The Iliad – an extremely violent text – now in modern Norwegian
A story about honour, war and death – and a cornerstone of Western literature. A new Norwegian adaptation of the famous epic The Iliad is about to be published.
History
LOADING CONTENT
A radical shift more than a century ago transformed European views on homosexuality
The turn of the 20th century has been referred to as the homosexual breakthrough in Europe. A recent study has analyzed literary texts in which Norwegian nature plays an important role in conveying this perspective.
The hunt for the perfect oak: Researchers analyse wood for the doors of Nidaros Cathedral, Norway’s national sanctuary
Just like the cathedral itself, the wood that will be used for the new doors may hold secrets. That’s why researchers need to test the oak before the doors are built.
Huge quantities of German ammunition lie at the bottom of Norwegian lakes
The stockpile of German ammunition left in Norway in 1945 could have been cleared and dismantled by the Germans. Norway declined the offer and began dumping it in Lake Mjøsa and other lakes instead.
Norway’s Sami population posed an enigma for the occupying Nazis
German soldiers’ accounts from Finnmark during World War II often describe the Sami as “noble savages” in a fabulous and foreign landscape.
Central Norway’s first high seat since the Viking Age
The foundations for the Viking expeditions were laid on farms. Society became more stratified during this period, and carved chairs, owned by wealthy farmers and known as ‘high seats’, were a clear status symbol.
The people behind the memorial stones on one Trondheim street
Why did so many Jews find their way to Trondheim before the Second World War? Microhistory can help shed light on their stories.
Unlocking the secrets of Viking and medieval walrus tusk trade
Two tiny Scandinavian settlements in Greenland persisted for nearly 500 years and then mysteriously vanished. Their disappearance has been blamed on everything from poor agricultural practices to a changing climate. But what if the real reason was the walrus tusk trade?
Valuable possessions were not returned to Norwegian Jews after the war
Every Norwegian Jew had their homes, possessions and businesses confiscated by the Nazis. Yet significant assets were not returned or replaced when the war was over.
Fantastic walrus ivory treasures coming to Norway
World-famous treasures crafted from walrus ivory are on their way to Norway, including chess pieces from the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. Were they originally from Norway? And why did the walrus trade disappear?
Searching for hidden medieval stories from the island of the Sagas
Hidden and forgotten traces of Iceland’s history can be found in ancient, reused parchments.
Who was the man in the well?
The bishop’s men plundered the king’s fortress. Then they threw a dead man into the well to poison it. Now we know more about the deceased.
How are important are blockades to the outcome of wars?
Trade blockades are an old tool that is still used in wars. The ERC has awarded an EUR 9.9 million grant to see how significant they really are.
The cathedral at the end of the world
Trondheim’s Nidaros Cathedral is full of secrets, messages from the past written in stone. One researcher is now decoding these missives, half hidden in a very special spot in and around the most sacred place in the church.
Meet the Stone Age Trøndelag man
4000 years ago, a 25-year-old man died on the island of Hitra. Now he has been given a new lease of life at NTNU University Museum.
Witchcraft trials in Norway ended in the 18th century
When it came to the Sámi people, a persistent fight continued against what was termed the art of witchcraft, and missionaries took over from the judicial system.
Why did so many girls die?
Far more female infants than male infants died in Europe from 1700–1950. Researchers have been investigating why.
A 500-year-old law laid the foundation for how Norwegians understand – and trust – the law today
Medieval Norwegians felt King Magnus VI’s Code of the Realm was fair when it was introduced as one of the first laws of its kind in Europe. For more than 500 years, this law has helped give Norwegian people a relatively high level of trust in their judicial system.
The hunt for the Malvik apple
Finding old — and hardy — apple varieties was a challenge for the Trøndelag apple community.
When trees talk
We think of trees as silent sentinels, watching as the world goes by and the ages pass. But what if you could interview them about what they have seen?
When 1100 teachers defied Hitler — and won!
More than 80 years ago, Norwegian teachers refused to teach Nazi ideology to their students. They were tortured, imprisoned and starved. But they prevailed. The story of how they won — and why it still matters.
Listening to Leviathans
Nineteenth-century Norwegian technology helped bring large whale populations to the brink of extinction. Can 21st-century technology help save them?
Has Europe built a fortress against everyone else?
The prevailing opinion is that Europe built a common fortress to keep people from outside the EU/EEA out. But is this true?
Central Norway’s largest burial mound likely contains a ship burial
We were through the roof with excitement when the first ship rivet was found, says archaeologist Geir Grønnesby at the NTNU University Museum