Scandinavian waters. That Frisians were exclusively acquainted with ships intended for
the shallow waters inside the chain of offshore islands on the North Sea coast is unlikely.
The traffic across to the Thames estuary and further north along the east coast of
England called for a type of ship that could also be used for travel into Scandinavian
waters. The number of Frisians at trading sites like Hedeby and Birka was probably
limited, but their presence is well confirmed by literary sources. Archaeologically
Frisian connections are certified by numerous finds of Frisian coins, combs and
decorative bronze keys (sometimes with Christian symbols). Also the occurrence in the
southern part of the Baltic region of Frisian Muschelgrus-pottery is a weighty indication.
The numerous finds of Frisian combs which distinctively but only subtly differ from
Scandinavian combs at south Scandinavian coastal sites are also indicative of the
presence of Frisians in the north in the late eighth and early ninth centuries. Specific
grave customs have also been discussed in connection with the question of Frisians in
Scandinavia. West–east orientated inhumation graves in early contexts (Hedeby and
Birka) may be the graves of Christian Continental guests, and then preferably Frisians.
Also at Hedeby some pagan cremations with pottery of North Sea type have been
discussed under a similar viewpoint (Callmer 1998 ). South-western Jutland intensively
interacted with the northernmost Frisian groups (La Baume 1953 ). Here in the eighth
and ninth centuries a culture evolved which was largely similar on both sides. It
seems likely that this culture was common for both the Scandinavian-speaking and
Frisian-speaking populations.
The Frisian agents of exchange could have brought parts of the important Con-
tinental imports to the north. We are here dealing with imports that were essential for
the reproduction of Scandinavian culture. Among these products were casting metal
(for the production of brooches and ornaments), metal vessels (non iron), raw glass (for
the production of beads), glass vessels, quernstones of basalt lava, high-quality textiles
and high-quality offensive weapons. The social system and the political structures in
Scandinavia were, long before the Viking Age, partly dependent on these imports for the
maintenance of gift-giving and exchange. They were also directly or indirectly impor-
tant for the expression of social roles and ranks. These commodities from the south-west
were certainly exchanged or traded for Scandinavian products. The Frisians were
involved in the transportation of the major products of the north such as fine furs, amber
and slaves towards the south. There is also evidence of Scandinavians visiting (not only
plundering) important Frisian entrepots like Dorestad.
Indirect influence from the female sector of Frisian culture is the introduction of
equal-armed brooches in the second half of the eighth century (see Callmer 1998 : 473 ).
Equal-armed brooches interestingly enough were not a characteristic of the closest
variants of Frisian culture. They are mostly found in contemporary Holland, Belgium
and northern France (Normandy and Département du Nord). Carolingian coins from the
mint at Dorestad and Frisian sceattas were the prototypes for early experiments with
minting undertaken within Scandinavia.
This evidence of interaction between Scandinavia and Frisia can be followed from
the eighth century well into the ninth. The finds indicating interaction in Scandinavia
from the late ninth and tenth centuries are relatively few; they are mainly pottery finds.
Most frequent is Frisian Kugeltopf-pottery in western Jutland but it also occasionally
turns up on the Baltic side of the peninsula and further afield in the Baltic region
(Madsen 2004 ). It is only natural that this close connection between the southern North
–– chapter 33: Scandinavia and the Continent––