Dirham flows into northern and eastern Europe and the rhythms of the slave trade with the Islamic world

Abstract

Hoarding patterns are used to reconstruct the inflow of dirhams to northern and eastern Europe and to shed light on ninth- and tenth-century state formation in Scandinavia and the Slavic lands. Two main characteristics of the region’s trade with the Islamic world emerge: its remarkable momentum and persistence; and its complexity and extreme volatility. The Scandinavians’ appetite for silver led to their involvement in the slave trade, which in turn drove warrior groupings to organise, compete for captives and secure access to prestige goods. Our hoard maps can shed light on this competition for slaves and silver and on the eventual emergence of political structures in northern and eastern Europe.