A Viking dream - a dream that could be a saga
Channel: A11yBogdan
Date: 2024-02-04

Viking stave church amazes me every time I am there. It inspired me to make this short story and share just a tiny overlap of reality, legends and imagination.

According to the local legend the church was actually made by a troll called Finn, so he had to be a part. The ornaments are amazing if you care for the details and church in it's whole is a masterpiece, almost like it really came from a dream.

I will try to describe the ornaments for people that can't see the screen;

The wooden carvings in the video are characteristic of the Norse woodwork from the Viking Age, known as "Urnes style." This particular style is named after the Urnes Stave Church in Norway, where some of the most famous examples are found. It's characterized by tight, interlocking patterns, animal figures, and stylized foliage.

In the carving, we see the sinuous lines and looping patterns that create an almost hypnotic, maze-like effect, with the design flowing seamlessly from one segment to the next. The motifs represent mythological creatures, with their bodies and limbs interwoven in the design, a common feature in Norse art. This type of decoration would have been used not only for its aesthetic appeal but also to convey stories and beliefs through symbolism.

These carvings are replicas inspired by the Viking art found at the Heddal Stave Church in Norway, which dates back to the early 13th century, rather than being from the Viking Age itself, which ended in the late 11th century.

Nevertheless, they carry the influence of Viking Age artistry through their style and motifs.