How good is the evidence for strong political identities in Scandinavia before the Viking period?
-The information about the early history of the consolidation and expansion of the Scandinavian kingdoms is very sporadic and difficult to reconstruct authentically. Also, the little fonts available is limited to the political situation in southern Scandinavia.
-Burial methods changed from ostentatious graves for cremations with few grave goods (6th century). The lack of material in burial grounds, was taken as an indication that the area was going through a crisis (economic & demographic), also a development of centralisation and kingship. Furthermore, it can also indicate a lack of need of social differentiation in death.
- In the eighth and ninth centuries, the political scene for each region is poorly documented and do not allow us to distinguish clearly between the individual countries to modern day Scandinavia.
Danevirke (The construction in the seventh century of the first Danevirke, a rampart extending some 17 kilometres across the neck of the Jutland peninsula, suggests a central authority capable of organising great resources, as does the construction in 726 of a canal across the island of Samsø.)
-The period from the second to eighth century, Denmark was the most highly centralised country followed by Norway. Archaelogical evidence proves several far-reaching dynasties and it was the first Scandinavian country to develop royal centres of powers.
- Some names of some Scandinavian rules are known but how they relate to one another it is impossible to say. Weapons found at IIlerup Adal with the name Waignijo stamped on them, cannot tell if he was either a king, chieftain or a wealthy soldier.
- In Alcuin's Vita Willibrordi, he informs about a man called Ongendus, that was in control of the lands of the north. Ongendus may have been responsible for the first part of a defensive wall built at Jylland during the eighth century. Danevirke, the most famous defensive wall, became an important symbol of the independence of the Danish kingdom and an evidence of a strong centralised force, even before the emergence of the nations that were called Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
