Sunday, September 09, 2007
Monday 20th August
We drive the 40 minute journey to try the Lejre Research Centre again to find that yesterday when we were ushered into the make shift car park it was not the research centre and if we had driven 1km further up the lane we would have found it and found it open. We also discovered that it is now the low season and therefore closed on Mondays – Doh! We head back to the caravan defeated. Will we try again tomorrow?
Tuesday 21st August
Yes we do and we arrive in time to see the wild boars being fed. After this we walk through some countryside and see some of the black horned cattle, ancestors or close relatives to the Aurochs that used to be hunted by man during the Stone Age. The Aurochs used to be 2m high at the shoulder and although these aren’t as tall they are none the less impressive. After passing a pit used to trap wild boar we arrive at the Stone Age village where we can see a traditional shelter made from sticks and animal skins. The boys enjoy helping a man make a fire whilst he heats some primitive tar to put on some traditionally built boats. We can view some primitive tools and we had the opportunity to ask questions about the Neolithic way of life.
After this we march on to the Iron Age settlement containing five or six dwellings as well as a weaver’s cottage, a forge and several goats scattered around. We could walk into the houses and pretend to sleep in the beds all covered in sheeps skin. After this we walk into the Viking settlement and have a good look around. We have a go in a traditional river boat hollowed out of a tree trunk and nearly capsize with all 5 of us in it. The children are rigid with fear and we quickly return to the shore, whereupon Jon sets out on his own with Jory who suddenly screams out that they are sinking much to everyone’s amusement. They were not sinking and both returned safely to the shore. If we wanted we could have helped hollow out a tree trunk with an axe to help build another boat but we decided it was safer not to give this a go.
We all had a go at trying to make sparks with a piece of flint and iron, Jon managed to do it but no one else did. There were several areas marked out for making fires and going to the dying embers of one Jon stoked it back into life. Whilst Jory and Jon kept the fire going I took the other two boys to grind some wheat into flour, whereupon another English group came along and we joined forces. Once the rain started to fall we gathered up the flour, added some water, shaped them into biscuits and proceeded to cook them on an iron plate atop the fire, it took a little while. They were quite edible and with the added ingredient of a few herbs, created an interesting taste!
We drive the 40 minute journey to try the Lejre Research Centre again to find that yesterday when we were ushered into the make shift car park it was not the research centre and if we had driven 1km further up the lane we would have found it and found it open. We also discovered that it is now the low season and therefore closed on Mondays – Doh! We head back to the caravan defeated. Will we try again tomorrow?
Tuesday 21st August
Yes we do and we arrive in time to see the wild boars being fed. After this we walk through some countryside and see some of the black horned cattle, ancestors or close relatives to the Aurochs that used to be hunted by man during the Stone Age. The Aurochs used to be 2m high at the shoulder and although these aren’t as tall they are none the less impressive. After passing a pit used to trap wild boar we arrive at the Stone Age village where we can see a traditional shelter made from sticks and animal skins. The boys enjoy helping a man make a fire whilst he heats some primitive tar to put on some traditionally built boats. We can view some primitive tools and we had the opportunity to ask questions about the Neolithic way of life.
After this we march on to the Iron Age settlement containing five or six dwellings as well as a weaver’s cottage, a forge and several goats scattered around. We could walk into the houses and pretend to sleep in the beds all covered in sheeps skin. After this we walk into the Viking settlement and have a good look around. We have a go in a traditional river boat hollowed out of a tree trunk and nearly capsize with all 5 of us in it. The children are rigid with fear and we quickly return to the shore, whereupon Jon sets out on his own with Jory who suddenly screams out that they are sinking much to everyone’s amusement. They were not sinking and both returned safely to the shore. If we wanted we could have helped hollow out a tree trunk with an axe to help build another boat but we decided it was safer not to give this a go.
We all had a go at trying to make sparks with a piece of flint and iron, Jon managed to do it but no one else did. There were several areas marked out for making fires and going to the dying embers of one Jon stoked it back into life. Whilst Jory and Jon kept the fire going I took the other two boys to grind some wheat into flour, whereupon another English group came along and we joined forces. Once the rain started to fall we gathered up the flour, added some water, shaped them into biscuits and proceeded to cook them on an iron plate atop the fire, it took a little while. They were quite edible and with the added ingredient of a few herbs, created an interesting taste!
