Map of Norway
Map of Norway
Note the numerous islands off the west coast of Norway.The waters between the islands and the coast formed the Norwegur, a route for ships moving up and down the coast, which gave the country of Norway its name. Note also the relatively small amount of low-lying coastal land, also the frequent fiords cutting into the land and the mountainous nature of much of the terrain. Many of the Vikings who came to Britain were from Thrandheim, Sogne fiord and Horthaland. Note the position of Oslo fiord and the craft-working settlement and port at Kaupang.Commentary.
Adam of Bremen, mentions Norway’s mountains and cold climate. He uses the word ‘unproductive’ and suggests it was suitable only for herds. We shall see that Adam paints an accurate picture here: few parts of Norway were suitable for arable farming.
History of the archbishops of Hamburg-Bremen
Adam, von Bremen, Tschan, Francis Joseph, 1881-1947. Columbia University Press, 1959. Records of civilization, sources and studies ;
The ‘solitudes’ mentioned by Adam are probably shielings or summer pastures on higher ground. Flocks and herds would be taken there in the spring and their minders would live in temporary accommodation at the sites. Place-names and topographical evidence suggest shielings in Scotland and the Isle of Man in the Viking Age, as we shall see.
Adam mentions animals which were hunted for their furs. Norwegian furs were much sought after by nobles and clerics in western Europe and formed part of a growing contact between Europe and Scandinavia. Ohthere in our second extract (See, most conveniently, Page, R.I. 1995 Chronicles of the Vikings, 46 - 48) mentions a voyage down the Norwegian coast to the trading town of Kaupang in Oslo fiord and on to Hedeby at the foot of the Jutland peninsula, in Denmark. Norwegian animal furs were probably one of the commodities traded to Europe through Hedeby, but Kaupang was also a collection centre for Norwegian commodities such as honestones, which also found their way into Denmark and Europe. You need to consider the growth and control of such trading sites and the implication of these for social development.
Ohthere also mentions whale and walrus hunting. Walrus ivory was another item traded to Europe, where the Church decorated book covers with ivory, which they could no longer obtain from Africa, as the trading routes for elephant ivory had been blocked from the 7th century by the Arab conquest of north Africa and Spain. Note that groups of hunters caught whales - an example of communities cooperating together in hunting and fishing. Such cooperation may have led to social organisation and leadership.
Questions for you to think about
Having read the extracts carefully:
- Does the Christian, Adam of Bremen, show bias against the Norwegians at any point?
- Do you detect any degree of admiration for the Norwegians in his text?
- Do we learn anything of the relations of the Norwegians with their neighbours?
- What do we learn from Ohthere’s account of his travels?
Consider the above questions and, if you like, put your ideas on the online discussion forum.
Quiz
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Further Reading
1. Adam of Bremen (cleric, writing c. A.D. 1075) History of the Archbishops of Hamburg-Bremen (trans. Tschan, F.J., 1975)
2. Ohthere, merchant and visitor to the court of King Alfred, late 9th century, gave an account of his country to the king, which is preserved in Alfred's translation of 'rosius's Historia Adversum Paganos. (See, most conveniently, Page, R.I. 1995 Chronicles of the Vikings, 46 - 48)