Outland exploitation and resource colonisation in early Medieval Scandinavia

New archaeological evidence reveals that the exploitation of marginal zones, or outlands, played a central and dynamic role in early medieval Scandinavian societies, predating and extending beyond the Viking Age. Contrary to traditional views, resource extraction—such as iron and furs—in forests, wetlands, and mountainous regions was not merely supplementary but a core economic strategy shaping settlement patterns, social organization, and long-distance trade networks. This study challenges the notion that outland activities were peripheral, demonstrating their significance in economic intensification and regional interaction from at least the 4th–7th centuries. The findings are supported by advanced analytical methods and expanded datasets, offering a reinterpretation of marginal zones as integral to the emergence of complex socio-economic systems in early medieval Scandinavia.

Hennius, A. (2026). Outland exploitation and resource colonisation in early Medieval Scandinavia. Terra Fertilis, Terra Deserta. Exploitation of Marginal Zones, 41–45. https://doi.org/10.33547/terra.fertilis03