The Trajectory of the Productive Limfjord Region AD 600-1100 – Exploring Changing Economic Patterns
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2017-03-24

Until the western exit sanded up in the early 12th century, the Limfjord (Northern Jutland) had played a central marine infrastructural role. Prior to the closing of the western exit, the fjord offered a comfortable shortcut for anyone sailing between the Kattegat and the North Sea, and the significance of the region during the Viking Age is clearly reflected in written sources as well as in the archaeological record. During the late 10th century Aggersborg, the largest of the Danish ring fortresses, was erected at the centre of the Limfjord region; and at approximately the same time the first activity is traceable at what was to become the capital of the region, the town of Aalborg, close to the eastern exit of the fjord. In addition to this, large metal-rich settlements are situated on every hill by the fjord – a dense system of villages that were presumably led by local magnates. However, despite clear signs of high economic activity and increased specialization of some crafts, there is little evidence of a regional settlement hierarchy
and centralization prior to the existence of Aggersborg and the urban development at Aalborg; and parallel to the growth of the latter, activity seems to increase in most of the neighbouring coastal villages. The general impression left by the archaeological record is one of a remarkable regional productivity during most of the first millennium AD and during the following centuries too.
This paper discusses the socioeconomic development of the region and seeks to illuminate the dynamics behind the broad regional productivity during the centuries prior to and parallel to the first urban development. Fresh results from spatial and chronological analysis of a large corpus of metal-detector finds challenge previous notions of settlement continuity and emphasize the presence of distinct regional patterns of socioeconomic change.

Author - Christiansen, Torben Trier, Aarhus University, Arden, Denmark (Presenting author)