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Maritime Mindscapes : using experimental archaeology to reconstruct Viking Age seafaring routes

Jarrett, Greer LU orcid (2026) In Kulturhistoriske studier i centralitet - Archaeological & Historical Studies in Centrality 11. p.8-23
Abstract
In this paper I evaluate the feasibility of reconstructing Viking Age sailing routes through experimental and ethnographic fieldwork onboard traditional Norwegian boats, focusing on aspects of Viking Age route choice, risk judgement, and the location of possible anchorages and harbours. The goal with this approach is to reconstruct the ‘scapes’ of Viking Age seafaring: the seafaring routes and environments, as well as the practices and worldviews of a maritime society. It is argued that through this approach, we can discover not only where people travelled, but also what these journeys were like, what understandings of the world they were entangled in, and how these afforded the practices observable in the surviving evidence. Some elements... (More)
In this paper I evaluate the feasibility of reconstructing Viking Age sailing routes through experimental and ethnographic fieldwork onboard traditional Norwegian boats, focusing on aspects of Viking Age route choice, risk judgement, and the location of possible anchorages and harbours. The goal with this approach is to reconstruct the ‘scapes’ of Viking Age seafaring: the seafaring routes and environments, as well as the practices and worldviews of a maritime society. It is argued that through this approach, we can discover not only where people travelled, but also what these journeys were like, what understandings of the world they were entangled in, and how these afforded the practices observable in the surviving evidence. Some elements and aspects of these scapes survived in relatively unaltered form into the 20th century, allowing us to employ them as analogies for Viking Age affordances, and reconstruct possible maritime itineraries along the Norwegian coast. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Travelling Viking Age : Proceedings of the 40th Interdisciplinary Viking Symposium. Odense, University of Southern Denmark, May 3, 2023 - Proceedings of the 40th Interdisciplinary Viking Symposium. Odense, University of Southern Denmark, May 3, 2023
series title
Kulturhistoriske studier i centralitet - Archaeological & Historical Studies in Centrality
editor
Dangvard Pedersen, Dorthe and Hansen, Jesper
volume
11
pages
16 pages
publisher
Forskningscenter Centrum – Museum Odense – University Press of Southern Denmark
ISBN
978-87-90464-39-4
project
Mapping Midgård. Reconstructing Mental Geographies of Viking Age Seafarers.
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
11fb4efd-7dfe-4caf-9968-c67837094618
date added to LUP
2026-01-14 12:02:39
date last changed
2026-01-26 11:21:13
@inproceedings{11fb4efd-7dfe-4caf-9968-c67837094618,
  abstract     = {{In this paper I evaluate the feasibility of reconstructing Viking Age sailing routes through experimental and ethnographic fieldwork onboard traditional Norwegian boats, focusing on aspects of Viking Age route choice, risk judgement, and the location of possible anchorages and harbours. The goal with this approach is to reconstruct the ‘scapes’ of Viking Age seafaring: the seafaring routes and environments, as well as the practices and worldviews of a maritime society. It is argued that through this approach, we can discover not only where people travelled, but also what these journeys were like, what understandings of the world they were entangled in, and how these afforded the practices observable in the surviving evidence. Some elements and aspects of these scapes survived in relatively unaltered form into the 20th century, allowing us to employ them as analogies for Viking Age affordances, and reconstruct possible maritime itineraries along the Norwegian coast.}},
  author       = {{Jarrett, Greer}},
  booktitle    = {{Travelling Viking Age : Proceedings of the 40th Interdisciplinary Viking Symposium. Odense, University of Southern Denmark, May 3, 2023}},
  editor       = {{Dangvard Pedersen, Dorthe and Hansen, Jesper}},
  isbn         = {{978-87-90464-39-4}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{8--23}},
  publisher    = {{Forskningscenter Centrum – Museum Odense – University Press of Southern Denmark}},
  series       = {{Kulturhistoriske studier i centralitet - Archaeological & Historical Studies in Centrality}},
  title        = {{Maritime Mindscapes : using experimental archaeology to reconstruct Viking Age  seafaring routes}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/239433258/PUB_VERSION_Travelling_Viking_Age_jarrett.pdf}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}