Viking Trade Routes More Expansive Than Thought, Finds Swedish Archaeologist After 5000 km Expedition

A Swedish Archaeologist, Greer Jarett, pilots a small sailboat along the Norwegian coast to learn in-depth about Viking trade routes. He sailed it for 5000 kilometres, which led him to identify previously known harbours towards the Norwegian coast that Vikings explored and used around a thousand years ago. This experimental expedition told about the maritime trade routes and took them further ahead from land than was assumed. For a long time, we just knew about the start and end points of the trade voyage during the Viking Age.

Viking Routes are More Extensive & Decentralised

Greer Jarett from Lund University in Sweden sailed the Viking replica vessel and provided a trailblazing report on the Viking seafaring after sailing the boat known as a faering for three years. Jarett’s work was published in the Journal of Archaeological Method & Theory on May 8, 2025. The research suggests that the Viking trade routes have been more expansive, decentralised and offshore than was previously known.

Exploring the Viking Routes by Faering

Faering is a type of sailboat with oars, a replica of what Vikings used a millennium ago to explore the routes. Jarett travelled to Trondheim in the central part of the Norwegian coast to the Arctic Circle and returned. He interviewed the sailors and fishers to learn about the historical maritime routes. Jarett identified four harbours on the small islands and promontories. Vikings moored and sheltered at their accessible ports.

Seafaring of the Vikings through Mental Maps

This research gives the idea of seafaring through large ports like Dublin, Ribe and Denmark. Vikings didn’t use any compass and moved ahead through their mental maps with places to meet and share the information, as this was crucial for maritime success.

Excavation Not Done for Vikings

Jarett has not done any excavation at the harbours to lock their consumption by the Vikings. However, if the team found evidence like jetties, temporary shelter, cooking pits and ballast stones, it would confirm the presence of Vikings through such routes, Jarett said.