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Countries like Norway and Sweden were much more maritime than today, and people almost entirely dependent on the waterways for travel. But travel by water was not always possible. The river or lake might suddenly be broken up by dangerous rapids or a passage of land. For these purposes, almost every maritime culture has practiced some form of portage the act of transporting a vessel over land, to the next body of water. From the Scottish Highlands to the Caspian Sea, it is most associated with the Vikings, dragging their massive longships from one river to the next, upon large wooden trunks constantly moved in front of the bow.

Sources:
De Administrando Imperio Constantine Porphyrogenitus
Färder i österled Rune Edberg
Investigating Portages in The Norse Maritime Landscape of Scotland and the Isles David Alexander McCullough
Portages in South Scandinavia a typology FransArne Stylegar
Ship and society Gunilla Larsson

Music credits:
Skyrim Solstheim OST Jeremy Soule
Too Cool Kevin Macleod

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
4:19 Suitable boats
8:04 Brief history
11:53 Techniques
21:34 Improving the portage
28:37 Portage examples
35:45 Conclusion

#vikings #history #ships