Ancient Scandinavians likely used animal skin boats to hunt and trade, study finds

[Judi Lynn]

Ancient people were one of Scandinavia’s first seafaring societies, study says

Vishwam Sankaran
Friday 20 September 2024 07:05 BST

Scandinavians may have used boats made of animal skin for hunting and trading about 5,000 years ago, according to a study that sheds more light on Europe’s “marine-specialised” early culture.

The Pitted Ware Culture (PWC), named after their characteristic pottery with deep pits, migrated from the East and settled in modern-day Scandinavia, including parts of Sweden, Denmark, and Finland between 3500 BC and 2300 BC.

This “marine-specialised” group, according to researchers, stood out among early European Stone Age societies as it continued to focus on seal hunting and fishing at a time when farming had already been in practice on the continent for over five centuries.

This “marine-specialised” group, according to researchers, stood out among early European Stone Age societies as it continued to focus on seal hunting and fishing at a time when farming had already been in practice on the continent for over five centuries.

They have also been known to ferry long-distance voyages across the Baltic Sea and the Kattegat and Skagerrak Strait.

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Norway’s Barents Sea (Tuuli Parviainen)

More:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/scandinavians-hunting-ancient-animal-skin-boat-b2616016.html