Uncovering the Archaeology of the Danish Trade Monopoly in Iceland (1602-1787): Merchant Ships and Trade Ports

• Main Author: Martin, Kevin
• Other Authors: Gavin Lucas, Sagnfræði- og heimspekideild (HÍ), Faculty of History and Philosophy (UI), Hugvísindasvið (HÍ), School of Humanities (UI), Háskóli Íslands, University of Iceland
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of Iceland, School of Humanities, Faculty of History and Philosophy 2022
• Subjects: Danish Trade Monopoly; shipwrecks; trade ports; marine archaeology; maritime archaeology; Dutch 17th century merchant ships; Einokunarverslunin; Kaupskipaútgerð; Verslunarstaðir; Skipsflök; 17. öld; Doktorsritgerðir; Øresund; Iceland
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/2967

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the archaeology of the Danish Trade Monopoly Period (1602-1787) in Iceland through the analysis of two central pillars of the material infrastructure of the trade operations – namely the merchant vessels and the trade ports. Specifically, it uses two case studies to build a foundation for the archaeological study of trade in this period, one that also bridges the often-separate fields of terrestrial and maritime archaeology. During this period, the only foreign trade allowed in Iceland had to be conducted through Danish merchants and trade companies with state-sanctioned trading licences linked to specific trade ports around the country. Though central elements to the whole operation, the vessels and ports of trade have tended to be relatively overlooked and relegated aspects of this period and have not featured significantly as part of any previous narrative. Both vessels and ports occupied the in-between space of the monopoly trade – that is the horizon between the production centres and consumer sites – and it is within this horizon that this study places itself and which it explores through an archaeological lens. A literature review shows how much of the past historical narrative of this period has been saturated with overtones of Icelandic nationalism, which essentially viewed the trade monopoly from a binary perspective of deliberate policies of Danish colonial oppression resulting in Iceland’s economic stagnation and free market isolation. More recently, new approaches by historians have brought a changed and balanced perspective to how we might view this period. This study should be seen as part of this revisionary process, but which significantly uses archaeology to steer the narrative. A quantitative analysis of the Øresund Sound Toll Registers, will be outlined to provide an overview of the scale of merchant shipping involved in the Icelandic trade and the dominance and influence of the Dutch during the 17th century in developing bulk cargo carriers such as ...