Trade and handicrafts in the early Middle Ages

Much was already known in the early Middle Ages that defines our consumer society today: Specialized traders and craftsmen who only lived from their trade without having to farm, and of course the first consumer goods.

In addition to fine and expensive luxury goods, the first mass-produced goods for the small budget were also produced. Product piracy was also known to medieval people. - The best-known example are quality sword blades from "Ulfberht" in the Rhineland, which have been copied en masse.

On our favorite theme day, our "people from Starigard", each of our craftsmen is free to pursue their favorite craft and invites our visitors to ask questions and, above all, to try them out for themselves.

For example, learn from our potter how the Slavs made their ceramics and why they were also very popular with the neighboring Vikings.

Or you can best find out why glass beads were so valuable in the early Middle Ages if you set out to make these small pieces of jewelry yourself over an open fire. 

Anyone who sits down on the rowing bench of our Viking ship replica or who first stops at the "Slavic" tavern after a successful return will get a small impression of how ship crews felt when they went on a trade voyage.

You can experience these and other crafts up close when the "Hammer & Pfennig" Wall Museum opens its doors!