Norse Art Impact In Culture And Time
There can be no mistaking the importance and impact upon Europe from Nordic art. As Europe was attempting to emerge from the Dark Ages it appeared as if the light was about to end in a long period of plague and death by northern raiders. What the oceans and rivers brought were Norse men to raid and pillage the coasts and interior lands of Europe that would forever alter its landscape.
Later they would settle lands within which they had pillaged and with them they brought their culture. It is here that Norse art can be found still today within archaeological sites to gain a picture of how they impacted Europe. Their settling left a lasting impression across the centuries of history which reached as far as the Middle East.
I love what is found in Nordic culture through art. My love for it reaches beyond a mere people but into a long standing debate within art. Cultures such as the Norse show the importance of art and how ridiculous the ideas of men such as Plato were in his time.
Rise And Fall Of The Norse
In the life of Charles the Hammer France and Europe had begun to enjoy a bit of stability which was rarely afforded within the Dark Ages. His later grandson Charlemagne ushered in an era which had not been seen since the fall of Rome. Europe finally had a foundation to begin bringing back culture, art, and education. Yet it was to be very short lived.
With the death of Charlemagne on January 28, 814 it did not take long for Europe to be plunged back into the Dark Ages. The first recorded attack by the Norse was in 793 and their raids continued along coastlines and down rivers throughout Europe. While initial settlements were seasonal to locations such as harbors or along rivers this would soon change.
The Norse would begin to establish permanent settlements in lands across Europe and as far away as modern Greenland. They would exact a heavy tax upon the local people in a form of tribute which was a purchase to ensure they would not attack the local populations. From the 8th to the 11th centuries these raids and expansions took place until their mobile empire began to suffer setbacks.
While their fall can be attributed to various issues the end result left an imprint on a smaller scale which can be compared to the Romans. Just as with the fall of Rome, the Nordic people had choices to make concerning staying within a settlement or returning to their homeland. By the time of their decline it was easier to assimilate into the culture where they had settled as more natural blending of cultures had already been in progress.
The evidence to this can be seen in the wood artwork found at Urnes Stave Church in Norway. The existence of this Church displays how the Norse not only exported their culture but also imported the cultures of others into their society. This normalization process of mixed culture will cast a different light upon the early images of blood thirsty pagan men bent on raiding.
There is no doubt that these early raiders were a terror upon the lands that they landed on. This could be said of any culture which makes war with another. Their actions were indeed brutal and unforgiving to those affected within that time. Yet clearly there was far more to these people than the horror stories which were told. The archaeological finds we have today tell of this unspoken history which was lost to time. It is the other side of their culture that we begin to see left behind by their art.
Wood As Primary Art Medium
There is no doubt that wood was the primary medium by which the Norse created their artwork. Not only was wood in abundant supply but it also was the primary resource for construction. The archaeological find of the Oseberg Ship burial dates to the 9th century at the tip of their beginning of expansion. This ship displays beautiful and ornate artwork within the wood as an example of their skill and artistry.
Likewise as the earlier mentioned Urnes Stave Church in looking at the wood panels of the church they are extremely elaborate and detailed with wood art for its period. By comparison with other cultures within Europe few can compare to the artistry which the Norse possessed. These are the two greatest examples of their art within wood and is a testament to the importance of art in preserving culture.
Unfortunately most wooden artifacts are lost to time due to deterioration of the material. The other examples of Norse Art that are left to us are either in metal or stone. There are examples of their work which have been found as far away as Mesopotamia. No doubt their culture impacted all of Europe and reached out into the world beyond.
Cultural Importance To Europe Through Art
After the fall of Rome there was little left to be found in Europe as a mere one hundred years passed. While Justinian had attempted to reunify all of Europe under his flag the plague would prevent this. What would follow is a period of survival rather than any cultivation of culture. Education was lost and with it a population emerged which could not read or write. Science was rudimentary at best in understanding how to grow food to survive.
What Rome had brought to Europe was lost. No longer were there building projects nor the rise in culture. War between neighbors became common as the many lords of different lands sought to control what they could. There was no unification or standard to follow. It is not until an invasion from Africa into Southern Spain that we see the beginning seeds planted for a rebirth of Europe.
After Charles the Hammer defended Europe the tide seemed to finally turn. Yet kings and noble men still were not educated nor cultured. The way of the sword was still the only way they knew. It was Charlemagne which sought to change this through education and art.
To this period most art forms found within Europe were still very Roman. The influence of the Roman Church naturally held sway to the culture and art found within Europe to this time. The Church held the only educated men and artisans of the period. As the Norse moved into the region not only was there a clash of ideals but also within culture.
The Norse brought with them radical changes that began to mix and influence can be seen within Celtic artwork. It was a break away from the old world influences which began to later appear in not only art but also architecture. With the fall of the mobile Nordic Empire those that assimilated within the local cultures would also hold influence to this mixture adding new elements which did not exist before.
Art within Europe shifted away from its more Roman influences in the latter portion of the Dark Ages giving rise to new ideas.
Norse Art Impact Within The Middle Ages
As the Middle Ages came to be there was a deep seated mix of pagan ideas with those of Christian influences. It can be unofficially stated that these pagan influences held sway within the Roman Churches whether by natural assimilation or because of the desire to further influence a population.
Which of these is more accurate may not be clear. Yet the Roman Church from its beginning was never purely Christian as a result of Constantine’s mix of paganism with Christianity forming the Roman Churches foundations.
Nordic influences by art and culture was a further entrenchment to the same ideas which Constantine himself had fostered centuries before. The Church became less Roman and more a blend of this new emerging European power. The Middle Ages would extend further in its reach with this influence within culture and artwork.
As the Crusades entered the Middle East for the first time Europe would have more than Nordic influences as an external source on art. Along with the artistic influence would come science and education. The Crusades have been credited with aiding the end of the Dark Ages yet to be more accurate it was the culture that returned with them that brought this about.
As a result we later see the Renaissance period and with further education another great shift in art. Within European artwork and especially within architecture it was no longer strictly Roman. It held a blend of the many cultures of which had influenced its people. Ingrained within its foundations could still be found this Nordic influence among many others.
While some may argue this point they would have to recognize that our modern nautical art today as well as traditions hold a symbolic past to the Norse. The quatrefoil found on top of Marine Corps Officers cover has foundations laid within early Nordic knot art. This artwork is not native to that of Europe nor the Roman era.
While legend would state that this quatrefoil came as a result of Marines wearing it to identify each other in battle from the ships rigging this is merely legend. There is no actual evidence to this within its history. Art has a way of influencing culture within ways we never anticipated and once there it forever holds an impact extending for generations and across many cultures with enough time.
The Middle Ages became a blend of many cultures as education and artwork began to blend in a melting pot which came before any idea of America existed. The Norse held a significant impact upon the culture not by reason of being the first major influence but rather the time and assimilation it had before the Crusades.
By the time the Middle Ages came to pass the Nordic influences were already a part of accepted culture and influence of daily life. This influence extended further as the Celt culture adapted quickly due to many similarities which were found in ideology and art. The greatest similarities can be found in their artwork to a point where it can be difficult at times to distinguish the differences between the two.
Modern Impact On Culture
Within our modern world the impact on art from the Norse can still be seen. While it has become more of a niche thing in terms of its pure form the earlier mentioned quatrefoil is an example of its long lasting impact. Outside of the sea going culture the popularity exists within television and movies that reach back to legend and lore.
Historical revisions to gain greater insight and truth to things such as the first settlers on the eastern coast of the New World can definitely be attributed to the Norse. While they did not successfully settle the land permanently it certainly was a part of their intended later ambitions. Credit went to where it later did due to not only the powers of that time making it so but also the fact that the later settlements were a success that forever impacted world history.
Despite this there is no doubt that there is a long lasting impact upon artwork from this people. The reach of this influence ranged in distance from Russia to the Middle East and as far west as their landing on modern Canadian shores. Their greatest work of art though was not a wood carving from history, nor can it be found in stone or metal.
There is no doubt that the greatest Nordic work of art can be found in their ships. It was unlike anything the world had ever seen. If one were to look at the innovative changes to vessels which sailed the ocean their evolution began to mimic more and more the Nordic designs. While this may not have been intentional due to the loss of this knowledge in time the design itself worked and was efficient thus it was a natural evolution in technology.
The Nordic vessels were in of themselves such a work of art that it shows how complex and creative their society was. Today we look back across time in admiration to their achievements. While brutal they were also deep and so ingrained it is difficult to separate fact from legend. It is quite possible that if one is of European decent that at some point their bloodlines were crossed with these men from the North.
While today their impact may be more relegated to that of legend and mystery there is no denying their influence. Their art forms forever impacted culture and the earliest representations of wood art echo across time to give us insight to their world. There is a mystical beauty to be found in their cultural foundations.