Editorial


On Friday 24 February the 'Grand Old Man' of Danish maritime archaeology and director of the National Museum's Centre for Maritime Archaeology, Ole Crumlin-Pedersen, celebrated his 60th birthday. For those of us who are his colleagues in the three institutions in Roskilde, and for the many friends who took part in the festivities of the day, this provided a welcome opportunity to thank Ole for his impressive achievements and inspiring presence throughout many years of work. The extent to which the fruits of his labours have grown over those years is clearly shown in this edition of the Newsletter. The article about the exciting and large-scale extension plans around the Viking Ship Museum makes it evident how far we have progressed in presenting maritime archaeology to the public since the first ferry-loads of curious visitors were taken out to the Skuldelev excavation in 1962. And the Newsletter's existence in itself, as well as the context of the research centre which brought it into being, are expressions of the importance maritime archaeology has acquired in the cultural/historical environment here in Denmark and abroad. Another expression of the same development is the colourful selection of articles on maritime archaeology which friends and colleagues have chosen to present to Ole in the festschrift in his honour, entitled Shipshape, which is described in greater detail elsewhere in this Newsletter.

In the light of all this, one cannot help asking oneself how all these goals have been achieved. What qualities does one have to have, as a person and leader, to make this possible? Research abilities and the capacity to inspire colleagues and donors are two evident answers, but there is a third which is probably just as important: the ability to share both leadership responsibility and influence on the shape of the research profile. By transferring the leadership of first the Viking Ship Museum and later the Institute of Maritime Archaeology to others, Ole has managed to avoid the fossilisation which often threatens large organisations and to replace it with renewed vitality. New, capable people could take their turn at the tiller and contribute significantly to determining the course and the forms of cooperation. The variety and diversity which has thus come to be a feature of the work carried out in Roskilde is one of the most important reasons for this being such an inspiring place to work. Let us hope it remains so in the decades to come.

In addition to describing the extension of the Viking Ship Museum, this edition of the Newsletter also includes the second article in the series on maritime archaeological survey methods. A new series, with the title "New pictures of old ships", is also launched, with two articles, one about a signet from Roskilde, and the other about a newly-discovered mural painting in Voldby Church. In addition to being valuable sources for parts of ships which are seldom preserved for archaeologists to find, the depictions of ships are also an expression of the symbolic meaning of the ship in the society of the time - an exciting perspective, which in each of these cases of new finds has significance for its interpretation. And a concrete expression of the breadth of the research-field which we are trying to cover from the institutions in Roskilde, and which this Newsletter attempts to describe, by presenting a glimpse of topical activities to a larger public. Happy reading.

Jan Bill


Jorn.Sjostrom@natmus.min.dk
Copyright © 1995 The National Museum of Denmark
Last Updated august 6, 1995