Products that the Vikings exported from Scandinavia included walrus ivory, whalebone, and the furs and skins of animals such as fox, bear, beaver and otter. The Vikings made much longer journeys when seeking lands to settle, travelling to Iceland, Greenland, Canada and North America. By sailing south along the lakes and rivers of Russia and Germany they were able to meet up with traders from Arab and Eastern countries. Viking traders travelled around the coast of Europe to trade.
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It’s very unlikely that they had a compass, although some Vikings may have used an instrument called a sun-shadow board to help them navigate. They looked out for birds and could smell if they were near land. They looked at the colour of the sea, the way the waves were moving and the way the wind was blowing. They looked at the position of the sun and the stars. They had lots of different ways of working out where they were and which direction to travel in. The hardship of life on board, especially in rough seas, meant that Vikings did not make voyages in the winter but waited until spring.
![anglo saxon ship construction anglo saxon ship construction](https://periklisdeligiannis.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/viking-ship1.jpg)
It could only be cooked if the crew were able to land. If the crew was far out to sea they’d sleep on deck under blankets made from animal skin.įood would have been dried or salted meat or fish. They’d take the sail down and lay it across the ship to make a tent to sleep under. At night, Vikings might pull them up on land. It was fastened to the right-hand side of the ship at the stern (back). A steering oar or 'steerboard' was used to steer the ships. Leather strips criss-crossed the wool to keep its shape when it was wet. The ships were powered by oars or by the wind, and had one large, square sail, most probably made from wool. Planked deck were only laid at the ends of the ship, so that space was left in the middle for cargo. They were wider than the longships and travelled more slowly. Often, the prow (front) of the ship was decorated with a carving of an animal head – perhaps a dragon or a snake.Ĭargo vessels were used to carry trade goods and possessions. Vikings used longships to make raids and carry their warriors. This meant that they could be used in shallow water. The ships were all the same long narrow shape, with shallow draughts. The ships were made watertight by filling the spaces between the planks with wool, moss or animal hair, mixed with tar or tallow. They were all made from planks of timber, usually oak, overlapped and nailed together. The Vikings built many different kinds of craft, from small fishing boats and ferries, to their famous longships. Several buried or sunken ships have been found, and these have helped us to understand their seafaring technology. Graves have given us lots of information about the Viking way of life, because some important Vikings were buried with their possessions. How do we know about the Vikings?Īrchaeologists have studied the remains of Viking farms, villages and towns and have put together a picture of how they might have lived. They either settled in these new lands as farmers and craftsmen, or went to fight and look for treasure.
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During the Viking age many Vikings travelled to other countries, such as Britain and Ireland. ‘Viking’ was the name given to the seafarers from Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden.
![anglo saxon ship construction anglo saxon ship construction](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/2/b/2bd1e0323b553646afb589c05f0aab59ca385619.jpg)
The period known as the Viking Age lasted from AD 700 until 1100. The ‘Vikings’ were seafaring raiders and traders from Scandinavia.