The Archäologisches Landesmuseum, Gottorf (Gottorp), ALG, usually has an exhibition in the old equestrian exhibition hall, now the Nydamhalle, where the Nydam boat is the main feature.
From April 2003 to April 2004, the Nydam boat was on loan to the National Museum in Copenhagen.
The Nydam boat takes up a lot of space in the hall, so it was quite empty without it. To fill the void, ALG and the Hjortspring Boat Guild had agreed that Tilia could be borrowed (for a fee) for one year, from 15 April 2003 to 14 April 2004. The agreement also included sailing the Tilia on the Castle Lake, the Slie and the Kiel Canal, which are described here.
Official opening of the Hjortspring Boat exhibition at Gottorp Castle
The manager of Gottorp Castle, Claus von Carnap-Bornheim, welcomed the visitors and explained the background to the exhibition and the special feature that it was not an archaeological find on display, but a piece of experimental archaeology made by non-archaeologists in their spare time.
We were highly praised for that.
The floor was then handed over to Knud Valbjørn, who talked about our work on building Tilia - from our first attempts with the test pieces back in 1992, the work of obtaining wood in the necessary dimensions, the work of raising money for the project, the actual building of Tilia and finally the testing in collaboration with the National Museum.
Valbjørn concluded by asking Claus von Carnap-Bornheim to take good care of Tilia.
The exhibition was then declared open.
