In the 17th century, at the height of the Swedish Empire, Sweden attempted to establish several overseas colonies. One of these, New Sweden, was located in America in what is now parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. 

For 17 years trade ships brought over 600 Swedes and Finns to the colony along the Delaware River. However, in 1654 New Sweden was taken over by the nearby Dutch colony of New Netherlands. Despite this, New Sweden retained its independence until 1681 when the land was granted to William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania. 

The first archaeological dig of the year in Iceland began today. At Hafnir in Reykjanes, southwest Iceland, archaeologist have returned to the site of a hut that may date to 770-880 CE. If accurate, this would date before the first known Viking settlement in 874 CE.

Excavations at this site, given the name Vogur, have been intermittent since 2003. The proposed date of the site was revealed last summer after carbon dating. No other structures have been found in the area.

In 1989 Denmark became the first country to legalize unions between same-sex couples. “Registered partnerships” have almost all the same qualities as a marriage. In 2010 same-sex couples received the right to joint adoption.

The Danish parliament is currently considering a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage after a 2006 poll showed 69% of the public support same-sex marriage. If approved, this bill would come into effect in June 2012.

Koelbjerg Woman, a skeleton recovered from a peat bog in Denmark, is the oldest body ever found in a bog. The remains date to 8000 BCE. Unlike other bog bodies, Koelbjerg Woman was not mummified because her remains ended up in open water and did not become incorporated in the bog until later. Experts believe the woman was about 25 when she died, possibly from drowning.

Norway celebrates their national day on 17 May, sometimes called Constitution Day. On this day in 1814 the Norwegian Constitution was signed in Eidsvoll. Even though independence was not achieved until 1905 this day is celebrated. 

The first 17 May celebrations were held in 1836. In 1870 the first children’s parade was held, and has since become a yearly tradition. 

The oldest confirmed archaeological site in Finland is Wolf Cave in Kristinestad. Excavations at the site began in 1996 and have so far uncovered over 200 artifacts and 600 pieces of various waste materials. 

The cave is thought to have been used 120-130,000 years ago. It is also suspected, although controversial, that the cave was used by Neanderthals. If this is the case, it would be the only known find of Neanderthal artifacts in the Nordic countries. 

Reykjavik is the northernmost capitol of any sovereign state. The city is believed to also be the location of the first permanent settlements on Iceland. The settlement is said to have been founded by Ingolfr Arnarson around 870CE. 

The name Reykjavik loosely translates to “smoke cove”, thought to have been inspired by the numerous hot springs in the area.

On 7 June 1905 the Norwegian parliament broke the nation’s personal union with with Sweden after years of tension between the two countries. For the most part the Swedish government took this well, and negotiations for the official dissolution of the union went peacefully.

On 13 August a vote was held among Norwegian citizens in which nearly 100% stated they approved of the dissolution. However, King Oscar II of Sweden refused to allow any member of his house to take up the throne of Norway. Instead, Prince Carl of Denmark was approached and overwhelmingly the people of Norway voted in favor of establishing a monarchy rather than a republic. On 25 November 1905 Carl took the throne as Haakon VII.

[Picture: A postcard from 1905 reading ‘Yes, we love this land’.]

Finn Juhl is considered the father of Danish Design. Born in 1912, he became world famous for designing the Trusteeship Council Chamber in the UN building in the 1940s.

Juhl was an architect, interior and industrial designer, but is by far known best for his innovative, modern furniture designs. He received several awards for his designs during his lifetime, many of which are now featured in modern art museums around the world. Today the Finn Juhl Prize is given to a designer who has “made a special effort in the field of furniture design–with special reference to chairs.”

Although the Treaty of Kiel officially recognized Greenland as a part of Norway handed over to Sweden in 1814, this was never acted upon and Greenland remained under Danish rule.

In 1940, when Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany, Greenland’s connection with Denmark was severed. In 1941 the United States occupied Greenland, along with Iceland, in order to prevent German invasion, as neither Iceland nor Greenland have standing armies. This occupation lasted until 1945. Home rule was granted in 1979, though Greenland remains a part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

The Great Geysir in Iceland was the first geyser ever described in a printed source, and the first known to modern Europe. It’s highest recorded eruption was in 1845, at which it reached a height of 170 meters. It is from Geysir that English gets the word “geyser”, one of very few loan words from Icelandic. 

In the Swedish village of Kåseberga there stands a megalithic monument constructed of 59 massive stones carefully arranged in the shape of a ship overlooking the Baltic Sea. The structure is known as Ales Stenar, or “Ale’s Stones”, and was generally believed to have been assembled about 1000 years ago.

But now some researchers are arguing that the site is actually closer to 2500 years old and built as an astrological calendar.

This is still a matter of some controversy among researchers familiar with the site, who say the claim has no backing. Several other “stone ships” dot the Scandinavian landscape, all believed to have been built between 500-1000 CE based on carbon dating and serve as burial monuments. There is no evidence that Ales Stenar is any different, and its perceived similarities to Stonehenge are likely coincidental.

Sampo is a magical artifact from the Finnish epic Kalevala. It is said that whomever possesses Sampo will experience good fortune. Forged by the legendary smith Ilmarinen, the artifact has been interpreted in many ways; a world pillar, a compass, a treasure chest, a shield, and many other things. The compiler of the Kalevala,  Lönnrot, interpreted it as a mill that could produce flour, salt or gold out of thin air.

Sampo plays a pivotal roll in the Kalevala. It is said Ilmarinen forges it in order to win the hand of the daughter of Louhi, an evil witch. Louhi then steals Sampo. When Ilmarinen and Väinämöinen infiltrate her fortress to retrieve it the treasure is destroyed.

[Picture: Forging of Sampo (1893) by Akseli Gallen-Kallela.]

During WWI Norway, along with Denmark and Sweden, issued a declaration of neutrality. However, at the time the newly independent Norway was highly dependent on foreign trade, and was pressured by the allied powers to break off trade with Germany and hand over an increasingly large portion of their merchant fleet to the UK. 

Norwegian ships with Norwegian crews sailed under the British flag, and Norway lost about 50% of their total merchant fleet, including nearly 2000 sailors, to German submarine attacks. But overall the war brought a boom to Norway’s economy through shipping, mining, and fish exports.

[Picture: WWI propaganda poster]