At spring 2025 the exhibition ”Vikings before the Vikings”, compiled by the Saaremaa Museum in Estonia, travels abroad to be presented at Vrak – Museum of Wrecks in Stockholm, Sweden.
We’re very happy to present this exciting exhibition about the first Vikings at Vrak, says Odd Johansen, Director at the Museum of Wrecks.
Background on the Salme ship burials and the exhibition
Sometime around 1,300 years ago, a bloody battle took place in Estonia. On the island of Saaremaa, near the present village of Salme, over 40 fallen Scandinavian warriors were buried along with their weapons and other equipment in two ships on the seashore. Salme is the oldest known burial site of a Viking Age war band in the world.
The exhibition, which broke visitor records in Estonia, is coming to Stockholm so that everyone has the opportunity to get acquainted with this extraordinary find of the century, which has already changed and will certainly change our understanding of the Viking Age says Priit Kivi, Member of the board at Saaremaa Museum.
Thanks to the Salme find, we have gained a whole new insight into the earliest Vikings – who the men were, what ships they used on their expeditions, what equipment they took with them, how they fought and how they buried their dead.
The Salme ships are also an important source for the history of shipbuilding. The smaller ship has been uprooted, but the larger Salme ship has also been able to sail. It is thus the oldest known Nordic sailing ship.
The exhibition ”Vikings before Vikings” is produced by Saaremaa Museum, Estonia.
Ticket sales and the opening at Vrak – Museum of Wrecks will take place in the spring of 2025.
Contact
Odd Johansen
Museum Director, Vrak – Museum of Wrecks
E-mail: odd.johansen@smtm.se
Telephone: +46 733 70 63 11
Priit Kivi
Member of the board, Saaremaa Museum
E-mail: priit.kivi@samu.ee
Telephone: +372 5390 5561
