Woods of the Viking Age

This is an excerpt from a forthcoming book I am writing, dealing with woodworking during the Viking Age. When published in the book, the list will also have alternate names and notes. The countries in which the woods were found are listed, and the final column—Unknown—refers to artifacts that have been uncovered made from some species of the wood.

Speaking of the native trees of the British Isles, the British Woodland Trust notes that “native trees are usually defined as trees that arrived and grew here naturally after the last Ice Age, and were not introduced by humans.” Since we are here concerned with native trees and, most especially, trees that were available for use in the Viking Age, we like this definition and wish that other countries—and especially those who class as “native,” trees that have a North American or Asian origin—adhered to this definition as well. The following list was assembled from a variety of mainly botanical sources, checked against Wikipedia and may therefore be incorrect. Since we know about as much about botany as most botanists seem to know about history, any corrections will be gratefully received!

Tree

Latin

British Isles

Denmark

Iceland

Norway

Sweden

Unknown

Alder

Alnus Glutinosa

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Apple, Wild

Malus Sylvestris

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Ash

Fraxinus Excelsior

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Aspen

Populus Tremula

Den

Ice

Nor

Swed

Unk

Beech

Fagus Sylvatica

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

BIrch

Populus Nigra

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

BIrch, Downy

Betula Pubescens

Ice

Nor

Swed

BIrch, Silver

Betula Pendula

Den

Nor

Swed

Blackthorn

Prunus Spinosa

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Box

Buxus Sempervirens

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Cherry, Sour

Prunus Vulgaris

Den

Cherry, Wild

Prunus Avium

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Chestnut, Horse

Chestnut, Sweet

Aesculus Hippocastanum

Castanea sativa

Unk

Elm, Wych

Ulmus Glabra

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Fruitwood

Pomoidae Family

Unk

Hawthorn, Common

Crataegus Monogyna

Den

Nor

Swed

Unl

Hawthorn, Midland

Crataegus Laevigata

Hazel

Corylus Avellana

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Holly, European

Ilex Aquifolium

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk?

Hornbeam, European

Carpinus Betulus

Den

Nor

Swed

Juniper, Common

Juniperus Communis

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Larch, European

Larix Deciduous

Unk

Lime, Large Leaved

Tilia Platyphyllos

Nor

Swed

Unk

Lime, Common

Tilia X Vulgaris

Den

Nor

Swed

Lime, Small-leaved

Tilia Cordata

Den

Nor

Swed

Maple, Field

Acer Campestre

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Maple, Norway

Acer Platanoides

Nor

Swe

Mistletoe

Obligate Hemi-Parasitic

Den

Nor

Swed

Oak, Common

Quercus Robur

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Oak, Sessile

Quercus Petraea

Den

Nor

Swed

Osier, Common

Salix Viminalis

Den

Nor

Swed

Pear, Wild

Pyrus Pyraster

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Pine, Scots

Pinus Sylvestris

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Plum, Cherry

Prunus cerasifera

Den

Nor

Swed

Poplar, Black

Populus Nigra

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Rose, Guelder

Viburnum opulus

Den

Nor

Swed

Rowan, European

Sorbus Aucuparia

Den

Ice

Nor

Swed

Service-berry

Amelanchier ovalis

Den

Nor

Swed

Service Tree

Sorbus domestica

Den

Service Tree, Wild

Sorbus Torminalias

Spindlewood

Euonymus Europaeus

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Spruce, Norway

Picea Abies

Den

Nor

Swed

Strawberry Tree

Arbutus Unedo

Wayfaring Tree

Viburnum lantana

Whitebeam, Common

Sorbus Aria

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Whitebeam, Swedish

Sorbus Intermedia

Den

Swed

Willow, Almond

Salix Triandra

Willow, Arctic

Salix Polaris

Nor

Willow, Bay

Salix Pentandra

Den

Nor

Swed

Willow Black

Salix Myrtilloides

Nor

Swed

Willow, Crack

Salix Fragilis

Den

Nor

Swed

Willow. Dwarf

Salix Herbacea

Nor

Swed

Willow, Eared

Salix aurita

Den

Nor

Swed

Willow, Green

Salix Phylicifolia

Nor

Swed

Willow, Grey

Salix Cinerea

Den

Nor

Swed

Willow, Goat

Salix Caprea

Nor

Swed

Willow, Purple

Salix Purpurea

Den

Nor

Swed

Willow. Net-leaved

Salix Reticulata

Nor

Swed

Willow, Tea-leaved

Salix Phylicifolia

Den

Ice

Nor

Swed

Willow, White

Salix Alba

Den

Nor

Swed

Yew, European

Taxus Baccata

Den

Nor

Swed

Unk

Neil Peterson has compiled a very useful listing of woods used in artefacts at http://www.darkcompany.ca/articles/wood.php

This entry was posted on December 12, 2011 by folo1. It was filed under Uncategorized .

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8 responses

Lee

I think I spotted a couple of typo’s. I think “Sage” should be “Sage” and “lie” should be “like” in the second paragraph second (quoted sentence),

December 13, 2011 at 05:19

Reply
Lee

Looking forward to seeing the book by the way.

December 13, 2011 at 05:19

Reply
folo1

Thanks! They’ve been corrected (and will teach me to add something when I’m feeling tired. Okay, it probably won’t…).

December 13, 2011 at 05:33

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