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Greer Jarrett Researched Viking Age Routes with Traditional Boats, Facing Dangerous Seas and Revealing Secrets about Trade, Ports, and Nordic Navigation
In 2021, Greer Jarrett began the first of 26 voyages to retrace maritime routes used by Nordic navigators during the Viking Age, between 800 and 1050 AD. The goal was simple, yet bold: to understand not only the Vikings’ final destinations but also the paths they chose to reach them.
Known as relentless raiders, these navigators were also skilled traders. They established trade routes that reached distant regions such as Baghdad.
This maritime supremacy was sustained by their mastery of the sea and their ability to traverse risky areas.
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Jarrett, a PhD student in archaeology at Lund University, sought answers that historical records rarely provide. “The details of Viking Age trade often limit themselves to its origins and destinations,” he stated.
Traditional Boats to Test Hypotheses
In the following three years, Jarrett used nine vessels similar to those from a thousand years ago. Most of the voyages were made in ten-meter boats, constructed in the style of Afjord, Norway. These models were common among fishermen and farmers of that time.
With crews made up of students and volunteers, he navigated the west coast of Scandinavia, the central region of Viking navigation.
The experience presented dangers that rivaled those faced by legendary figures such as Leif Erikson and Erik the Red.
Strong currents, broken yards, four-meter waves, as well as unexpected encounters with submarines and even a minke whale.
But the most important were the powerful winds blowing from the icy slopes. These challenges showed how much navigation depended on both skill and physical endurance.
Science in Practice
Everything was done in the name of science. Jarrett sought practical information about Nordic navigation. He himself worked as part of the crew on wooden boats with few modern resources. Navigation, food, and comfort followed ancient standards.
In May, he published his findings in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory. The analysis considered 17 of the voyages and 1,494 nautical miles recorded.
The study combined direct observations with digital models of the ancient Norwegian coastline. The goal was to discover lost routes and hidden ports used by the Vikings.
According to Vibeke Bischoff, a specialist at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, the study disproved the notion that Viking traders restricted themselves to the coast. She argued that the evidence points to long journeys in open waters.
An Inherited View from the Sea
Jarrett’s background helps explain his interest. Born in Scotland and raised in Spain, he descends from a family of sailors with records dating back to the 16th century.
At 18 months, his father took him through the Corryvreckan, the third-largest whirlpool in the world.
During his studies at the University of Glasgow, he realized he wanted to understand the Viking perspective through the eyes of sailors.
In 2020, he began his PhD at Lund and started exploring the North Atlantic in wooden boats built with overlapping spruce planks fastened with rivets.
However, an innovation was included. Instead of the traditional steering oar, his boats used a stern rudder, more practical for control.
Forgotten Ports
Jarrett maintained that the Vikings did not just use large ports. They relied on a network of smaller, decentralized refuges. He identified four of these locations, all previously unknown.
These anchorages were located on remote islands and peninsulas, serving as strategic points. They were used for resting, resupplying, and also for contact with other navigators.
Situated in transitional zones between open waters and fjords, they provided shelter from storms and places to observe hostile fleets.
None were located in narrow fjords, difficult for square-sailed vessels to access. All shared fresh water, safety from tides, and space for several boats.
Sea and Weather
To reach these conclusions, Jarrett cross-referenced navigation records from the 26 voyages with digital models recreating sea levels over the past 1,200 years.
Isostatic rebound — when land rises after glaciers recede — altered sea levels by up to six meters.
This means that some refuges that may seem Viking today were actually submerged at that time. Only Storfosna revealed concrete signs of human occupation, with a pre-Viking ship burial.
Jarrett hopes that excavations will reveal structures like wharves, ballast stones, and even remains of naval constructions. These remains could confirm the hypotheses raised.
Journeys, Boats, and People
The research was not limited to the vessels. For Jarrett, the success of the expeditions depended as much on robust boats as on the unity of the crews. Cohabitation in hostile environments was vital.
Recreating these conditions helped to understand the relationship between sailors and their vessels. More than technical data, the experience revealed the human bond necessary to face risks and uncertainties.
“Mastering traditional navigation techniques and experiencing the bond between companions during difficult passages creates a connection with ancient sailors,” the researcher stated.
A Navigable Legacy
By retracing forgotten routes, Jarrett showed that the Vikings were closer to open sea than previously imagined. Furthermore, he highlighted how experimental archaeology can pave new paths for investigation.
Amid strong winds, treacherous currents, and icy seas, he not only navigated. He reconstructed, with each voyage, a lost piece of maritime history.
With information from Folha de São Paulo.
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