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800-year-old treasure unearths Viking-Byzantine cooperation in Germany
An archaeology apprentice in northern Germany has found a medieval treasure dating back 800 years. Among the precious items were Byzantine earrings, indicating that the area was key to trade between Byzantium and the Vikings.
The Vikings have gone down in history as ruthless warriors and plunderers, as well as excellent sailors who explored the most remote places on Earth. They are known for their first expeditions to eastern Europe and the coasts of Great Britain and their famous raid on the English monastery of Lindisfarne, and later on France.
However, leaving their native Scandinavia did not always involve looting. Northerners quickly realized that wealth could be gained not only with weapons, but also by building an efficient trade network.
Schleswig-Holstein was an important Viking trading center
In the mid-8th century, Swedish Vikings established settlements south of Lake Ladoga in modern Russia. There they laid the foundations for future trade routes that crossed, among other things, the Volkhov River. In time, the Normans would establish the port of Kiev, which would become the gateway to the Eastern Roman Empire. The Viking warriors would not only trade with Byzantium, but also fight in the Byzantine…
