This is an almost magically stupid article. "Physical evidence of [Viking-Arab contact] is rare," he says. In fact, Arab silver dirhems by the thousands are one of the most common items found in Viking treasure hoards. The Arab slave trade was the single greatest source of income to Scandinavia in the Viking Age.
I agree. The real point of the article is that Scandinavians shouldn't worry about Muslim immigration, because they've always had a connection to the Islamic world. Well... yes, sort of. In a way. In a very different way.
*reads article, shakes head* Some of my ancestors likely had contact with both Vikings and Arabs. In one case things worked out (although I'd love to have gotten a little of the Scandinavian leg length along with the coloring.) In the other case it involved hiding until the slavers from North Africa went away. IIRC the last English kidnapped from the British Isles were taken in the early 1600s. I highly doubt there was much voluntary cultural exchange and interest in conversion involved in the latter "contact."
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This is an almost magically stupid article. "Physical evidence of [Viking-Arab contact] is rare," he says. In fact, Arab silver dirhems by the thousands are one of the most common items found in Viking treasure hoards. The Arab slave trade was the single greatest source of income to Scandinavia in the Viking Age.
I agree. The real point of the article is that Scandinavians shouldn't worry about Muslim immigration, because they've always had a connection to the Islamic world. Well... yes, sort of. In a way. In a very different way.
*reads article, shakes head* Some of my ancestors likely had contact with both Vikings and Arabs. In one case things worked out (although I'd love to have gotten a little of the Scandinavian leg length along with the coloring.) In the other case it involved hiding until the slavers from North Africa went away. IIRC the last English kidnapped from the British Isles were taken in the early 1600s. I highly doubt there was much voluntary cultural exchange and interest in conversion involved in the latter "contact."
LittleRed1
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