Hola stenar

The big stone ship "Hola stones" was inaugurated at the sunset June 28 2007. Two hundred Vikings from all of Europe took part in the ceremony that made the place for memories. Living History is about relation between people. It's no theatre, it's a way of living. With the construction of the "Hola stones" the Museum of Foteviken has introduced a new dimension in the re-enactment movement; the spiritual perspective.

While the sun slowly sank to the horizon the juror Sven and king Björn read a special written poem in both English and Swedish. After that, everyone who wanted were allowed to place some small thing into a hole in the middle of the ship. At the same time they loudly said the dead friends name together with a small flower. By doing so everyone get a personal relation to this holy place.

It was a very touching moment. Vikings or no Vikings - this was a time to remember a dear friend. Next year the ceremony will continue in the same way. The ceremony will however start firs after the king have read the name of those already mention the year before.

The first stone, the east one, in the new stone ship at Foteviken was raised at the shortest day of the year 2006, aimed at the point where the sun starts its journey in the morning. The west stone was raised at the longest day of the year 2007, aimed at the point where the sun disappear in the evening. There will be a total number of 28 stones in this ship, a copy of a typical grave from the Viking period. The pictures above shows the work with these stones.

The stones here on this holy place are like memories.
You seldom see stones of memory along the road of life,
if not raised by friends for friends.
Runes are seldom carved into the stone,
only so in memory of friends passed away.

What´s a life?
A time between a child's crying and a furrowed face.
A youth's dream of the future
and an old mans fainted memories.

We thought we did the right thing, but it all went wrong.
Many times we will be judged.
Anger and hate will fall upon us.
But time will heal all our wounds.

For every man there is a time.
A time for birth, one for love.
A time for laugh and for crying,
and a time for death.

The Goddesses of Destiny weave the life of every human.
The work of the Norn's is finished
when the distaff stopped spinning.
Wrapped up is the dead in the weave of his life.

Cattle dies,
friends die.
Even you will die.
But the memories don´t die,
that speaks well of a friend.

Cattle dies,
friends die.
Even you will die.
But one thing never dies,
the judgement over a dead man or a woman.