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Tag: humanities

Was supposed to have a rejuvenating effect – could end in death

Major plague epidemics made people desperate. This led to rushed and deadly solutions.

Could blood find its way back onto the dinner table?

Back when using blood as food was a common practice, it often tasted of exotic spices, says a researcher.

The largest stave church of all time is probably not Norwegian

Were they still prefabricated in Norway?

Were Norway's iconic stave churches built by slaves?

"All indications point to the fact that the earliest phase of church construction in Norway was not just a matter of communal duty – it also involved slave labour," researcher says.

Why were some churches built in stone and others in wood?

Even though they could afford to build in stone, some still opted for wood.

How was this ornamental stave church portal created nearly 1,000 years ago? The answers emerged when craftsmen carved a replica

“The person who carved the Urnes portal was incredibly skilled,” researcher says.

As Norwegians become more secular, their interest in the Bible grows. What’s the connection?

A Norwegian theologian has discovered something odd.

Why do we actually wear ties?

People have always struggled with their tie knots – hence the creation of the clip-on tie.

This book made medieval Norway a kinder country

In a time that many believe was dark and merciless, Norway produced an unusually fair-minded piece of legislation.

When Norwegians came to America, they didn’t have time to let the timber dry

Many Norwegians succeeded in America. The houses they built are evidence of this.

European tourists experienced culture shock when they came to Norway in the 1800s

Tourists often slept in straw-filled beds or on a hard bench in a smoky living room.

Before glass windows, people had windows made from cow stomachs

What did people do to bring daylight into their homes before glass windows became common in the 18th century?

Several thousand people have been found in bogs in Europe. What kind of stories are found in 12,000 years of remains?

Many of them ended their lives in horrible ways, but there are many reasons why someone might have ended up in a bog.

The culture of sleeping: Some slept in rose-painted beds, others barely had time to sleep

In his new book, cultural historian Bjørn Sverre Hol Haugen takes us back to a time when decorative beds were a status symbol, and having to share a bed with random relatives was quite normal.

Men of the forest: What was it like to be a lumberjack?

Lumberjack attire and a full beard are today associated with hip and urban parts of modern cities. Professor of history Ingar Kaldal argues that loggers working deep in the forests back in the day, were in fact also modern, for their time.

The nightman emptied the toilets of the city in the 17th century. It was dirty work, and his kids were considered dirty too

“Working as a nightman was one of the few ways you could be pardoned and escape the death penalty,” says historian Ragnhild Hutchison. She's not sure it was a better option.