When we think of Scandinavian history, the first period that springs to mind is usually the Viking Age. But where did they originally come from? And who were the ancestors they so proudly honoured?
For ease of reading, I have compiled the following timeline. Much of the information came from Wikipedia, but it has been confirmed by other sources.
11,000 BC: The first humans arrived, after the Scandinavia Peninsula thawed at the end of the last Ice Age. This thawing signaled the start of what is now known as the Nordic Stone Age. The first people to explore the northernmost regions were originally from central Europe – nomadic hunter-gatherers attracted by the abundance of reindeer (mammoths and other large prey were becoming extinct).
12,000 BC: Despite visiting the area semi-regularly in search of food, these nomads didn’t start to build permanent settlements until this time. Once the ice had fully receded, tundra plains began to appear in Denmark and southern Sweden. This environment was an ideal habitat for the reindeer, so various tribes (referred to as the Hamburg culture) would follow the seasonal migrations. The people of the Hamburg tribes hunted over vast territories, living in teepees. This era was known as the Upper Paleolithic.
11,400 BC: Over time, the barren tundra gave way to forests, flora and more diversified fauna. The Bromme culture arrived in southern Scandinavia and the southern Baltic. These were the first human beings to truly explore this wild, untamed wilderness.
10,500 BC: 1000 years of cooling climate change had replaced the forests with yet more tundra, meaning that people were once again living a nomadic lifestyle, heavily reliant on reindeer. During this period, the Ahrensburg tribes became the first to settle the far north of Scandinavia.
9,500 BC: The climate began to warm yet again, allowing the Ahrensburg clans to live more comfortably in the north, and on a more permanent basis.
7th millennium BC: The Mesolithic era had begun. Forests were once again established, although the reindeer hunters were still inhabiting the northernmost regions. Meanwhile, the Maglemosian culture now lived in large areas of Denmark and southern Sweden. In Norway, and along the coast of western Sweden, the Fosna-Hensbacka people lived in seasonal camps along the shores, close to the forests. Stone Age tools and boats allowed these cultures to survive in an often harsh and unforgiving land. The northern hunter-gatherers still followed the reindeer herds, as well as the salmon runs, alternating their locations with the changing seasons.
6th millennium BC: Scandinavia’s climate was becoming generally warmer and more humid, covered in temperate broadleaf forests – a stark contrast to the region we know and love today. Large prey (such as aurochs, wisent, moose and red deer) roamed freely in the forests, and were game for the tribes of what we now know as the Koogermose culture. The Koogermose also began hunting marine animals such as seals. The Nostvet and Lihult cultures (other hunter-gatherers) now occupied most of southern Norway and Sweden. These were descendants of the Fosna-Hensbackas. Sea levels rose gradually. The tribes in the far north continued their way of life, while the Koogermose were replaced by the Ertebolle culture.
5th millennium BC: The Neolithic era had now begun. The Ertebolle people learned the art of pottery from neighbouring tribes in the south. They also learned how to keep animals and cultivate the land.
4th millennium BC: The Ertebolle tribes merged with those of the Megalithic Funnelbeaker culture. The Funnelbeaker tribes expanded into Sweden. The Nostvet and Lihult learned technology from their neighbours, but not agriculture. They then merged to become the Pitted Ware cultures towards the end of this period. Stuck in their primitive ways, the Pitted Wares pushed the farming tribes into south western Sweden.
3rd millennium BC: Despite multiple tribes living close to one another, scholars believe that they may all have spoken a common tongue from around this time. This language is now known as the Pre-Germanic Indo-European dialect. It is not known what languages the earlier settlers spoke. This new language was probably the basis of the modern Nordic languages. The new tribes were cattle herders, and fiercely territorial. They are nicknamed the Battle-Axe culture due to their fondness of the weapon.
1,700 – 1,500 BC: The Bronze Age had now begun. Farmsteads and agriculture were in abundance throughout much of Scandinavia. Longhouses and helms (four-post structures) began to spring up around this time. Burial mounds, building foundations, rock carvings, tools and weapons from this era have been found in large quantities all across the region, particularly near the coast.
5th/4th to 1st centuries BC: The Iron Age had begun. The Nordic Iron Age is usually split into two categories: pre-Roman and Roman, characterized by the presence (or lack of) Roman artifacts discovered by archaeologists. Existing tribes in Scandinavia came into contact with the Hallstatt culture. Iron was now being produced in great quantities.
4th – 6th centuries AD: The Migration Period had begun, with various tribes from all over Europe uprooting themselves and settling elsewhere. The Germanic tribes traveled further north, as did the Slavs, Huns, Goths, Vandals and many others. This was a time of great turbulence, with wars breaking out between the different clans on a regular basis. The Roman Empire was crumbling, and these so called ‘Barbarian Invasions’ was one of the main catalysts for its downfall.
550 – 790 AD: The Vendel Period had begun. The migrations that had caused widespread upheaval all over Europe had lessened significantly, and the Catholic Church was beginning to expand its influence. Old Uppsala was the centre of religious, cultural and political life for the Germanic clans who occupied most of northern Europe. Scandinavians began to export furs, iron and even human slaves to central and eastern Europe. Mining and the production of iron was very lucrative during this era. Swedish expeditions to several regions such as Ukraine and Russia by river were allowing Scandinavians to build trading connections with many far-off places. ‘Tafl’ games were popular during this time. It appears that Norse religion had evolved enough by this point to be almost recognisable as the beliefs we know, love and share today.
793 – 1066 AD: The Viking Age had arrived! Norsemen had created technology (such as longships) which enabled them to travel all over the known world. They began firstly as traders, exporting their goods overseas; after the sudden and vicious attack on Lindisfarne (off the Northumbrian coast), they earned their reputation as fearsome, bloodthirsty warriors. They embarked on a reign of terror, colonizing, raiding, raping and pillaging as they went. There are many theories as to why the Vikings suddenly turned violent, the most recent (and, in my opinion, most plausible) of which is that it was in retaliation to the Christian church’s ‘convert or die’ ultimatum. Norse paganism was in its prime, and most of what we know about Scandinavian medieval history comes from artifacts dating back to the Viking Age. The Vikings were pioneers in every respect, from politics and societal structure, to trade and inventions. They were actually very forward thinking considering the age in which they lived, although sadly the history books portray them in a far more negative light!
Sorry for such a long post, but I hope you found this journey into Scandinavian pre-history as fascinating as I did! Apologies if I made any mistakes – I’m no archaeologist, I’m simply an enthusiast! I collected much of this information online, and from what I’ve read in the past. I hope that the timeline was mostly accurate. Feel free to let me know in the comments if you notice any mistakes!
I will be writing another article soon, about the origins of the Norse religion, which will hopefully show how Norse paganism evolved throughout the centuries. So watch this space!
Modern Norse Heathen 