The Viking economy is a complex and multifaceted system that plays a significant role in shaping their society. The Vikings are skilled traders, farmers, and craftsmen, and their economy combines subsistence farming, trade, and plunder.
The Vikings are skilled farmers, cultivating crops such as barley, oats, and rye. They raise livestock, including cattle, pigs, and sheep, which provide meat, dairy, and wool.
The Vikings are also skilled traders, with trade networks stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean. They exchange goods such as furs, wool, and amber for silver, gold, and other valuable commodities.
The Vikings also engage in plunder, raiding monasteries, towns, and cities to acquire wealth and resources. This practice, known as “viking,” forms a significant part of the Viking economy.
Subsistence Farming
Subsistence farming plays a crucial role in providing food and other essential resources for Viking communities. The Vikings cultivate crops such as barley, oats, and rye and raise livestock like cattle, pigs, and sheep. Chickens and other poultry provide eggs and meat.
The Vikings use iron plows and other tools and practice crop rotation to maintain soil fertility and ensure a steady food supply.
Trade
Trade forms an essential part of the Viking economy, supplying goods and resources needed to survive. Vikings trade furs, wool, and amber for silver, gold, and other commodities.
They trade with cultures such as the Franks, Anglo-Saxons, and Byzantines. Slaves, often captured during raids, are valuable commodities that play a major role in the economy.
Plunder
Plunder contributes significantly to the Viking economy, providing wealth and resources. Vikings raid monasteries, towns, and ships, often capturing people to sell into slavery and seizing silver, gold, and other precious items.
Plunder is dangerous and unpredictable, frequently causing conflict and violence.
The Role of Women in the Viking Economy
Women play a key role in the Viking economy, managing households and caring for children. They are skilled in domestic arts such as weaving and cooking.
Women can own property, participate in trade, divorce, and remarry, giving them substantial control over their lives and contributing meaningfully to the economy.
The Impact of the Viking Economy on Viking Society
The Viking economy shapes Viking culture and way of life. Skilled in trade, farming, and craftsmanship, Vikings rely on a mix of subsistence farming, trade, and plunder.
The economy supplies essential goods and resources and influences social hierarchy, giving wealthy and powerful individuals significant community influence.
Conclusion
The Viking economy is complex and vital, combining farming, trade, and plunder. It provides the Vikings with the resources they need to survive and shapes their culture, society, and social hierarchy.
Appendix
Viking Timeline
793: The Viking raid on Lindisfarne monastery begins the Viking Age
845: Vikings raid and plunder Paris
860: Vikings establish a settlement in Iceland
1000: Vikings convert to Christianity
Viking Glossary
Thing: Gathering of freemen to discuss and resolve community issues
Chieftain: Leader of a Viking community
Freeman: Landowner, farmer, or craftsman who maintains family and community
Slave: Person captured during raids, used for labor, trade, or other purposes
Viking Artifacts
Oseberg ship: Well-preserved Viking ship discovered in a burial mound in Norway
Lewis Chessmen: Collection of 78 chess pieces discovered on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland
Icelandic Sagas: 13th-century stories and poems providing insight into Viking culture