Viking Age and early medieval trade in the North Atlantic: Comparison of settlement sites

from Iceland and Greenland

Aaron Kendall

The Graduate Center, City University of New York

CUNY HERC Open WorkshopNew York, 15 October 2012

Norse migration and potential subsequent trade routes

Three Hypotheses Addressed:

1. First Viking Age settlers in the N. Atlantic brought a “Settler Kit” which could not be easily renewed.

2. Because everyday artifacts were not easily replaced, status differences became blurred archaeologically.

3. Increased trade resulting from expanding fish markets provided the opportunity to replenish household and elite objects in the Early Medieval Period.

Hofstaðir HST

SveigakotSVK

HrísheimarHRH

Hofstaðir Skáli

Sveigakot Skáli

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Hofstadir Sveigakot Hreisheimar

Misc.WoolWoodPlantStoneSteatiteSchistGlassCopperIronBone

Material from Mývatn Sites

55%Fe

50%Fe

59%Fe

Myvatn Imports

Myvatn Local Materials

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Hofstadir Sveigakot Hreisheimar

Misc.WoolWoodPlantStoneSteatiteSchistGlassCopperIronBone

Material from Mývatn Sites

55%Fe

50%Fe

59%Fe

0

2

4

6

8

Perc

enta

ge

Hofstaðir

Mývatn Imports

AD 950 AD 1050 AD 1150

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Perc

enta

ge

Sveigakot

Steatite

Glass

Schist

V48

GUS

V51

V54

Western Settlement Sites

Local Greenland Materials

Greenlandic Antler Combs

Greenland Imports

Iceland-Greenland Comparison

Further Work• Finish inputting Greenland artifacts into

database• Incorporate site phasing and temporal changes

in assemblage at each site• Address wear of whetstones and nails• Add material from Skutustaðir and Sandwick• Future comparisons with Faroes, Shetland,

Orkney, and Scandinavian mainland?• Make completed database accessible on the

Internet