09/02/2026
Experimental archaeology on the silver screen
When Christopher Nolan set out to make his record-breaking film, The Odyssey, there was only one boat ready to bring Odysseus home: the Draken Harald Hårfagre.
The Draken is the world’s largest Viking ship sailing in modern times, and is captained, owned, and operated by our members Björn Ahlander, Sigurd Aase, and Emanuel Persson.
“We call it experiential archaeology. Our mission is to test and better understand how these great ships were really sailed by taking them back to sea under authentic conditions. Our practical experience was one of the reasons the production chose Draken. Having successfully crossed the North Atlantic, we had already demonstrated that both the ship and her crew could operate safely in demanding conditions, including the kind of rough winter seas encountered during filming in the Mediterranean. Our crew trained the actors how to row and sail the ship, and many of us, including myself, also appeared on screen as extras. During filming we worked in gale-force winds and open-water conditions, continuing to test the capabilities of both ship and crew. Those authentic conditions are part of what audiences see on screen.” - Emanuel Persson
