In 2011, a routine road construction project on Saaremaa Island, Estonia, stumbled upon something extraordinary. What workers uncovered would shake the foundations of Viking history and force scholars to rethink everything they thought they knew about these legendary Norse warriors.
The Salme Ship Burials: A Game-Changing Find
On the shores of Saaremaa, archaeologists unearthed two ancient boat graves containing the remains of over 40 individuals. At first glance, this might not seem too unusual – Viking ship burials have been found before. But as researchers began to study the site more closely, they realized they had stumbled upon something truly remarkable.
Not Your Average Viking Burial
The Salme ship burials stood out for several reasons:
- The sheer number of bodies – over 40 individuals in just two boats
- Clear signs of violent deaths, with many skeletons showing brutal battle wounds
- High-status grave goods indicating these were elite warriors
- Most surprisingly, the age of the burials
Dating the Undatable: How Old Were the Salme Ships?
When archaeologists applied modern dating techniques to the Salme finds, they were shocked by the results. Uri Peetz, who led the excavation, explains:
“Analysis of the items we found, including the skeletons and the organic material, shows they go back to pre-Viking times.”
In fact, the ships and bodies date back to at least 100 years before the first recorded Viking raid. This discovery pushes back the start of the Viking Age by an entire century.
Rewriting the History Books
The traditional date for the beginning of the Viking Age is 793 AD, when Norse raiders attacked the monastery of Lindisfarne in England. But the Salme ships prove that Scandinavian warriors were ranging far and wide long before this “official” start date.
As researcher Raili Alme notes: “The skeletons all showed signs of violent deaths and multiple battle wounds.” These were clearly seasoned warriors engaged in long-distance raiding and trading expeditions.
A Glimpse into Early Viking Society
The Salme burials offer a unique window into the world of these early Norse adventurers. Some key insights include:
Elite Warriors
The grave goods found with the bodies indicate these were high-status individuals. Weapons, jewelry, and other valuable items suggest they were elite members of their society.
Brutal Combat
Many of the skeletons show signs of horrific battle injuries. As Alme describes: “Some, for example, have hacked hands and broken skulls.” This was clearly a violent confrontation that ended in mass casualties.
Hasty Burial
Despite the elite status of the dead, their burial seems to have been rushed. Alme notes: “They had to bury those victims fast.” This suggests the survivors were in hostile territory and needed to make a quick getaway.
Why Were Vikings in Estonia?
The presence of Scandinavian warriors so far east, so early in history, raises intriguing questions. What brought them to the shores of Estonia?
Trade and Plunder
Evidence from other early Viking sites suggests a combination of trading and raiding motivated these long-distance voyages. The Baltic Sea was a key trade route, connecting Scandinavia to the riches of the east.
Political Upheaval at Home
Some scholars suggest that political changes in Scandinavia may have pushed some groups to seek their fortunes abroad. As new rulers consolidated power, displaced elites may have turned to raiding as a way to maintain their status and wealth.
Beyond Estonia: Early Vikings in the East
The Salme ships are not the only evidence of early Viking activity in Eastern Europe. Other key sites include:
Staraya Ladoga, Russia
Tree ring dating of artifacts found at this site shows Scandinavian traders and warriors were active here long before any written records mention Vikings.
Truso, Poland
This important trading hub on the Baltic coast shows clear signs of Scandinavian influence from an early date. Archaeologist Marek Jagodzinski notes: “The objects which we found in Truso are mainly Scandinavian.”
A Web of Trade and Violence
These early Viking expeditions laid the groundwork for a vast network of trade and influence stretching from the North Atlantic to the Caspian Sea. As Adrian Selin of St. Petersburg University explains:
“Between the 800s and 900s, so in the ninth century, several million silver dirhams were exported from the Caspian Sea area.”
This flow of silver helped fuel further Viking expansion and raids in the west.
Rethinking Viking Identity
The Salme discovery forces us to reconsider what it meant to be a “Viking” in these early days. Rather than a monolithic group, we see a diverse range of activities and identities.
Raiders and Traders
There was often no clear distinction between raiding and trading. As one expert notes: “1 day they were plundering farmsteads and churches, the next selling those same goods at markets.”
Cultural Exchange
Viking activity led to a blending of cultures across a vast area. Archaeologist Peter Connolly observes: “We talk about the archaeology of York as being Anglo-Scandinavian, so you have the Anglo-Saxon aspect and that Scandinavian aspect, and it’s very difficult to tease those apart.”
Beyond the Stereotype
While the violence of Viking raids is undeniable, the Salme discovery reminds us that there was more to Norse culture than just warfare. These early expeditions laid the groundwork for trade networks, cultural exchange, and even the founding of new states across Europe.
As one researcher puts it: “We can’t ignore the shock and the violence, but nor can we see the relations between the Scandinavians and the Franks and other peoples as only this. There were also other types of relationship, including trade relations, as well as other relations, such as discussions, negotiations, exchanges.”
A New Chapter in Viking History
The Salme ship burials have forced historians to rethink the entire timeline of Viking expansion. By pushing back the start date of Norse raiding and trading expeditions, we gain a new appreciation for the long-term impact of Viking culture on medieval Europe.
This discovery serves as a powerful reminder that history is never set in stone. New archaeological finds can upend our understanding of the past, revealing complex stories that challenge simple narratives. The Vikings were more than just raiders – they were traders, explorers, and founders of new societies across a vast swath of Europe and beyond.
As we continue to unearth new evidence of early Viking activity, who knows what other surprises await us? The story of the Norse adventurers is far from over, and each new discovery adds another fascinating chapter to this epic tale.
