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350: This exhibit shows the steps in refining iron in the early Iron Age (500 BCE to 1050 CE). These include the ore, slag, banded iron ore, wrought iron and a blank used for casting a sword. The Iron Age is considered the last of the three periods of "heathen time." The first was the Stone Age (12,500 BCE to 1,700 BCE) and then was the Bronze Age (1,700 BCE to 500 BCE).

351: This panel places human occupation of Europe in the context of the evolution of Neanderthal people, and the Neanderthals dying out after the arrival of Cro-Magnons about 25,000 years ago.

352: This panel shows how Scandanavia missed out on a period of early human occupation of Europe because it was still covered by ice from the receding Ice Age.

353: Then, about 9,600 BCE, the ice receded from Denmark and early nomads arrived following the paths of reindeer migrations.

354: Cro-Magnon spears were tipped with effective flint arrowheads.

355: They also found hunting from boats advantageous while using harpoons.

356: We had to explain to the Babies that this is a mammal, not a dinosaur.

Photo by Laura

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358: Amber trade was a source of wealth for early settlers in Föhr.

359: Until the sea level rose about 7,000 to 6,000 BCE, settlers could walk from the European mainland to England.

360: Bottom center is an example of a mouth harp.

361: Excavators and sand-pumping ships still find relics of early human habitation.

362: Burial places are a rich source of information about early human life, but some burial sites were disturbed by subsequent burials.

363: Example of an early dugout canoe. The holes at the left are for securing a bulkhead.

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367: Evidence that early Danes invented the unicycle.

368: They also made seats for their unicycles.

369: More amber meant more demand for Föhr's first major export.

370: The oldest drawings of boats used hashmarks to indicate the number of people in the boat.

371: Ships were important to Viking ancestors. I can imagine that parents were pleased to have their kids playing with toy boats.

The emphasis on runestones recounting the lives of lost loved ones is a reminder of the many Vikings who risked and lost their lives.