Conference Review
Between the Islands: Interaction with Vikings in Ireland and Britain
13-15 March 2009
Summary Abstract
This conference investigated relations between Ireland, Britain and the Scandinavian countries in the early medieval period. The arrival of Vikings off the coast of Ireland and Britain in the late eighth and early ninth centuries ensured that these diverse cultures began to interact, the nature of their contact changing substantially over the long and complex period of their shared history. By bringing scholars of various disciplines (archaeological, historical, literary, onomastic and numismatic) together, the conference helped to put our understanding of relations between the medieval peoples of Ireland and Britain and their Scandinavian neighbours on a more solid footing. Contributors were given ample time to present in detail their chosen topic (45 minutes each) and papers were circulated in advance to facilitate discussion. The conference was attended by staff and students from the department of ASNC, other departments and faculties of Cambridge University, and numerous international institutions.
Conference Review
The conference was concerned with relations between Ireland, Britain and the Scandinavian countries in the early medieval period. Scholars in the past often sought to highlight the common aspect of these societies; in the process, sources of widely varying dates were sometimes compared. In truth, however, our knowledge of both medieval Insular societies and their Scandinavian counterparts is far from complete, though close reading of documentary sources, as well as detailed analyses of archaeological material, has advanced it greatly in recent years. The conference aimed to draw Insular and Norse strands together and examine where they intersect, as well as remain apart. Furthermore, the conference took an interdisciplinary approach to the investigation of cultural interaction. Scholars of various disciplines (archaeological, historical, literary, onomastic and numismatic) aimed to shed light on their specialist interests, but also to engage with scholars working in related fields. The format of the conference was designed to maximise such interdisciplinary dialogue: speakers pre-circulated substantial pieces of unpublished written work and spoke to these papers for 10–15 minutes, thus leaving over 30 minutes for discussion. This format is relatively unfamiliar to those working in medieval studies, but we received excellent feedback on it from the participants and delegates. The discussion was generally of very high quality because the participants had read and digested the pre-circulated papers.
Several key themes emerged in the course of the discussions. One strand focused on the overlap between economic and cultural history: to what extent did the systems of exchange favoured by Vikings relate to those already present in Britain and Ireland? In what ways did the locations of Viking camps relate to political and mercantile activity? Another recurring topic was the practicality of communication between Ireland, Britain and Scandinavia. Speakers discussed navigation in the Bristol Channel, the technology and capabilities of Viking-Age ships in Ireland, and the importance of the trans-Pennine passes. A number of papers centred on a third theme, namely the light that literary works shed on Viking-Age society. Some scholars traced connections between literature produced in Ireland and Scandinavia, whilst others compared specific texts. Detailed textual analysis revealed the changing presentation of Vikings in Irish literature and the concepts of rulership espoused by kings of Man and the Isles. Two scholars focused their attention on runic inscriptions. Finally, we asked two historians to sum up the proceedings by giving a ‘view from the west’ (the Celtic world) and a ‘view from the north’ (Scandinavia).
The conference generated a great deal of interest within the academic world and in the media. A palpable sense of excitement was created by bringing together scholars from academic traditions that often operate separately. The conference made considerable progress by highlighting themes that would benefit from further scholarly co-operation; two speakers mooted the idea of follow-up meetings to be held at their home institutions. Dr Máire Ní Mhaonaigh and I are considering the possibility of publishing a selection of papers from the conference. We have canvassed the opinions of the speakers and we shall discuss the matter further this term. In the meantime, the pre-circulated papers remain accessible to speakers and delegates through the CRASSH website.
