Archaeologist discovers Viking secrets during epic three-year journey at sea
A graduate student in Sweden has been learning about Vikings through an unusual method: He's done it by sailing like one.
Archaeologist Greer Jarrett, a doctoral student at Lund University, has navigated over 3,000 miles along historical Viking trade routes in the Arctic Ocean.
Advertisement
With the help of his team, the academic has sailed the seas with a reconstructed sailing boat that would have been used by Vikings 1,200 years ago.
So what has his research uncovered so far? Among other things, Jarrett has identified four possible Viking harbors along the coast of Norway.
Jarrett's research suggests that Vikings ventured farther from Scandinavia than previously thought and used decentralized port networks during their journeys, according to a press release published by Lund University.
'In his latest study, he has found evidence of a decentralized network of ports, located on islands and peninsulas, which probably played a central role in trade and travel in the Viking era,' the statement added.
Advertisement
Due to the type of boats Vikings used, Jarrett said that they likely used small, easily accessible harbors quite often.
With the help of his team, the academic has sailed the seas with a reconstructed sailing boat that would have been used by Vikings 1,200 years ago.
Greer Jarrett /Lund University
'With this type of boat, it has to be easy to get in and out of the harbor in all possible wind conditions. There must be several routes in and out.'
The archaeologist also noted that, while Viking historians know where trade journeys generally started and ended, knowledge about the more informal stops is scant.
Advertisement
Jarrett said his research is focused on 'what happened on the journeys between these major trading centers.'
'My hypothesis is that this decentralized network of ports, located on small islands and peninsulas, was central to making trade efficient during the Viking Age,' he explained.
He also ran into a few challenges during his three-year journey.
In one instance, while 15 miles out to sea, the boat's mast spar broke and sent the mainsail toppling down.
Advertisement
While Viking historians know where trade journeys generally started and ended, knowledge about the more informal stops is scant.
Catrin Jakobsson /Lund University
'We had to lash two oars together to hold the sail, and hope that it would hold,' the student recalled. 'We made it back to the harbor safely, but then we had to spend several days repairing the boat before we could sail again.'
'On another trip, a minke whale suddenly surfaced and flapped its huge tail fin just meters from the boat.'
Underwater currents and downslope winds also made it difficult for him to navigate near land. Jarrett needed to develop 'mental maps' to figure out where to go, as the Vikings did.
But he was also pleasantly surprised by other aspects of the journey. Jarrett found that the primitive boats are stable, even without a deep keel, the release indicated.
The archaeologist also learned how important relationships were during these voyages, where Vikings had to rely on one another to sail and survive.
'You need a boat that can withstand all kinds of weather conditions,' he said. 'But if you don't have a crew that can cooperate and put up with each other for long periods, these journeys would probably be impossible.'
Advertisement
'The cold in [Norway's] Lofoten Islands was a challenge,' Jarrett said. 'Our hands really suffered. At that point, I realized just how crucial it is to have a good crew.'
The Viking Era lasted from roughly 800 A.D. to 1050 A.D.
Remnants of the period are still being found across Europe.
Advertisement
Last year, two curious metal detectorists found a 1,000-year-old Viking 'wallet.'
More recently, Swedish archaeologists announced the discovery of an 'unusual' Viking-era coffin in April.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Unearth Extremely Rare Viking Burial
Archaeologists in Norway have unearthed the Viking burial of a high-status woman who was buried with her dog in a boat, Science in Norway reported. The grave was first excavated in 2022 after its discovery by metal detectorists. On top of the tomb was an assortment of jewelry closely associated with Viking women. As scientists dug deeper, they discovered an 18-foot-long boat made of joint wooden planks, which contained the body of a woman and her dog. Around her body were items which researchers believe nodded to her status in the community and a rich domestic life, such as a ring-shaped pendant, a weaving sword carved from whale bone, bone and amber beads, a spindle whorl, a whetstone, and an iron sickle. The latter objects, scientists say, indicate the woman had a hand in textile production during her life. "Only the elite would receive a burial like this,' said lead archaeologist Anja Roth Nemi. 'Perhaps only one or two individuals per generation were honored this way.' The small dog, situated at the woman's feet, 'appears to have been placed with real care,' she explained. 'We know from saga literature that Vikings valued their dogs deeply. This suggests a personal bond that transcended death." Some textiles were also recovered within the skeleton of the boat, which remained terrifically well-preserved, as did the woman's body and that of her dog. The soil and sand of northern Norway are particularly rich in lime, which, in addition to the country's chilly climate, helped preserve the remarkable find for more than 1,000 years after the burial. Niemi and her colleagues will continue to analyze the woman's remains to determine her exact age at the time of death, as well as her diet and any possible ailments. "It's a humbling experience," Niemi said. "We get very close to those who lived long ago. This woman walked the Earth over a thousand years ago, and yet here she is, telling us her story."Archaeologists Unearth Extremely Rare Viking Burial first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 11, 2025
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Archaeologist discovers Viking secrets during epic three-year journey at sea
A graduate student in Sweden has been learning about Vikings through an unusual method: He's done it by sailing like one. Archaeologist Greer Jarrett, a doctoral student at Lund University, has navigated over 3,000 miles along historical Viking trade routes in the Arctic Ocean. Advertisement With the help of his team, the academic has sailed the seas with a reconstructed sailing boat that would have been used by Vikings 1,200 years ago. So what has his research uncovered so far? Among other things, Jarrett has identified four possible Viking harbors along the coast of Norway. Jarrett's research suggests that Vikings ventured farther from Scandinavia than previously thought and used decentralized port networks during their journeys, according to a press release published by Lund University. 'In his latest study, he has found evidence of a decentralized network of ports, located on islands and peninsulas, which probably played a central role in trade and travel in the Viking era,' the statement added. Advertisement Due to the type of boats Vikings used, Jarrett said that they likely used small, easily accessible harbors quite often. With the help of his team, the academic has sailed the seas with a reconstructed sailing boat that would have been used by Vikings 1,200 years ago. Greer Jarrett /Lund University 'With this type of boat, it has to be easy to get in and out of the harbor in all possible wind conditions. There must be several routes in and out.' The archaeologist also noted that, while Viking historians know where trade journeys generally started and ended, knowledge about the more informal stops is scant. Advertisement Jarrett said his research is focused on 'what happened on the journeys between these major trading centers.' 'My hypothesis is that this decentralized network of ports, located on small islands and peninsulas, was central to making trade efficient during the Viking Age,' he explained. He also ran into a few challenges during his three-year journey. In one instance, while 15 miles out to sea, the boat's mast spar broke and sent the mainsail toppling down. Advertisement While Viking historians know where trade journeys generally started and ended, knowledge about the more informal stops is scant. Catrin Jakobsson /Lund University 'We had to lash two oars together to hold the sail, and hope that it would hold,' the student recalled. 'We made it back to the harbor safely, but then we had to spend several days repairing the boat before we could sail again.' 'On another trip, a minke whale suddenly surfaced and flapped its huge tail fin just meters from the boat.' Underwater currents and downslope winds also made it difficult for him to navigate near land. Jarrett needed to develop 'mental maps' to figure out where to go, as the Vikings did. But he was also pleasantly surprised by other aspects of the journey. Jarrett found that the primitive boats are stable, even without a deep keel, the release indicated. The archaeologist also learned how important relationships were during these voyages, where Vikings had to rely on one another to sail and survive. 'You need a boat that can withstand all kinds of weather conditions,' he said. 'But if you don't have a crew that can cooperate and put up with each other for long periods, these journeys would probably be impossible.' Advertisement 'The cold in [Norway's] Lofoten Islands was a challenge,' Jarrett said. 'Our hands really suffered. At that point, I realized just how crucial it is to have a good crew.' The Viking Era lasted from roughly 800 A.D. to 1050 A.D. Remnants of the period are still being found across Europe. Advertisement Last year, two curious metal detectorists found a 1,000-year-old Viking 'wallet.' More recently, Swedish archaeologists announced the discovery of an 'unusual' Viking-era coffin in April.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Fox News
Archaeologist uncovers Viking secrets during epic three-year journey at sea
A graduate student in Sweden has been learning about Vikings through an unusual method: He's done it by sailing like one. Archaeologist Greer Jarrett, a doctoral student at Lund University, has navigated over 3,000 miles along historical Viking trade routes in the Arctic Ocean. With the help of his team, the academic has sailed the seas with a reconstructed sailing boat that would have been used by Vikings 1,200 years ago. So what has his research uncovered so far? Among other things, Jarrett has identified four possible Viking harbors along the coast of Norway. Jarrett's research suggests that Vikings ventured farther from Scandinavia than previously thought and used decentralized port networks during their journeys, according to a press release published by Lund University. "In his latest study, he has found evidence of a decentralized network of ports, located on islands and peninsulas, which probably played a central role in trade and travel in the Viking era," the statement added. Due to the type of boats Vikings used, Jarrett said that they likely used small, easily accessible harbors quite often. "With this type of boat, it has to be easy to get in and out of the harbor in all possible wind conditions. There must be several routes in and out." The archaeologist also noted that, while Viking historians know where trade journeys generally started and ended, knowledge about the more informal stops is scant. Jarrett said his research is focused on "what happened on the journeys between these major trading centers." "My hypothesis is that this decentralized network of ports, located on small islands and peninsulas, was central to making trade efficient during the Viking Age," he explained. "Our hands really suffered. At that point, I realized just how crucial it is to have a good crew." He also ran into a few challenges during his three-year journey. In one instance, while 15 miles out to sea, the boat's mast spar broke and sent the mainsail toppling down. "We had to lash two oars together to hold the sail, and hope that it would hold," the student recalled. "We made it back to the harbor safely, but then we had to spend several days repairing the boat before we could sail again." "On another trip, a minke whale suddenly surfaced and flapped its huge tail fin just meters from the boat." Underwater currents and downslope winds also made it difficult for him to navigate near land. Jarrett needed to develop "mental maps" to figure out where to go, as the Vikings did. But he was also pleasantly surprised by other aspects of the journey. Jarrett found that the primitive boats are stable, even without a deep keel, the release indicated. He was also pleasantly surprised by other aspects of the journey. The archaeologist also learned how important relationships were during these voyages, where Vikings had to rely on one another to sail and survive. "You need a boat that can withstand all kinds of weather conditions," he said. "But if you don't have a crew that can cooperate and put up with each other for long periods, these journeys would probably be impossible." "The cold in [Norway's] Lofoten Islands was a challenge," Jarrett said. "Our hands really suffered. At that point, I realized just how crucial it is to have a good crew." The Viking Era lasted from roughly 800 A.D. to 1050 A.D. Remnants of the period are still being found across Europe. Last year, two curious metal detectorists found a 1,000-year-old Viking "wallet." More recently, Swedish archaeologists announced the discovery of an "unusual" Viking-era coffin in April.
