International DFAS Symposium

Programme

PROGRAMME

DFAS congress, May 2024: the Viking age

More than a 1000 years ago the Scandinavian Vikings ruled the world, travelled everywhere in their light boats, from the rivers in the east, to Russia down to Constantinople (Istanbul). They even constituted the guard of the Osmanic emperor (the Vaeringe guard), they discovered Iceland, Greenland and North America (Newfoundland and Wineland) 500 years before Columbus. They
have been in all countries around the Mediterranean Sea and left their DNA (blue eyed and redhaired descendants). They were convincing businessmen, democratic at home, not rapists or
terrorists abroad, but took to weapons if negotiations were not going their way. They established colonies, in the British Isles where Dublin is a Viking city, and in North America (but left it: the grapes were sour. They were used to beer and wines from France.) They invaded Paris 3 times and Rome twice. Artefacts from their travels (furs and jewelry from Russia, money and art from the
Mediterranean area) can be found all over Scandinavia. Their era disappeared when they were forced to Christianity politically by Charles the Great of Germany. Religion has always been and still is a cause war. The highlights of the congress will be the gala dinner in a real Viking Hall, so you can get a feeling of the richness and the glamour in Scandinavia more than 1000 years ago.

Welcome & have fun

On Behalf of Danish Foot and Ankle Society
Mostafa Benyahia (Chairman)