Become a member

You have the opportunity to be with people who are interested in many aspects of the early Iron Age and before.
For example, we work with:

This is the period of Denmark's history we are dealing with. It goes from the dawn of time in Denmark, i.e. from the Hunter Stone Age, approx. 12,000 years BCE, to the end of the Iron Age - Viking Age, approx. 1100.

Our main interest is the Early Iron Age / Pre-Roman Iron Age / Celtic Iron Age, there are many names for the same period, which is from 500 BCE to year 1.

Of course, the time when the Hjortspring boat was built is particularly important to us, which is around 350 BCE.

We have a lot of literature you can immerse yourself in.

Our reconstructed Hjortspring boat - Tilia Alsie - is built, but we're still working to find out how it sails, why it's so good and, where parts are missing from the original find, to figure out how it could have been done in ancient times.
You could, perhaps a little pretentiously, call this experimental archaeology.

Because Tilia is representative of the only “'Rock carving boat”' ever found that can also sail, we are obliged to document how the boat is as a vessel.
Therefore, when we are out sailing, we try to plan some experiments that can shed light on the maritime characteristics of the boat: paddling technique, use of the rudder and its position, both fore and aft. Our experiences are described in our newsletter and in more detail in reports in a collection of documents we call the Members' Folder.
We also sail for fun and to show off the boat at various events.

Tilia was launched in 1999 and has since been on the water many times, which takes its toll. Therefore, there is ongoing maintenance of the boat, both inside and out.

The Hjortspring find didn't just consist of the boat, a number of other parts were found:The Hjortspring find didn't just consist of the boat, a number of other parts were found:

• Weapons: swords, spears and shields
• For the boat: paddles, scoops, repair parts, clubs, plus parts whose purpose we haven't yet figured out
• For personal use: turned wooden cans, bowls, dishes, spinning wheel ...

No clothing of any kind was found in the Hjortspring find.
That doesn't stop us from working on this!
Based on other finds in Denmark and northern Germany, we will work with yarn, fabric, plant colouring and the many different techniques that were in use during the Iron Age.

In our statutes it says:
Hjortspringbådens Guild has as its overall goal to promote information about Hjortspringbåden and its history.
We endeavour to live up to this by:

• Welcoming visitors on Tuesdays for 11 months of the year. Show a film about the Guild and Tilia, guided tour, ‘touching’ things
• Organising lectures at member evenings
• 3 - 4 newsletters a year on big and small issues for members and here on the website
• When desired by TV stations to participate in (TV) films
• Document what we have done in writing and pictures - the website. We have also published a book in Danish and participated in another in English
• Exhibitions at home and abroad

Every Tuesday is a member's day, officially from 6:30pm to 9pm, but there are usually people in the workshop from 1pm. When it comes to working on larger projects, evening time is not really an option. In the evening there is always time for a cup of coffee or tea, and sometimes there is also a kind soul who has brought something edible.

Once a year we have an end-of-year party - the first Monday in December - where we have a communal meal.
The menu is always yellow peas with appropriate side dishes.

As a member, you have the opportunity to participate in the Guild's activities, both on land and at sea, mainly at our address: Dyvigvej 11, Holm, 6430 Nordborg and on the water at Dyvig.

The annual membership fee is currently DKK 150 per year. The money goes primarily to member care. See also the Guild's statutes.
With the first payment, the book Hvad Haanden former er Aandens Spor is given as a gift and introduction to the Guild.
Apart from paying the membership fee, you have no obligations, it's OK to be a passive member, but we would love to see you at the shipyard.

When you sign up via email, we need your name and email address to be able to charge your membership fee and to send you our newsletter. You are welcome to include your home address and phone number, but it is not necessary. You can also indicate which interests you would like to participate in, but it is also OK to have a more passive role in the guild.

You will then be contacted by our cashier to confirm the agreement.