A Viking Encampment at a Celtic Festival and Highland Gathering? Hrafnvik Herlith

This past weekend was the 36th Southern Maryland Celtic Festival and Highland Gathering at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum on the Patuxent River.
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Preparing Camp

Since my husband has been working with the Longship Company to get the Viking longship, Sae Hrafn (Sea Raven), ready for the season, we volunteered to help out at the Hrafnvik Herlith encampment.

Wrapping the wool
after spinning.

Hrafnvik Herlith is a living history group specializing in 800-1066 Norse culture and is a subgroup of the Longship Company who operates two reproduction Viking ships in Southern Maryland--the 20ft Grylfalcon and 40ft Sae Hrafn.

Gyrlfalcon - 20ft faring boat based on
the Gokstrad faring burial ship. 

Why a Viking encampment at a Celtic festival? The Viking age in Ireland lasted for nearly two centuries. It began with raids on Irish monasteries and ended with the Norse melding into Irish culture. Viking settlers also colonised parts of Scotland.

Is that a wolf skin on your shoulder?

Traveling blacksmith
mending helmets.

Practice.

Ready for battle.

Next Year's Southern MD Celtic Festival and Highland Gathering: April 25th, 2015
Sponsored by The Celtic Society of Southern Maryland

Looking for a romantic read for the period? Consider Renee Vincent's The Emerald Isle Trilogy -- Raeliksen, Mac Liam, and The Fall of Rain.

~Dawn Marie