Trade connections by Vikings were revealed in new research that analyzed hair combs made from deer antlers, according to a study from the University of York.
Researchers found evidence of trade connections between Hedeby, a town in Germany, and upland Scandinavia. The two locations are separated by hundreds of kilometers.
Product materials were sourced from hard-to-reach locations
The study concluded that 85-90% of the combs were made from reindeer antlers. Herds of the species were only found in the northern part of modern-day Scandinavia, which suggested that the combs were either made in the region or imported.
Dr. Steven Ashby, from the Department of Archaeology at the University of York, said "We have begun to answer a whole range of questions about the timing of travel and trade in Viking-Age Britain and Scandinavia," he stated.
"The work at Hedeby is particularly interesting, as it tells us about connections between the mountains of upland or arctic Scandinavia and this large town at the gateway to continental Europe, and points to a window in the 9th Century when these northern links must have been particularly strong."
"The work at Hedeby is particularly interesting, as it tells us about connections between the mountains of upland or arctic Scandinavia and this large town at the gateway to continental Europe, and points to a window in the 9th Century when these northern links must have been particularly strong."
Dr. Steven Ashby