Uncovering the Viking Maritime Network

Vikings were renowned Scandinavian warriors and sailors who, between 800 and 1050 CE, embarked on raids, trading expeditions, and settlements throughout northern Europe, Iceland, Greenland, and as far as North America. However, much of what scholars know about Viking maritime networks revolves around their starting and ending points, leaving a significant gap in knowledge about the routes they took in between. To address this, an archaeologist from Lund University decided to retrace the Vikings’ seafaring routes, or rather, their wake.

Reconstructing Seafaring Itineraries

To recreate the Vikings’ maritime journeys, archaeologist Greer Jarrett undertook a series of experimental voyages along the Norwegian coast in functional Viking-like boats. By experiencing these journeys firsthand, Jarrett aimed to understand where Viking sailors would have sought shelter along the way to their destination. This approach led to the identification of four natural harbors that could have served as pitstops hundreds of years ago.

Understanding the Viking Trade Network

"A lot of the time, we only know about the starting and ending points of the trade that took place during the Viking Age, such as major ports like Bergen and Trondheim in Norway, Ribe in Denmark, and Dublin in Ireland," Jarrett explained in a statement. "My hypothesis is that this decentralized network of ports, located on small islands and peninsulas, was central to making trade efficient during the Viking Age." Jarrett’s goal was to shed light on the journeys between these major trading centers.

Experimental Archaeology

Between September 2021 and July 2022, Jarrett and his crew conducted 15 sailing trials and two approximately three-week-long trial voyages in seven different Nordic clinker boats: traditional, small, open, wooden sailboats whose use in Nordic regions dates back almost 2,000 years. Despite encountering challenges, such as a snapped mainsail pole, they covered 1,494 nautical miles.

Criteria for Viking Havens

Jarrett established criteria for potential "havens" along maritime itineraries, including access to fresh water, shelter from swells and winds, and a good view of the sea. These havens also had to be reachable in low visibility, large enough to host several boats, and approachable and exitable from different directions, all while being located in a "transition zone" between exposed regions and inner areas.

Integrating Digital Reconstructions and Traditional Knowledge

Jarrett’s investigation combined digital reconstructions of Viking Age sea levels, pre-established knowledge of large Viking maritime centers, and information about traditional 19th and early 20th-century sailboat routes from sailors and fishermen. He emphasized that his work focused on long-range Viking expeditions rather than voyages for raiding and war purposes.

Challenging Academic Bias

"This study’s emphasis on practical seafaring knowledge and experience seeks to counter the common academic bias towards terrestrial and textual sources and worldviews," Jarrett wrote in his study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory. By adopting a different approach, Jarrett aimed to provide new insights into the Viking maritime network.

Identifying Potential Viking Havens

Jarrett’s research led to the identification of four potential Viking havens along the Norwegian coast, each with varying degrees of pre-existing archaeological evidence indicating past human presence. While these findings are not conclusive, they represent a significant step forward in understanding the Viking maritime network.

Future Archaeological Surveys

"The list of possible Viking Age havens is intended as a working document, which can shape and be shaped by future archaeological surveys and excavations," Jarrett explained. Although experimental voyages cannot provide direct archaeological evidence, creative approaches like Jarrett’s can offer new perspectives and inspire future research. It remains to be seen whether his work will lead to further archaeological discoveries.