Project description
Tracing iron production in Viking Iceland
Iron was mass-produced and traded between Norse settlements during the Viking Age, significantly contributing to the Viking expansion. Historians believed Viking iron was produced in Norway and Sweden, but recent evidence shows intensive production in Iceland exceeding local needs. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) programme, the VIPICE project aims to investigate the origin of Viking iron artefacts and the dynamics of the iron movement during the Viking Age in the North Atlantic region. The project combines strontium (Sr), iron (Fe), hafnium (Hf), and neodymium (Nd) isotopes and trace element analyses of Icelandic iron production in the network of Viking iron circulation. It aims to create a multi-tracer object-source matching map and understand the Viking diaspora and the possibility of a Norse iron industry.
Objective
Iron was a strategic resource in ancient societies and is still of great importance today. This metal was notably mass produced during the Viking age and traded over long distances between the different Norse settlements. This project aims to investigate the provenance of Viking iron artefacts and to develop a new model of the dynamics of iron movement in the North Atlantic region during the Viking age. In Norse society, iron was used to produce everyday tools, as well as weapons and boat rivets. This metal is thus intrinsically linked to the formidable Viking expansion. The numerous remains of iron production in the Scandinavian homelands led most historians to consider that Viking iron was almost exclusively produced in Norway and Sweden. However, this hypothesis fails to explain the growing number of archaeological evidence attesting to intensive iron production in Iceland, exceeding the local needs. To investigate the fate of this Icelandic iron production in the network of Viking iron circulation, we propose a novel multi-proxy tracing approach. Combined Sr, Fe, Hf, and Nd isotopes, and trace element analyses will be performed on metallurgical remains from iron smelting sites (i.e. technological sources) and archaeological artefacts. We will determine a specific multi-isotopic and elemental signature for each region of iron production, against which the composition of the objects will be compared. Strontium isotopes are highly likely to fingerprint iron from Iceland because of its geological singularity. To complement this, Hf, Nd, Fe isotopes, and trace elements will be used to refine source distinctions. These results will be compiled to produce a multi-tracer object-source matching map and propose new iron flows patterns during the Viking age. Finally, this model will be used to address the question of a possible spatially specialised Norse iron industry and improve our understanding of the Viking diaspora that first connected Europe to North America.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.