Ships in the Baltics:
Viking Images of the Baltic Region
Jan-Marek Šík
Departement of Baltic Studies
Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
Vikings
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Viking Age
–
June 8th, 793 AD: Viking attack of Lindisfarne
–
September 25th, 1066 AD: battle of Stamford Bridge
Vikings and the Baltic Region
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What Vikings travelled to the
Baltic region?
What did they do there/why did
they go there?
How do we know that they
went there?
What kind of image did the
Vikings have about the Baltic
region?
Vikings in the Baltic Region II
Source of information:
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Foreign written sources
–
Rimbert: Vita Ansgarii (c. 875)
–
Porphyrogenitos: On the Administration of the Empire
(c. 954)
Saxo Grammaticus: Gesta Danorum (13th century)
–
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Archeological evidence
–
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Runestones
Ornamented limestone disk, boat graves, silver
hoards...
Runic Instriptions
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Commonly mentioned
place names:
– Virland = Virumaa
–
Æistaland
–
Finnland
–
Lifland
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Saeimgali =Zemgale
–
Tafaeistaland =Tavastia
–
Vindau/Vindö =
Ventspils
U 214, Vallentuna
(c.1100)
Runic Inscriptions II
... uk × inkiber × eftiR × buanta × sin ' han '
troknaþi ÷ a ' holms ' hafi ' skreþ ' knar '
hans ' i ' kaf þriR ' eniR ' kamo ' af
... ok Ingebærg æftiR boanda sinn. Hann
drunknaði a Holms hafi, skræið knarr hans i kaf,
þriR æiniR kvamu af.
... and Ingibjörg in memory of her husbandman.
He drowned in Holmr's sea - his cargo-ship
drifted to the sea-bottom - only three came out
(alive).
Vikings in the Baltic Region III
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Sagas
–
Saga of the Jomsvikings
(Jómsvíkinga saga)
–
Egils Saga (Egils saga)
–
Saga of Olaf Tryggvason
(Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar):
part of Heimskringla
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Egils saga and Saga of Olaf
Tryggvason written by Snorri
Snurluson (1179-1241)
Egils saga
The owner of that farm was a powerful and wealthy
man; he had a son grown up. Now they debated
what they should do with their prisoners. The
goodman said that he thought this were best
counsel, to kill them one on the heels of another.
His son said that the darkness of night was now
closing in, and no sport was thus gotten by their
torture; he bade them be let bide till the morning.
So they were thrust into a room and strongly
bound. Egil was bound hand and foot to a post.
Then the room was strongly locked, and the
Courlanders went into the dining-hall, ate, drank,
and were merry.
Saga of Olaf Tryggvason
Hakon the Old gave her [Astrid] good attendants,
and what was needful for the journey, and she
set out with some merchants. […] Olaf was
three years of age. As they sailed out into the
Baltic [Sea] they were captured by Vikings of
Esthonia, who made booty both of the people
and goods, killing some, and dividing others as
slaves… Reas [an Esthonian] bought Olaf for a
good cloak… Olaf was long with them, was
treated well, and was much beloved by the
people. Olaf was six years in Esthonia in this
banishment.
So what could the Vikings have
thought about the Baltic region?
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Region between the West and the East
Baltic peoples were opponents as well as
partners
Nothing so much interesting to write about realistic descriptions of the adventures
BUT!
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Njáls saga (Brennu-Njáls saga) – written at the end of
the 13th century
Thorkel foulmouth had been abroad and worked
his way to fame in other lands. He had slain a
robber east in Jämtland's wood, and then he
fared on east into Sweden, and was a messmate
of Saurkvir the churl, and they harried eastward;
but to the east of Baltic side. Thorkel had to fetch
water for them one evening; then he met a wild
man of the woods, and struggled against him
long; but the end of it was that he slew the wild
man. Thence he fared east into Adalsyssla
(=Estonian mainland), and there he slew a flying
fire-drake. After that he fared back to Sweden,
and thence to Norway, and so out to Iceland, and
let these deeds of derring do be carved over his
shut bed, and on the stool before his high-seat.
Sources and other literature
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Leggett, Joshua: Baltija and the Vikings, online
version:www.conflicts.rem33.com/images/The%
20Baltic%20States/vikingarna.htm
Vinje, Judith Gabriel: Vikings in the East:
Remarkable Eyewitness Accounts,
Scandinavian Press, Issue 1, 2001
Saks, Edgar V.. The Estonian Vikings, Boreas
Publishing House, London 1981
Kendrick, T. D.: A History of the Vikings,
Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1930
Thank you for your attention!
Any questions?