Central Asia

Around the year 900, the most important trade routes between the Caliphate and the Norse shifted. From previously passing through the Caucasus and following the western coast of the Caspian Sea, they were now redirected to the areas east of the Caspian Sea. A decisive part in this trade were the Bulghars’ at the Volga bend. It is in Volga Bulgarian regions that the Arab envoy Ibn Fadlan witnessed a burial that, through his account, in many ways has come to shape the image of the Rus’. The shift in trade routes is reflected in the material culture in Scandinavia. The number of Samanid coins increases significantly, accompanied by various objects originating from the Samanid Empire and from Turkic steppe peoples to the north. These include exotic luxury items as well as objects that will be part of many people's everyday lives, such as glass beads. The contacts also led to new knowledge and practices. Certain groups of Nordic warriors acquired the demanding skills and weapons of steppe archers, and Volga-Bulghar style dress accessories became the latest fashion. There is even a runestone that mentions journeys to Khwarezm, south of the Aral Sea in the center of central Asia.