they spoke a language with little resemblance to that of the Scandinavians. It is however
not to be excluded that mixing with the remaining small population groups resulted
in a certain cultural and linguistic competence among the Slavs which could make
communication with the Scandinavians on the opposite coasts more easy and desirable.
The shipbuilding traditions on the southern Slav coast of the Baltic may have something
to tell of continuation of earlier cultural patterns. The ships and boats of the Slavs
and the Scandinavians were built according to similar principles, although a few charac-
teristic differences can be noted (Slaski 1978 ). We have no reason to assume that
shipbuilding was part of the Slavic culture before the Slavs reached the Baltic coast.
Intensive interaction between Scandinavians and Slavs starts already in c. ad 700.
The interaction is concentrated in special places and regions. The main interaction is
channelled through trading places, which were organised on both the Scandinavian and
the Slavic sides of the Baltic. On the Scandinavian side these contacts, which are already
well documented from the first half of the eighth century, could be demonstrated for
example through the regular import of distinct Slavic pottery to trading places and to a
certain degree also further afield (Callmer 1988 ). Scandinavian products to some extent
also penetrated into the Slavic hinterland. We are here mainly concerned with jewellery,
combs, quality cutting tools and weapons. The rather low population density in large
parts of the Slav hinterland could have contributed to a considerable volume of fur
hunting and trading, especially beaver. The slave trade was certainly also important
because of the high economic value of this commodity. These connections continue in
the ninth century and the trading sites played an important role on both sides for
socio-economic development. Scandinavian patterns of political dominion may have
stimulated the development of increasingly complex political structures among the
Slavs although the Carolingian influence was stronger in large parts of the lands of the
western Slavs. Early forms of Scandinavian estate building and management could also
have been introduced among the Slavs at this date. The special character of Slav material
culture before the tenth century with few distinct characteristics other than pottery
makes an assessment of the breadth and weight of Slav and Scandinavian interaction
difficult. It may however have been very considerable. Possibly Scandinavian religious
patterns influenced west Slavic temples. The Slavic cult sites with rectangular houses
and fenced yards are intriguingly similar to south Scandinavian cult complexes. If this is
so, interaction must have had a very deep dimension.
Interaction with the Slav lands was, as we may expect, best developed in eastern
Denmark, Skåne and on Bornholm. For lack of targeted research we can follow the
process only to a certain extent in Skåne. West Slav culture is well represented at
Hedeby in the tenth century, whereas more distant trading sites like Birka have much
less evidence. West Slav culture developed strongly in the tenth century when influences
from the Danubian lands and from Bohemia reached the Baltic. Slav silverwork taking
up this southern impulse, mainly jewellery, is increasingly common in Scandinavian
hoards of the late tenth century.
A more intensive and important period of interaction according to our sources begins
in the late tenth century. This interaction is complex and has for both Scandinavians
and Slavs far-reaching cultural consequences. We have good reason to connect this
phase with the radical political and social transformation of the Danish kingdom and
surrounding territories. In parts of this south Scandinavian zone a new and loyal
aristocracy was established by the kings, and corresponding landholdings for their
–– chapter 33: Scandinavia and the Continent––