Posted on 02/04/2005 4:17:20 PM PST by blam
Ancient church found
The site of a nearly 1,000-year-old church has been found in Skien, making it likely Norway's oldest. Norway may have been converted to Christianity far earlier than believed.
This hole indicates that the site boasted a post church nearly 1,000 years ago.
PHOTO: KJELL-HENRIK SEMB
Christianity in Norway
Christian influence gradually came to Norway via trade, marriage ties, Viking raids, Christian Celtic slaves and eventually missionaries.
Olav the Holy (Olav Haraldsson, St. Olav), who lived from 995-1030, officially introduced Christianity to Norway.
The first churches in Norway were stave and post churches. The only remains of post churches are the holes in the ground where the poles stood, so no one has an exact idea of what they looked like. So far traces from posts of about 30 wooden churches from before the year 1100 have been found.
The remains were found in 2001 but have only now been dated radiologically. Experts believe the find strengthens theories that Norway was Christian in several spots long before Håkon the Good, Olav Tryggvason and Olav Haraldsson began their missionary raids.
"It is fun to see confirmation of what we have long believed, that there was a Christianization of Norway long before the two Olavs came," said Jan Brendalsmo, archeologist at the Foundation for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU).
Associate Professor Jon Vidar Sigurdsson at the Medieval Center at the University of Oslo said that new finds in recent years would likely push the date of Norway's conversion to Christianity to the 800s.
Archeologists believe the post church may be the "Hakastein" mentioned in writing from 1354.
Researchers have also found two Christian graves from 885-990 at the same site.
"The two graves may mean that there is another church on the site. In addition, there can be about 1,100 people buried here over a period of 400 years. So we believe that there is absolutely unique information still buried at the site," said Brendalsmo. Nevertheless, the site is currently destined to become a park.
Oh, this is so interesting as it relates to the novels - literature classics - by Sigrid Unset about the early centuries of Christianity in Norway. The first novel in the series in Kristin Lavransdatter..
The Swedes have never known how to properly handle Lutefisk. It's obviously we need more Lutefisk control laws in Swedish areas. Let then eat meatballs. (Actually, MY Swedish grandmother's meat balls were pretty good.)
I make it a point not to be seen with a codpiece...
With a choir so good that they will bring tears to your eyes.
thx
The oldest surviving wooden building is a stavenkirche about that old. Cold climate, good drainage, and there you are, old building.
Sounds good to me. I have a dickens of a time finding it here.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.