The Trade of the Vikings
Archaeological discoveries tell a story of the importance of down and feathers as merchant goods in the Viking Ages. The history tells how far the Vikings travelled. Without fear of challenges or fright for distances they travelled frequently.
And to emphasize this; At the marked in Kaupang, in the south of Norway, the archaeologists have found amounts of oriental coins. (The Persians treasured the Arctic Sable).
The Vikings went into the Baltic Sea, down the Russian Rivers for settling, trading and being at war with the inhabitants. They went into the Black Sea and "visited" Constantinople. We can trace their routes into the Mediterranean Sea also through the Gibraltar Strait.
The Vikings went down the Seine, and were pictured on the contemporary Bayeux Carpet.
Eirik Raude sailed to Greenland, and on the route were Shetland, the Faroe Islands and Iceland.
The son of Eirik Raude, Leiv Eiriksson discovered America.
In the grave of the Queen of Oseberg, in the south of Norway, the archaeologists have discovered thick layers of eiderdown between the most beautiful textiles ever seen in the Viking World. In the thumb we can imagine this precious bed (found in the Oseberg-grave) furnished with the most exclusive duvets and pillows, containing the most luxurious down ever known, eider down.
The contemporaries knew that these arctic products were the best. The arctic seabirds developed the best down isolating the small bodies against the cold polar night. Just like the other arctic animals that developed the warmest furs.
Maybe in Dorestadt, the largest marked in Europe in the Viking Age, Ottars down has been filled into the most beautiful textiles. We know that Ottar sailed his vessels to Kaupang in the south of Norway, Hedeby in Denmark, and to Wessex in England.
The historians assume that Ottar has told his story to King Alfred and his men, who have written it down, and added it to the History of Orosius.
This work consentrates the History and Geography of Europe south of the Alps. King Alfred extends the work, including The Story of Ottar, and gives a picture of some of the area north of the Alps, and the Way to the north - Norvegr.