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Help wanted: Vikings. Must be friendly, tourist-oriented and interested in ancient Norse traditions. Crazed, bloodthirsty pillagers need not apply.

In a rare employment opportunity for Vikings, whose job market peaked about 1,000 years ago when they terrorized Europe in their longboats, southern Norway's Vestfold country is seeking to fill slots at its local historical park.

The ad, to appear in local media on Saturday, will be simple: "Jobs available. Vikings in Vestfold," with the link to the center's Internet home page, Lars Kobro, self-described chieftain of the Midgard Historical Center, said by telephone Tuesday.

"More and more we see that tourists are interested in Vikings," said Kobro. "They don't want just exhibits, but face-to-face encounters."

"The problem is that the last Vikings died about 1,000 years ago," he said. "So we have to make it like theater, and find people wanting to play Vikings, and learn their cooking, clothes customs and crafts."

The center is seeking to play down the Scandinavian Vikings' reputation as wild, murderous looters and rapists who pillaged and burned through much of Europe, a claim Kobro said was largely exaggerated in texts left by ancient English monks.

(no subject)

Date: 2005-04-06 11:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ceara.livejournal.com
Dude. I want that job.

(no subject)

Date: 2005-04-07 12:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ex-cerebrate131.livejournal.com
Even without the slayage, pillageage and burnage?

(no subject)

Date: 2005-04-07 04:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ceara.livejournal.com
Especially without it. Even though Viking period dress isn't my favorite costuming style, I'd love to have the opportunity to play SCA-style for a living.

(no subject)

Date: 2005-04-08 08:47 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ex-cerebrate131.livejournal.com
While that certainly would have more practical (and, hey, fun) appeal, the Cerebrate's visual imagination would like to comment that the battleaxe-and-burning-monastery look really rather suits you.

(There is now a pause while the Cerebrate bewares the fury of the Northwomen, belike.)

(no subject)

Date: 2005-04-07 01:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sivi-volk.livejournal.com
The center is seeking to play down the Scandinavian Vikings' reputation as wild, murderous looters and rapists who pillaged and burned through much of Europe, a claim Kobro said was largely exaggerated in texts left by ancient English monks.

Probably the monks were just bitter about the whole "being burned out and looted" thing that kept happening every few years.

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