Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - II. The North during the Ninth Century - A. Geographical Divisions - B. Life in the North
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20 A History of Sweden
to the south of Lake Vattern were collectively called
Smaland. The coast of Kalmar Sound and the islands
of Gland and Gothland were also settled in early days.
The chief territory of the Sveas was known as Upp-
land. The land to the south of it was called Soderman-
land and that to the west, Westmanland. "Land’ was
the name given to a larger community of villages, and
it corresponds to the present "Landskap" (Shire or
County). Very early, perhaps even during the Stone
Age, these people of the North extended their settle-
ments to the Aland Islands and the southern and south-
western coasts of Finland.
The Norwegians and Danes. The Norwegians seem
to have settled first around the coasts of Bohuslan and
the fjords about Christiania and Trondhjem; the
Danes along the Belts and oresund. From Skane they
spread to the regions of Halland and Blekinge.
Petty Kingdoms. In each "Landskap," or the greater
part of it, the ablest man became leader in war and
chief in time of peace, and was accorded the title of
King (Fylkeskonung). Hence, the Scandinavian lands
at this time contained a large number of petty king-
doms.
B. MODE OP LIFE
At a Peasant’s Homestead. Let us visit a wealthy
peasant’s home on a winter evening during this period.
The homestead is composed of several buildings with
but one room in each : one building is the kitchen, an-
other the bedroom, a third the pantry, etc. We enter
the largest of them, a long hall, where all thefnembers
of the family are assembled. On long benches fixed to
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