discussed here, including the deskwork necessary as part of the preparations. My own experiences in this field include participation in the 1966-1973 excavations of the settlement fort at Eketorp (Öland, Sweden) and the subsequent partial reconstruction of the fort. The second settlement phase, of interest here, is dated from the fifth to early seventh centuries AD (Borg et al. 1976).
I started doing indoor climate experiments in a reconstructed Viking Age house (Hedeby / Haithabu) in February 2009 (four weeks), and did another longer one from October – November 2011 (five weeks) and February – April 2012 (ten weeks).
I became involved with experimental archaeology while working at the Irish National Heritage Park during my bachelor studies and then pursued experimental research for both by MA and PhD (at University College Dublin), which focused on early medieval house reconstructions.
According to the statistics of skeletal finds, approximately 40 years. However, this includes a large infant mortality, and thus some people might well have lived considerably longer...
The sword. But else there were trebuchets, bombarders and weapons with gunpowder, by the end of the Middle Ages...
It is difficult to say with any certainty, but a number of small hand cannons have been found in Scandinavia, dating from the later half of the 14th century and the early 15th century. By then, it must have been a relatively common weapon in Denmark...
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