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Law and order

Things, from the Old Norse þing, are the early assemblies found throughout Northern Europe as a result of our shared Norse heritage.

Before our Parliaments, before the High Courts – there were Things.

Things – from the Old Norse word þing, meaning assembly – were an early system of justice and administration.

When the Vikings and early Norse settlers arrived in a new place they brought with them their customs and legal systems. Things were where political decisions were made, laws upheld and disputes settled. They acted as meeting places and were often the focus for trade and religious activity.

Things are found throughout the Viking world. This website explores the history and legacy of some of these fascinating sites, focusing on the Viking sea roads westwards, from Norway to Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Shetland, Orkney, the Highlands of Scotland and the Isle of Man – countries and areas which are partners in the EU Northern Periphery Programme funded THING Project.

They have been described as the Viking cradle of democracy because their establishment was an early attempt to introduce a representative system, allowing disputes to be settled in a neutral forum rather than by blood feud and violence alone.

The importance and success of the system led to it being transported from the Scandinavian homelands to Viking colonies throughout Northern Europe. We can identify many sites by their thing, ting, ding or fing place names. Some examples include Gulating (Norway), Tingwalla (Sweden), Þingvellir (Iceland), Tinganes (Faroe Islands), Tingwall (Shetland), Tingwall (Orkney), Dingwall (Scotland), Tynwald (Isle of Man) and Fingay Hill (England).

When the Vikings and early Norse settlers arrived in a new place they brought with them their customs and legal systems. Political decisions were made at the thing, laws upheld and disputes settled. Proceedings were overseen by the local ruler and the law-speaker (judge), whose job was to memorise and recite the law. At some things, known as Althings, any free man was entitled to vote. At others – Lawthings – the crown and local communities acted together to interpret the law.

The thing was also a focus for religious activity, as well as trade and exchange. At Thingvellir in Iceland you can still see the remains of the booths, or huts, where traders came to do business with people attending the meeting.

The thing system for sharing and legislating power can still be recognised today. Several things continue to be active. The Icelandic parliament is still known as the Althing, the Norwegian parliament is called the Storting and the Faroese parliament goes by the name of Løgting. The Manx parliament, known as Tynwald, still holds a midsummer court on the thing mound at Tynwald Hill every year.

Today, at a time of increasing internationalisation and globalisation, the thing story is a reminder of an age-old need for robust legal systems and open debate, and the importance of trying to resolve conflicts without resorting to violence.

About the project

Before our Parliaments, before the High Courts – there were Things. Our project shares and exchanges knowledge on how to sustain and develop these sites in whose history lie the roots of northern democracies.

The THING Project is a three year transnational project funded by the Northern Periphery Program involving partners in Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Shetland, Orkney, the Highlands of Scotland and the Isle of Man.  The Northern Periphery Program aims to help peripheral and remote communities on the northern margins of Europe to develop their economic, social and environmental potential. The project has established a network to explore and promote the shared links between the Northern European thing sites and develop sustainable business and tourism opportunities in each of the partner regions. 

We have created a common strategy for interpreting and promoting thing sites across the network. Although each site is unique, they share many of the same concerns and challenges, and we can gain valuable insights through exchanging knowledge and site management strategies. Partners have collaborated and shared expertise to create educational and interpretive materials and activities. We have established and are testing methods for raising awareness and communicating information using innovative web based technologies and social media.

One of the project’s main outcomes is the creation of this web portal which will act as a hub for anyone looking for information relating to each of the sites and the partner regions. We are also exploring the possibility of a future serial UNESCO World Heritage nomination, building on Iceland’s existing World Heritage site at Thingvellir.

In order to achieve these objectives we have:

    • Organised a series of international workshops, lectures and field visits to strengthen the network and promote site awareness
    • Explored the use of web based project management systems and social networking sites to facilitate networking between partners and interested parties, and to promote awareness about the sites
    • Developed common interpretation and dissemination strategies for the communication of information on the sites
    • Created a separate public facing website which will act as a hub connecting users with relevant information about each site, and promote sustainable tourism. 

      For more information on the THING Project please visit www.thingproject.eu

      Watch a film about the Project partners and activities here