Welcome to my dioramas regarding the Norsemen
Below are pictures of two important places in the history of the Northmen. The first, Hedeby, the Viking trading town where many peoples from the North, South, East and West gathered to barter their wares.
The next important diorama is my "slice" of the site of the first gathering of the Norse for Law. This site in Iceland called Thingvellir, or the Althing, was where the Norsemen of old gathered from all over to discuss and dispatch law amongst their peoples. This particular slice, rendered to the best of my meager abilities, is the waterfall and volcanic rock area called "Almanagja" in Iceland.
These were created using commercial styromfoam textured with my woodburner. Trying, accent on the trying, to use a well ventilated area regarding the fumes. The Viking homes and shops of Hedeby were created using a technique I developed by using my woodburner to 'score' the patterns of thatched rooves, as well as the wattle and daub construction of the homes. The snow was flocked with a product compliments of War-Zone Terrain, and the cicles are from Department 56's excellent line of winter products.
In the picture above is a representation of how some Norse disputes were settled: The Holmgang. It entailed a roped off area in which a hide was staked to the ground. Each man was given three shields and a choice of weapons. When the shields were done, these naturally ended much like a quote from a Mad Max movie: "Two men enter, one man leaves". History dictates there were several types of holmgangs, each depending upon the offense and the severity. In this scenario, it is taking place at the foot of the Almanagja waterfall.
Bibliography
ARE YOU READY FOR SOMEPLACE WARMER?
