International Metalworking Meet Haithabu

Haithabu — Viking Trading Metropolis on the Haddebyer Noor

Haithabu, on the Haddebyer Noor south of Schleswig, was one of Northern Europe's largest trading centers in the 9th and 10th centuries — a hub between Scandinavia, the Saxon realm, and the Slavic territories on the Baltic Sea. Archaeological finds attest to an exceptionally high level of metallurgical skills: the finest bronze brooches, sword hilts artfully damascened, large-scale coin minting. This metallurgical tradition is the focus of the new International Metalworking Meet.

What the Specialists Will Show

Master craftspeople from several European countries, invited for their expertise, will demonstrate the central techniques of Viking Age metalworking:

• Ore Smelting in a Bloomery Furnace — producing iron from bog iron ore using historical methods
• Forging — tools, weapons, fittings
• Bronze Casting — brooches, jewelry, fittings
• Coin Minting — Viking Age pennies and sceattas
• Damascening — inlaying precious metal wire into iron
• Chasing and Braiding — finer goldsmithing and wirework

Knife Making Workshop

In addition to the demonstration program, a specialist will offer a knife-making workshop. Materials will be provided; registration is on-site directly with the instructor. The participation fee covers material costs.

Haithabu Viking Museum

The Haithabu Viking Museum is part of the Stiftung Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseen Schloss Gottorf and combines a permanent exhibition with the open-air archaeological area of the Viking houses. The entire ensemble of ramparts, museum, and reconstructed settlement has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2018, along with the Danewerk. Pentecost is traditionally a busy time for visitors, and the 2026 Metalworking Meet enhances the program with a focused, large-scale event.