a r c h a e o l og y
The Baltic Sea 1000 years ago Text mateusz popek
Photos wikimedia commons
Haithabu, a medieval settlement, the largest Nordic city in the Viking era and at the same time the oldest (next to the existing Ribe) Danish city
Norway was taken over by Olaf Trygvasson, and Sweden was
Whenever we are on the beach and look at the Baltic Sea, there is always a ship on the horizon heading towards a port known only to itself.
ruled by Olaf Skötkonung. The ruler of Poland, Bolesław the Brave, dominated the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, and in the east it bordered with the Baltic tribe of Prussia. The eastern ends of the sea were areas under the rule of the Russian ruler Vladimir the Great. Each of these tough and distinguished rulers waged wars for which they needed a lot of money, obtained, among other things, from trade. One of the main arenas of this
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trade was the Baltic Sea, covered with a network of trade routes. he port it arrives at is crowded with other ships and goods
These trade routes had to lead "somewhere." After all, it
that are reloaded to continue their journey. Have you ever
would be impossible to carry out an intensive exchange with-
wondered what the sea looked like 1000 years ago? Were there
out specially prepared places. Such places were ports some-
occasional boats landing at the beach to exchange goods with
times called proto-cities or simply cities by scientists. We learn
the local people? Or was it full of merchant ships bound for
about the greatness and splendor of these cities thanks to Arab
the crowded harbors?
travelers or European chroniclers. This is what the chronicler
Before answering these questions, it may be worth saying
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Adam of Bremen said about one of the cities:
what was happening around this small sea at that time. About
The Oder is the richest river in Slavonia. At its mouth stands the
1,000 years ago, in the Scandinavian countries strong rulers
dignified city of Jumneta, a center greatly visited by barbarians
started their reign. Denmark was ruled by Sveyn Forkbeard.
and Greeks living around. This is indeed the largest among the
