Viking York and the Danelaw Culture · Summer Term

Viking Trade and Global Connections

Discovering how the Vikings linked Britain to trade routes reaching as far as Byzantium and the Silk Road.

About This Topic

The Vikings were not just raiders; they were some of the most successful traders in history, creating a network that stretched from the tip of North America to the markets of Baghdad. This topic explores how Britain was connected to this global system through Viking ports like Jorvik and Dublin. For Year 5 students, this is a chance to see the 'global' side of the Viking Age and how it brought new ideas, materials, and wealth to England.

Students investigate the items the Vikings traded, such as furs, slaves, and walrus ivory, and the exotic goods they brought back, like silk, spices, and silver coins (dirhams) from the Islamic world. This connects to National Curriculum targets for trade and economics. This topic comes alive when students can simulate a Viking market or trace the incredible journey of a single object across the 'Silk Road' of the North.

Learning Objectives

• Identify specific goods traded by Vikings to and from Britain.
• Explain the origin and significance of silver dirhams found in English hoards.
• Analyze how Viking trade routes influenced the cultural and economic development of Britain.
• Compare the types of goods exchanged along Northern European trade routes versus those on the Silk Road.

Before You Start

Anglo-Saxon Society and Settlements

Why: Students need a basic understanding of the existing social and economic structures in Britain before the significant impact of Viking trade.

Viking Raids and Settlement

Why: Prior knowledge of the Viking presence in Britain provides context for their subsequent role as traders and their establishment of trading centers.

Key Vocabulary

Dirham	A silver coin used in the Islamic world, which became a significant medium of exchange in Viking trade networks.
Jorvik	The Viking name for York, a major trading center in England that connected Britain to extensive European and Asian networks.
Walrus Ivory	A valuable commodity traded by Vikings, sourced from walruses in Arctic regions, used for decorative items and crafts.
Byzantium	The ancient Greek city, later Constantinople, a major hub of trade and culture that Vikings reached through river systems and overland routes.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game: The Viking Market

Assign students roles as traders from different regions (e.g., a Viking from Norway with furs, a merchant from Byzantium with silk, an Anglo-Saxon with wool). They must use 'hacksilver' (broken jewellery) to trade their goods, learning about the 'bullion economy' where the weight of silver was more important than the coin's face.

⏱ 50 min·Whole Class

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Inquiry Circle: The Journey of a Dirham

Groups are given a map and a 'story card' for an Islamic silver coin found in an English hoard. They must trace its path from Baghdad, up the Russian rivers, across the Baltic Sea, and finally to Britain, identifying the different people and transport it would have encountered along the way.

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

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Think-Pair-Share: Why trade instead of raid?

Students think about the risks and rewards of raiding a village versus trading with it. They discuss in pairs, considering themes like safety, long-term profit, and reputation, and then share why many Vikings eventually decided that being a merchant was better than being a warrior.

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

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Real-World Connections

Archaeologists specializing in numismatics study Viking coin hoards, like the Cuerdale hoard, to understand trade patterns and economic connections between Britain and the Middle East.

Museum curators at the Jorvik Viking Centre in York use reconstructed artifacts and trade goods to illustrate the global reach of Viking commerce to visitors.

Modern shipping companies still utilize historical trade routes, demonstrating the enduring importance of connecting distant markets, similar to how Vikings connected Scandinavia to the Byzantine Empire.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Vikings only used coins to buy things.

What to Teach Instead

Vikings used a 'bullion economy', meaning they valued silver by its weight. If something cost less than a whole coin, they would simply chop the coin in half! A 'weighing the silver' activity using scales and play-dough 'hacksilver' helps students understand this practical approach to money.

Common Misconception

The Vikings were isolated from the rest of the world.

What to Teach Instead

They were actually the 'connectors' of the medieval world, linking Europe to the riches of the East. Peer discussion about 'globalisation' can help students see that even 1,000 years ago, Britain was part of a huge international trade network.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a map showing Viking trade routes. Ask them to draw arrows indicating the direction of trade for three specific items (e.g., furs from Scandinavia, silk from Byzantium, silver from the Middle East) and write one sentence explaining why each item was valuable.

Quick Check

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a Viking merchant. What three items would you want to trade for in Britain, and why?' Have students write their answers on mini whiteboards to gauge understanding of imported goods.

Discussion Prompt

Facilitate a class discussion with the prompt: 'How did the arrival of silver dirhams change the way people in Britain conducted business compared to before Viking trade?' Listen for student explanations of monetary exchange versus barter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was 'hacksilver'?

Hacksilver was pieces of silver jewellery, bowls, or coins that had been chopped up into smaller bits. Because the Vikings didn't always have their own coins, they used the weight of the silver itself to pay for things. A trader would use a small set of scales to weigh the silver and make sure it was the right amount for the trade.

How did the Vikings reach the Middle East?

They sailed their longships across the Baltic Sea and then rowed up the great rivers of modern-day Russia and Ukraine, like the Volga and the Dnieper. They sometimes had to drag their ships across land to get from one river to another! This route eventually took them to the Caspian and Black Seas, where they could trade with the great city of Baghdad.

How can active learning help students understand Viking trade?

Active learning, like the 'Viking Market' simulation, makes the abstract concept of 'economics' feel like a game. By having to negotiate and weigh their 'silver', students understand the challenges of trade without a single currency. It also helps them remember the specific goods that were traded because they have to 'sell' them to their classmates.

What was the most valuable thing the Vikings traded?

Silver was the most important thing they wanted to bring back, but one of their most valuable 'exports' was unfortunately people. The Vikings were major slave traders, capturing people from Britain, Ireland, and Eastern Europe and selling them in the great markets of the south. This is a difficult but important part of their history to understand.