Understanding Humanity Through a Tactile Exploration of History

Historical Work and Experimental Archaeology

I am passionate about telling much-overlooked stories of history, focusing special attention on the lives of women and everyday people of the viking era. To that end, I work both individually and with a variety of groups in my region to learn, experience, and teach through experimental archaeology and public events.

Reproducing the items of everyday life

So far, my personal work has mostly been centered around fiber. In order to better understand the skills involved with working the animal and plant fibers most commonly used in the age that I’m depicting, I have also worked on creating tools that are relatively faithful reproductions of those found in the archaeology and in artistic depictions of the time. So far, this includes spindle whorls, spindles, and looms. I intend to go farther with those items, and I also intend to make a heddle for backstrap weaving and a lucet tool of some sort by this September’s Midwest Viking-Era Festival.

Learning the skills for everyday life

In giving my presentations about lives lived long ago, I find that people are often surprised at the time involved in creating things that we use every day. Clothing, cookwear, shelter, furniture, tools, lamps, and similarly essential items required skills, resources, and dedication that far exceed the expectations of the average household today. Cleaning, cooking, farming or gardening, heating the home, tending to animals, providing protection, making repairs, and creating trade goods were all vital to a family home or larger homestead, and every single bit of work required a greater sophistication than the typical modern person might imagine. It is with awe that I present just a handful of these skills in my educational work, and I feel honored to do so.