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Even though I live in Norway, I have much to learn about my heritage, traditions, and the ancient history of these Nordic lands. And I'm not kidding when I tell you I'm practically learning something new every day!
Photo: Modified with permission from Norsk Folkemuseum
My latest adventure to learn more about my own Norwegian heritage has put me on a path of discovery I'm genuinely enjoying. And by a fortunate turn of events, I stumbled upon a part-time job at Ringerikes Museum that further sparked my search for knowledge.
Every old object has a story to tell, a story that reveals something about my Norwegian roots, my ancestors’ beliefs, values, and customs. That’s why I love researching old objects and applied art. They are like windows to the past, showing me Norway's rich and diverse heritage.
There is so much to uncover that I had to write a list of objects to dig deeper into, like how to smooth laundry with the mangle board and why the porridge ambar had Norse protection symbols. And now it's the calendar sticks' turn, also known as a runic calendar, ringstav, rimstav, rune staffs, or "primstav."
How The Primstav Kept Track of Time and Seasons in Norway
The name primstav comes from the Latin word prima, meaning “first”, and the Norwegian word stav, meaning “stick”. Prim also meant “new moon” in Old Norse.
Photo: public domain
The primstav was a clever device that marked the changing seasons. It was a wooden stick with carvings on both sides: one side for the dark winter months and the other for the bright summer days.
Twice a year, on October 14 and April 14, they would turn the stick over to welcome the new season. These dates were also important for the farmers who hired or fired their workers on these days.
Before Norway fully embraced Christianity in 1020 AC, people celebrated these days with great sacrifices, along with the midwinter day on January 14. These customs varied from region to region. However, most primstavs that survive today have the exact dates engraved.
Fun Fact: Easter is not marked on primstavs because it falls on different days every year, which would make it useless.
Primstav: The Everlasting Calendar
A primstav is a timeless calendar from the 15th to the 18th century. Crafted from wood or other durable materials, it reveals the secrets of the days and seasons with intricate symbols and notches.
The details of the aks symbol signal the start of Olsok on June 29th. Photo: Modified with permission from Norsk Folkemuseum
Each week is marked by a unique sign that honors the cycle of life. Some days are adorned with special symbols that commemorate the sacred and festive occasions of the year.
In addition to keeping track of the year by turning the primstav over on October 14th to welcome the winter season and April 14th to welcome the summer season, it served as a reminder of the start or end of specific work tasks related to agriculture and fishing. One such task was shearing the sheep on May 3rd. Another interesting one is November 25th, which was spinning wool day.
The primstav is a fascinating relic of the past and a descendant of the original rune calendar. The rune calendar was a practical and powerful way of writing and reading the signs of nature and time. It's an important artifact because it shows us how our ancestors celebrated the marked days and tracked their traditions and culture.
Example of a rune calendar from Gubrandsdalen in Norway Photo: public domain
Fun Fact: Before Christianity came to Norway, people followed the old pagan ways and worshipped the ancient gods. They had three holy dates when they offered great sacrifices to please the gods and seek their blessings. These were October 14 and April 14, when the sun crossed the equator and marked the change of seasons. The third date was January 14, the middle of the dark and cold winter, when they hoped for the return of the sun and the renewal of life.
From Pagan Sacrifices to Catholic Masses: How the Primstav Shaped Norway's Religious Traditions
The Primstav may have inherited some features from the old pagan calendars, but none have survived. Since "prim" in Old Norse means new moon, it's commonly believed that the primstav as we know it today is based on an even older runic calendar. And there are a couple of symbols that support this theory.
One such symbol is the drinking horn marked on Christmas Day (December 25th), which perhaps says everything about what the Vikings thought Christmas was about :)
The Drinking Horn Photo: Modified with permission from Norsk Folkemuseum
The primstav was full of holy days, too, many of them dedicated to Catholic saints. However, after the Reformation in 1537, the original meaning of many signs associated with Catholic saints was forgotten.
Many marked days on the primstav probably combine pagan and Christian symbols. But not all signs on the primstav relate to the church. For instance, the leafy tree marks on April 14th symbolize the beginning of summer.
Photo: public domain
As time passed, the symbols evolved to reflect the seasons, weather, and work tasks, showing how people adapted their beliefs and traditions to their environment. The primstav basically turned into a farmer's almanac. But the funny thing is that Primstavs kept many markings commemorating the Catholic saints because they were often feast days, and who doesn't like a good party once in a while?
Fun Fact: From ancient times, it was also required by law to brew Christmas beer in Norway :)
Primstavs are Spellbinding Calendar Sticks
I love the mysterious and ancient primstavs because they reveal a lot about Norwegian culture and history. And I find it remarkable that this wooden stick served as a calendar for centuries, and maybe even millennia.
After researching and looking at many examples of primstavs, it's clear that these calendar sticks had a very practical function. But I believe it also gave people something to look forward to. After all, staying alive was no easy feat. Counting down the days to special occasions and feasts must have given them hope.
Photo: public domain
At Ringerikes Museum, just outside of Oslo, you can see Jørgen Moe's primstav on display and other interesting relics his family donated. Jørgen Moe was a famous author, storyteller, and bishop in Norway. He most likely received this primstav as a gift since its use had become outdated before his birth.
Jørgen Moe's primstav displayed at Ringerikes Musuem Video: AK Magraff
Fun Fact: The primstav used the old Julian calendar. But when the new Gregorian calendar came along in the 1700s, the primstav became outdated and useless, lagging behind the new calendar by 11 days.
If you want to see more examples of primstavs, you can visit The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History in Oslo or its digital museum.
Opening Hours Ringerikes Museum:
Telephone number: +47 32 13 50 50
Address: Norderhovsbakken 8, 3512 Hønefoss
Open for the public: during the summer. Check the website for details.
