Archaeologist Recreates Viking Sea Routes Using Traditional Boats

Vikings were not just fierce warriors but also masterful sailors who connected distant lands from northern Europe to North America between 800 and 1050 CE. Yet, much of what we know about their maritime journeys focuses on major ports like Bergen, Trondheim, Ribe, and Dublin, leaving the routes in between shrouded in mystery.

To bridge this knowledge gap, Greer Jarrett, an archaeologist at Lund University, embarked on an ambitious experimental archaeology project. Over three years, he and his crew sailed 1,494 nautical miles along the Norwegian coast in seven different traditional Nordic clinker boats—small, open wooden sailboats used for nearly two millennia.

Jarrett’s goal was to experience firsthand the conditions Viking sailors faced and identify natural harbors that would have served as practical pitstops. These havens needed fresh water, shelter from harsh weather, good sea visibility, accessibility in low visibility, and the capacity to host multiple boats. They also had to lie in transition zones between exposed coasts and inner fjords.

Between September 2021 and July 2022, Jarrett conducted 15 sailing trials and two three-week voyages, enduring challenges such as a snapped mainsail pole miles from shore. His approach combined practical sailing with digital reconstructions of Viking Age sea levels, historical knowledge of Viking ports, and traditional 19th and 20th-century sailing routes.

This innovative blend of hands-on experimentation and digital analysis led Jarrett to identify four potential Viking havens along the Norwegian coast. These sites, some with archaeological evidence of past human activity, may have been crucial waypoints facilitating efficient trade and travel during the Viking Age.

Jarrett emphasizes that his findings focus on long-range trade expeditions rather than raiding voyages and aim to counterbalance the academic focus on land-based and textual sources by incorporating practical seafaring knowledge. His study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, invites further archaeological surveys to explore these promising sites.

While experimental voyages cannot replace direct archaeological evidence, they offer fresh perspectives that can inspire new lines of inquiry. Jarrett’s work reminds us that sometimes, to uncover the secrets of the past, we need to literally retrace ancient footsteps—or wakes—using the very tools and techniques of those who came before.