Ever fancied a Nordic tattoo?
Well, your luck’s in. The 41st Jorvik Viking Festival returns to York for half term week, and you can now get a permanent reminder of your visit.
The Viking living history encampment on Parliament Street this year features artists creating permanent tattoos on some of the adult visitors in a special tattoo tent.
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It’s thanks to a partnership with Northern Black, organisers of Jorvik Tattoo Moot.
Artists from Brazil, Germany and Denmark will be hand-poking designs daily in a special display tent, where visitors can watch the inking take place.
Hand-poking is a tattoo technique that predates the tattoo machines that many artists use today, with archaeologists finding examples in human remains that date back 5,000 years. The technique requires skill and precision as a single needle is used to create the design.
Of course there’s plenty of fun for younger visitors too as the Jorvik Viking Festival has a packed programme of events all week until Sunday (22 February).
That includes the chance to wield a sword and learn to be a Viking berserker, mint your own silver coin, enjoy sagas, watch demos and more.
Tens of thousands of visitors will come to York experience a slice of Viking-age life during the week.
“This is a culmination of months of work and it is always extremely satisfying to open the barriers and let the first visitors into the encampment,” said head of operations, Mark Jackson.
“We often have families waiting to be first in to talk to the wonderful re-enactors who populate the displays, and this year was no different. It may be cold, but that doesn’t deter the hardy Vikings or the visitors!”
- For more information on the events at this year’s Jorvik Viking Festival and Fringe, go to the festival website
