The society

The purpose.

The purpose of the non-profit association Prehistoric Viking society Fornföreningen Fibula on Åland is to increase the knowledge about the Aland Islands’ prehistoric epochs, primary the Viking Age.

Our goal is to try to relive the Iron Age in our time by means of reconstructed houses and a Viking ship, guided tours in the village, role play, time-travels, re-enactment, camps for school kids, feasts for companies and other groups, archaeological experiments and demonstration of crafts.

The start of the non-profit association Fornföreningen Fibula.

The Aland Islands is strategically situated in the Baltic Sea between nowadays Sweden and Finland and the islands have attracted travelers since they were first inhabited some 6000 years ago.

The Saltvik area was The Late Iron Age centre of the Aland Islands. The centre was most likely situated by medieval Saltvik church in the middle of the richest Late Iron Age settlement area and at the crossroads of the Iron Age fairways indicate the importance of the site. The name Saltvik indicate that this was a trade site and a place where salt was traded (compare with Schleswig in nowadays Germany).

The municipality council of Saltvik decided year 2000 to bring attention to the Late Iron Age importance of the area. This resulted in a “Viking Market” that became a success. The first market was visited by some 1000 guests. The following Viking Markets were also very much appreciated by both traders/”Vikings” and the public. 2006 some 6000 visitors came to visit the market. Over the last years the market has been visited by some 9000 guests every year, among them some 300-400 traders and many international historical re-enactors with the Viking Age as their speciality.

The success of the markets has made a profound economic platform to develop the reconstructed “Viking village” very close to the Late Iron Age settlement area around the nearby Saltvik Church. Several buildings in different techniques have been built over the years among them a longhouse, a cooking house, a smithy, a hall and several other working houses.

Different crafts are being presented regularly both for the guests visiting the Viking village and re-enacting participants. Courses in pre-historic and historic handicraft are held on regular basis for members and other interested. Different projects are ongoing every year with many participants. During 2014 a project building a Viking ship and weaving woolen sails for the same was finished.
Living history is one of the main goals of the non-profit association. A joyful fellowship among guests and re-enacting “Vikings” of all ages are other important goals.

The Viking village is open for the public only occasionally so please check out the website for events and opening hours. Welcome to the Viking village in Kvarnbo, Saltvik to relive the Viking age in our time.