Germany

On the long winter evenings, the residents of Haithabu gathered around the warming fire. Stories of sea voyages to distant lands circulated and anecdotes and sagas of heroes and gods were told. This winter evening at the Viking houses is entirely in keeping with this tradition. The evenin

Lecture by PD Dr. Stefan Hagel (

Wool was the material from which many Viking Age clothing was made. Felted, woven or needle-woven into warming textiles, they also determined the outfit of the Haithabu settlers. Long before knitting technology came to Europe in the Middle Ages, needle binding was a common method of textile production. 

Make your own Knife

Roland Warzecha from the Hamburg fencing school "Dimicator" and an international group of interested fighters will provide insights into reconstructed historical martial arts of the Viking Age at the Viking Houses in Haithabu. The basis for this is the careful evaluation of historical sources and archaeological finds. 

Filigree knotted foxtail necklaces, thin-walled silver bowls, chiselled ships' standards, inlaid sword hilts or ornately decorated jewelery - the craftsmen of the Viking Age were masters of their trade. The rich find material from Haithabu impressively proves that the people of that time were true artists and mastered a wide range of different metalworking techniques. 

In this weekend seminar you have the opportunity to cast your own bronze knife or sword. The fascinating material is the first metal that was used during the Bronze Age for the production of weapons, tools and jewelry.

Diet and Crops of the Early Middle Ages