Oslo - The Historical Museum

For our day in Oslo we had decided to visit The Historical Museum and especially the Viking Exhibition. (Sadly the main Museum with the Viking Longboats was closed for a major renovation...maybe next time.... )

So here are a selection of photographs of some of the many. many spectacular exhibits. I've ignored the Egyptian exhibits - which were phenominal.Click here for the Museum web site. 

The Viking treasures were stunning! 

Arabian and Persian coins ..and arm rings and jewellery made from hacked up silver ...

Part of Norway's largest gold hoard.

Sacred objects plundered from British churches.

Ocal Brooches.

The best preserved Viking helmet in the world! Helmets were deliberately destroyed in connection to funerals; pierced once by each spear that was placed in the grave.

Viking swords.

Some of a hoard of over 1900 coins;from the time when Canute the Great ruled England.

The Broken Sword - many swords found in Viking graves are bent. 

In a fabulous and separate exhibition about relationship of theVikings to animals - real and imagined there were some spectacular pieces of goldwork ...photography wasn't easy in the dim lights ...the craftsmanship was unbelievable!