Vikings did not use maps, sextants, or other devices to navigate. They likely remembered their routes with coastal landmarks that were linked to myths, as well as their own memories and experiences. An archaeologist who has sailed in the tracks of Vikings for three years has now shown that Vikings could have sailed away from Scandinavia, and land, at greater distances than we have thought possible. His work has revealed ports on islands and peninsulas that formed a decentralized network, which probably played a major part in Viking travel and trade.
Greer Jarrett of Lund University and his team have sailed over 5,000 kilometers along Viking trade routes using an open, square-rigged boat that is similar to what people probably used during the Viking Age (800-1050 AD). In 2022, the group sailed north from Trondheim to the Arctic Circle.
These field excursions come with risks, and there have been accidents. On one occasion, the mainsail snapped and the team had to jerry-rig a solution. But the boats have held up and remained stable on numerous trips, even in the open ocean.
“I can show that this type of boat sails well on open water, in tough conditions. But navigating close to land and in the fjords sometimes presents challenges that are just as great, but not as obvious: underwater currents and katabatic winds blowing down from mountain slopes, for example,” noted Jarrett, a doctoral student at Lund University.
The researchers spent time in their boats, and interviewed fishermen and sailors about traditional routes from the 19th and early 20th centuries. At that time, sailboats without engines were common in Norway.
There are also Viking myths about different islands around Norway. Reefs and islets were included in various tales that likely aided Vikings as they navigated the sea, and those stories were passed down. "The stories serve to remind sailors of the dangers surrounding these places, or of their importance as navigation marks,” Jarrett explained.
Jarrett and his team have found four Norwegian harbors that may have been used by Vikings. The findings have been reported in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory.
“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. You need a boat that can withstand all kinds of weather conditions," said Jarrett.
But it's also crucial to remember the vital importance of cooperation. "If you don't have a crew that can cooperate and put up with each other for long periods, these journeys would probably be impossible,” Jarrett added.
Sources: Lund University, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory