The Guarantee of Quality and rules

The Museum of Foteviken consists of several geographic areas, The Viking Reserve, the museum building, workshops and the community centre. We have strict rules in The Viking Reserve. The rules exist, in order to create a genuine Viking atmosphere and to make it as pleasant as possible for people staying in The Viking Reserve.

The Viking Reserve of Foteviken

  • In The Viking Reserve of Foteviken The Viking Age always applies. The present does not exist; it is the year of our Lord 1134. You are however allowed during the early morning hours to brush your teeth, eat a modern breakfast and tidy up in a modern way.
  • Mobile telephones are not allowed, with the exception for the mobile
    telephones used by the museum staff, except in a specifically indicated location.
  • No smoking, except in special areas.
  • Drinks must be drunk in horns or beakers. All food must be served on typical Viking plates. No modern packages of any kind and no beer-can. The food should be cooked with typical Viking tools and if possible use typical Viking food in The Viking Reserve. Please no Vikings eating hamburgers should be seen. If you need to do some modern cooking, please use the kitchen in the red brick-stone building.
  • No colourful awning cloths on the market stall or the tents.
  • Your private tent is considered to be a free zone, as long as all modern items and equipment is well hidden, not visible and the tent is closed. Modern equipment is allowed during sleeping hours. The same rules apply for our Viking houses; no modern equipment is allowed during the day. Everything modern must be cleaned up and hidden before 10:00 in the morning.

The area outside of The Viking Reserve

The Youth hostel and the leisure cottages for hire are run by the museum shop and must only be used by paying guests.
The restaurant The Viking Inn is run on contract. The contractor's rules apply for this establishment.

The quality of The Viking market products

  • The visiting merchants are only allowed to sell replicas of Viking Age products. Typical souvenir products, like bottle-openers, porcelain beakers, and so on are not allowed to be sold in The Viking Reserve. The merchandise must not have any visible paper price labels. Price labels made of leather or cloth are allowed.
  • Mass production or genuine handicraft products? This is sometimes a difficult question. It is our strong opinion that you must be able to guarantee the authenticity of your products. It is important to separate genuine handmade replica products from simple mass production. The merchant or craftsman must be able to know and inform about the historical background of the artefact. You must inform your customer about the product, if it is an exact copy of an artefact or if it has been altered in any way. Personal design handicraft products with Viking Age patterns and ornaments are allowed.
  • Include photos of products you intend to sell at the Viking market with your market registration.

The prices on the merchandise

You decide your own prices. The Viking Reserve of Foteviken is a meeting place for all Vikings and we will not claim any taxes or fees from your trade. There is free trade for everybody in The Viking Reserve of Foteviken. Everything you earn on your trade is yours to keep.