Greer Jarrett, a PhD candidate in archaeology at Lund University in Sweden, spent three years reenacting the sea voyages of the Vikings. Covering more than 5,000 kilometers in a wooden boat modeled after the traditional faering design, he demonstrated that Vikings often ventured far from coastal waters, deep into the open sea—challenging long-standing assumptions held by historians.
His research was rooted not only in hands-on sailing experience, but also in interviews with Norwegian seafarers and studies of traditional routes from the 19th and 20th centuries. Drawing from these firsthand accounts and his own journey along the Scandinavian coastline, Jarrett mapped a decentralized network of small harbors on islands and peninsulas. These locations likely served as rest stops during Viking trade expeditions.
This theory is further supported by the design of the Viking vessels themselves. The faering, with its shallow draft and remarkable agility, was ideally suited for navigating into inlets and landing on shores that would have been inaccessible to larger ships.
While the boat proved impressively stable in open waters, the expedition was not without its challenges. On one return trip from the Lofoten Islands, the main mast holding the sail broke. The crew had to improvise by lashing two oars together to create a temporary support—an incident that highlighted the critical importance of teamwork, patience, and mutual support during such demanding voyages.
Jarrett’s journey blends experimental archaeology with historical inquiry, offering new insights into how the Vikings may have truly traveled—guided not by modern instruments, but by the stars, the wind, and the stories carried across generations.
