UHI Inverness Researcher Joins Global Viking Scholars in Oslo

UHI Inverness researcher Dr Monika Maleszka-Ritchie presented a paper at the prestigious 20th Viking Congress 2026, held in Oslo from the 8th to the 17th August 2026.

Dr Maleszka-Ritchie’s paper, ‘Beyond Trade: Cultural Interaction in Viking, Slavic, and Arab Networks’ explores how Viking, Slavic, Rus’, Bulgar, Byzantine and Islamic communities traded and interacted across cultural and political boundaries. The paper highlights the important role of standardised weights, silver, pottery and commodity forms, arguing that these objects functioned as a form of ‘social technology’ that helped establish trust and create shared commercial practices.

These shared practices enabled merchants and communities to cooperate across geographical, cultural and political boundaries, contributing to a sense of belonging while allowing participants to maintain their distinct cultural identities.

The Viking Congress is the leading international and interdisciplinary conference dedicated to the study of the Viking Age. Established in 1950, the congress brings together specialists from around the world every four years to share research and explore new perspectives across disciplines including archaeology, history, philology, numismatics and runology.

The 2026 congress marked 76 years since the inaugural Viking Congress, which was held in Lerwick, Shetland in 1950. This year's programme brought together researchers to examine the landscapes, communities and social frameworks of the Viking World, while also considering the future of Viking Age research and how knowledge can be shared with the public in a changing world.

Dr Maleszka-Ritchie said: “The Viking Congress brings together an international community of scholars, creating a unique space for exchanging ideas, discovering new perspectives, and celebrating the remarkable breadth of research into the Viking world!”