Nicolay Nicolaysen
Encyclopedia
Nicolay Nicolaysen was a Norwegian
Archaeologist
and Norway's first state employed Antiquarian
.
Nicolay Nicolaysen was a founding member of the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments, of which he was president from 1851 to 1899. He also took active part in the restoration of the Nidaros Cathedral
and of the Hall of Haakon IV
(Håkonshallen). He was active in the founding the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design) and was a proponent of the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry
.
In 1852, the first investigations took place of the Borre mound cemetery
(Norwegian: Borrehaugene from the Old Norse
word haugr meaning mound) in Horten
, Vestfold
. Nicolaysen examined the excavations which uncovered an unusually good selection of craft work, of a form which as become known as Borre style
, much of which is on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo
.
Excavations of the Munkeliv Abbey
located at Nordnes
in Bergen
took place in 1857 and 1860. Many extremely well crafted structural fragments were recovered, now in the Museum of Cultural History (Kulturhistorisk Museum), part of Bergen Museum
. These include the well-known marble head of Øystein Magnusson
discovered by Nicolaysen, supposedly the oldest-known portrait of a Norwegian.
The first excavations of the Kaupang
area was done in 1867. Nicolaysen mapped one of the grave-fields around the former town, and he excavated 79 grave mounds. Most archaeologists believe this was the first urban settlement of some significance in Norway.
Nicolay Nicolaysen is perhaps most known for excavating the Gokstad ship
burial at Gokstad farm in Sandar
, Sandefjord
, Vestfold
in 1880. Currently the ship, together with a burial chamber, two small boats and two tent boards from the burial chamber are displayed in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
Archaeologist
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
and Norway's first state employed Antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
.
Biography
Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It was the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros from its establishment in 1152 until its abolition in 1537. Since the Reformation, it has been the cathedral of the...
and of the Hall of Haakon IV
Haakon IV of Norway
Haakon Haakonarson , also called Haakon the Old, was king of Norway from 1217 to 1263. Under his rule, medieval Norway reached its peak....
(Håkonshallen). He was active in the founding the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design) and was a proponent of the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry
Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry
The Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry was established in 1818.In 1996 the National Academy of Craft and Art Industry became part of Oslo National Academy of the Arts .-Noted alumni:-External links:*...
.
In 1852, the first investigations took place of the Borre mound cemetery
Borre mound cemetery
Borre mound cemetery forms part of the in Horten, Vestfold, Norway....
(Norwegian: Borrehaugene from the Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
word haugr meaning mound) in Horten
Horten
is a town and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway—located along the Oslofjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Horten. The municipality also includes the villages of Borre, Åsgårdstrand, Skoppum, and Nykirke....
, Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
. Nicolaysen examined the excavations which uncovered an unusually good selection of craft work, of a form which as become known as Borre style
Borre style
Borre style is a Viking Era animal ornamentation which was first named after artifacts from a boat grave in Borre mound cemetery near the village of Borre, in Horten municipality, Vestfold county, Norway.-History:...
, much of which is on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
.
Excavations of the Munkeliv Abbey
Munkeliv Abbey
Munkeliv Abbey was a Benedictine abbey located at Nordnes in Bergen, Norway. It was one of the oldest monasteries in Norway, and also one of the wealthiest and best-documented.-History:...
located at Nordnes
Nordnes
Nordnes is a peninsula and neighbourhood in the city centre of Bergen, Norway. Bergen Aquarium is located at the tip of the peninsula. The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research and Fredriksberg Fortress are also located on Nordnes....
in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
took place in 1857 and 1860. Many extremely well crafted structural fragments were recovered, now in the Museum of Cultural History (Kulturhistorisk Museum), part of Bergen Museum
Bergen Museum
The Bergen Museum is a university museum in Bergen, Norway. Founded in 1825 with the intent of building large collections in the fields of culture and natural history, it became the grounds for most of the academic activity in the city, a tradition which has prevailed since the museum became part...
. These include the well-known marble head of Øystein Magnusson
Eystein I of Norway
Eystein I Magnusson was king of Norway from 1103 to 1123.-Biography:Eystein became king, together with his brothers Sigurd and Olaf, when his father Magnus Barefoot died in 1103...
discovered by Nicolaysen, supposedly the oldest-known portrait of a Norwegian.
The first excavations of the Kaupang
Kaupang
Kaupang was in Old-Norwegian a word that means a market-place. It is today used as a name of the first urban market-place in the area that today is Norway, also named Kaupang in Skiringssal...
area was done in 1867. Nicolaysen mapped one of the grave-fields around the former town, and he excavated 79 grave mounds. Most archaeologists believe this was the first urban settlement of some significance in Norway.
Nicolay Nicolaysen is perhaps most known for excavating the Gokstad ship
Gokstad ship
The Gokstad ship is a Viking ship found in a burial mound at Gokstad farm in Sandar, Sandefjord, Vestfold, Norway.-Discovery:The place where the boat was found, situated on arable land, had long been named Gokstadhaugen or Kongshaugen , although the relevance of its name had been discounted as...
burial at Gokstad farm in Sandar
Sandar
Sandar is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway.Sandar was established as a municipality January 1, 1838...
, Sandefjord
Sandefjord
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...
, Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
in 1880. Currently the ship, together with a burial chamber, two small boats and two tent boards from the burial chamber are displayed in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
.
Selected works
- Kunst og Haandverk fra Norges Fortid, Foreningen til norske (Fortidsmindesmærkers Bevaring, Kristiania 1881-1890)
- Mindesmærker af Middelalderens Kunst i Norge (1853–55)
- Norske Magasin. Skrifter og Optegnelser, angaaende Norge og forfattede efter Reformationen (1858–70)
- Norske Stiftelser. Samling af Fundatser, Testamenter og Gavebreve, samt historisk-statistiske Efterretninger vedkommende milde Stiftelser i Kongeriget Norge (1858–94)
- Absalon Pederssøn. Liber Capituli Bergensis (1860)
- Norske Bygninger fra Fortiden (1860–80)
- Norske Fornlevninger (1862–66)
- Om Throndhjems Domkirke (1872)
- Bergens Borgerbog 1550–1751 (1878)
- Om den gamle Bygningsskik i Solør og Østerdalen, i Folkevennen (1881)
- Langskibet fra Gokstad ved Sandefjord (1882)
- Om Relikviegjemmer i norske Kirker (1888)
- Stavanger Domkirke og de nærmest omliggende Bygninger (1896)
Other sources
- Lidén, Hans-Emil, Nicolay Nicolaysen, Et blad av norsk kulturminneverns historie, Oslo 2005. ISBN 82-7935-187-6