Kaupang is generally considered the first urban settlement in Norway: a trading post established around 800 AD on the shore of Viksfjord near present-day Larvik. At its peak it had around 1,000 inhabitants, a remarkable concentration for that era, and served as a hub for trade reaching from the Frankish Empire to the Arab world. Excavations between 1998 and 2003 uncovered over 100,000 artefacts, including silver coins from Dorestad, Arabic dirhams, glass beads, and tools for metalworking and jewellery production.
The settlement was abandoned in the mid-900s, possibly as Tønsberg grew in importance. Today there is little to see on the ground: the site is farmland with information boards. But for anyone interested in Viking-age trade and urbanisation, this is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Scandinavia.
The settlement was abandoned in the mid-900s, possibly as Tønsberg grew in importance. Today there is little to see on the ground: the site is farmland with information boards. But for anyone interested in Viking-age trade and urbanisation, this is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Scandinavia.