Establishing Logistic Infrastructures in unstable Frontier regions: Haithabu as an example

Inspite of numerous violent conflicts in the frontier region between Danes, Frisians, Slaves and Francs during the Early Middle Ages, Haithabu showed itself to be a central trading place and its logistic infrastructures (harbor, paths etc.) were robust and not vulnerable. Considering today’s disturbances of global goods flows by pandemics or wars the question of the causes arises. Archaeological findings and results (there are hardly any written sources) help us to capture the logistic infrastructures and to generate a quantitative goods flows model which we will use to simulate „crises scenarios“ (war, epidemics, weather conditions) and thus gain insights on the resilience of Early Middle Ages logistic infrastructure. Finally, we will check the transferability on today’s circumstances.

Research group

• Arnd Jenne
• Michael Lischke
• Reinhold Wentzlaff

Mentor

• Prof. Dr. Frank Nikulka
• Lorenz Luick