Geochemical constraints on the provenance of viking Age soapstone finds from Ribe, Denmark

Steatite objects are regarded as one of the characteristic features of Viking Age materialculture, present in both Atlantic settlements and the Scandinavian homelands. However,the provenance of steatite artefacts in these regions can be difficult to determine. Anyresolution regarding the origin of steatite finds from precisely dated context such as inRibe, Denmark can thus contribute to the understanding of the development of commerceand urbanization at the very beginning of the Viking period. Here, we present X-rayfluorescence (XRF) data for 20 steatite objects from Ribe phases F-I (790-850AD), onesample from nearby Okholm, and four samples from Hedeby and compare the data tosteatite deposits in Norway and Sweden; in addition to steatite objects from other places suchas Bergen and Kaupang. The results suggest, that Ribe initially sourced its soapstone froma quite limited number of deposits; one possible candidate being the deposits at Hisåsennear Fjaere in Agder, southern Norway. Over the course of the 9th century these importswere supplemented by other, possibly multiple sources. The small amount of soapstonedata available from other emporia, together with methodological inconsistencies preventus from drawing any further conclusions. However, the available data is consistent with thepossibility of the deposit, that supplied Ribe in the late 8th and early 9th centuries; may alsohave supplied soapstone to Kaupang and Hedeby.