INTRODUCTION
How did people travel through the land that is Sweden today, in the Viking Age? And how did they travel from here to Russia and the Black Sea? What did the boats look like and how could they find their way on narrow rivers, past rapids and over land between different watercourses?

The only way to get more knowledge about this is to do practical tests with similar kinds of boats. Many such experiments have been carried out in later years, but often with boats that were mostly adapted to sailing and thus far too heavy and clumsy for journeys on rivers and towing on land.

BACKGROUND
The background of the Vittfarne Expedition is one of Sweden's first known historical events,
the big Viking expedition to the East lead by Ingvar the far-travelled.
The event is mentioned on at least 26 rune stones in Sweden and in a fanciful Icelandic saga.
In 1990 the archaeologist Mats G. Larsson PH.D, the expedition's initiator, presented a compilation of these texts in the book Ett ödesdigert Vikingatåg (A disastrous Viking expedition). He also presented a theory on the expeditions route through Transcaucasia.

In the beginning of the 1040s an armed force with Varjagi, i.e. Scandinavians, came to the small place Bashi, situated by the river Rioni in Georgia. In the old Georgian chronicle Kartlis tsovreba it is stated that they were 3000 men and presumably they had been rowing up the river after sailing eastwards on the Black Sea, most likely from the estuary of the Dnepr River.

After an agreement with Bagrat, the king of Georgia, 700 of them continued to travel further into the country where they took part in a battle against the king's enemies on the wooded shores of Sasirethi, a few miles west of Tbilisi.

Despite their help, the king lost the battle and fled. After reaching an agreement with the hostile army, the Scandinavian force returned westwards, after witch they disappear from history.

Put together the sources suggest that Ingvar travelled from Sweden to Kiev and further on to the Black Sea. From there he most probably went to the Caspian Sea on the Transcaucasian rivers.

At an archaeological information meeting about ships, held at Vik's castle in 1994, Mats met the Viking enthusiast Håkan Altrock. They started to talk about Mats' idea of testing the practical prerequisites needed for a voyage in the wake of Ingvar den Vittfarne through Transcaucasia, with a replica of a Viking ship. Later on their conversation resulted in Håkan's decision to build a light, flexible Viking ship for the expedition.

The keel of the ship was laid in 1998 and it was launched in 2001. Since then it has been test sailed. In 2003 the non-profit association Vittfarne was formed for planning of the expedition.

GOAL AND PURPOSE
We in the Vittfarne association intend to test the possible route of Ingvar the Far-travelled through Transcaucasia with a Viking ship replica suitable for the purpose. The aim is historical research as well as creating international contacts between people.
This expedition can be seen as a continuation of the earlier expedition with the Viking boat Aifur 1994 and 1996.
The "Aifur expedition" started in Sigtuna in Sweden and made its way to the mouth of the Dnepr through the river system of the former Soviet Union.

Scientific goals
The scientific goals of the expedition are:
-to verify if it really was possible for Ingvar den Vittfarne to travel this route.
-to gain more knowledge of how the people of that time made their way along the important water trade routes
- through the expedition promote the collection of facts about the Viking age, especially through
contacts between the Nordic countries and the countries along the expedition route.

Our partners in this Expedition will include Institutions of archaeology and archaeologists
from all of the countries the expedition will pass through, especially the countries in the Caucasus.

The expedition's scientific aim is to achieve the goals, through theoretical research combined
with observations on site and practical testing,.

Other goals
The other goals of the Vittfarne Expedition are:
- to be able to help Swedish companies looking for new markets to establish contacts with companies and
authorities in the countries through which the expedition will pass.
-to support cultural links between the Nordic counties and the Caucasus.

ACCOMPLISHMENT
The expedition will start in the Old Swedish Village in the south of Ukraine in spring 2004. (Ed. note: Swe. Gammalsvenskby, present-day Ru. Zmievka). The old Swedish-village is a village where the inhabitants, whose ancestors emigrated from the Baltic Island of Dagö, still speak Swedish. Here the scientific expedition that brought the Viking boat Aifur from Sigtuna, Sweden to the estuary of the Dnepr via the river systems in the late Soviet during the seasons of 1994 and 1996 was broken off. Our journey can be seen as a continuation of this expedition.

The journey starts out from the Dnepr River, passes the Crimean peninsula and along the Russian and Abkhazian coast to the mouth of the Rioni River at the Georgian port of Poti. Via Rioni and its tributaries we will proceed to the village of Zuare where the traverse over the watershed will take place. The boat will then be launched in to the Kura River that flows out into the Caspian Sea at the coast of Azerbaijan. The final destination is Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The journey will be divided in to seven stages of about 14 days each.

THE BOAT

The Viking boat replica we plan to use is called Himingläva and was built with this expedition in mind. The original is a boat found in a grave mound excavated in 1880 in Gokstad, Norway. In the mound a very well preserved, 23 metre-long ship was found.

The king buried in the mound seems to have enjoyed being on the sea, because among his grave gifts there were also three smaller boats. The largest and the smallest of them have been reconstructed and are now on exhibit in the Viking Ship House on Bygdöy in Oslo. The largest seems to fulfil the requirements needed for a river traveller while still being able to manage sailing in fairly close coastal waters.

The boat, that has been named "sexäringen" ("the six oars"), is 9.75 metres long and 1.86 metres wide. It has room for 9 people on longer trips. It is driven by six pairs of oars or a square sail of 16 square metres.

ECONOMY

The Vittfarne Society wish to act as a springboard for business and organisations with an aim to establish contacts in regions where the ship will sail/pass. The Vittfarne Society will form its financial base on sponsorship.

TARGET GROUPS

The Vittfarne Society will reach target groups in accordance with the needs of the expedition. Those are:

Members of the expedition
The Vittfarne Society will look for members to participate in the expedition for shorter (14 days) or longer duration. There is an urgent need for the shipmaster to identify, during the upcoming months, suitable groups of sailors and their replacements for each distance covered by the expedition. Crew members will be tested to function as a group during difficult circumstances.
A crew member must be 18 years of age. Recruitment of the crew takes place at official occasions, through contacts and through the Vittfarne Society home page where an interest to participate will be put forward to:

Håkan Altrock, Arkövägen 8, S-121 55 Johanneshov.

Contacts with crew members will be uphold via email, sailings with the ship Himingläva and meetings at pubs, cafés etc in Stockholm. Those who express an intention to participate in the expedition in the summer 2004 are expected to practice at least once.

Passive Members
The Vittfarne Society welcomes passive members to follow the expedition. The website will be updated during the expedition in the summer 2004. Check the website for further information!

Sponsors/contacts
The expedition will depend heavily on sponsors and contact persons, companies or institutions that are committed and interested.

It is particularly important for the Vittfarne association to find companies and organisations which have
an interest in helping the expedition financially and which, at the same time, recognise
the possibilities to establish business or other contacts through the expedition

We can offer our financial sponsors the following:
-the use of the Viking ship Himingläva, including the skipper, for corporate events.
-exposure for company names and logotypes and the mentioning of companies by name at
public events before, during and after the expedition.
-help in establishing contacts in the countries we pass through during the expedition.
-the opportunity for companies and organisations to test their products or services during the
project.
-lectures tailored to companies' requirements.

It will be essential to ensure that this project attracts attention from the media.

Media
A starting point for exposure to attract media attention will be the Boat Fair in Älvsjö in the spring 2004. The Vittfarne Society would prefer to establish contacts with one major promotor/publisher for further exposure to media; TV, radio, magazines.

DOCUMENTATION
Scientific documentation of experiences gained will be most important.

The Vittfarne Society hopes to attract media attention before the expedition takes place in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV.

During the expedition the website will show a log book with accurate data from the ship.

Digital photos as well as short sequences of film will be available on the website as a professional photographer will be invited to sail with Vittfarne or follow on land.

End of expedition

The experiences and results of the expedition will be presented in a scientific report. Also, a popularised version will be printed for the general public.
Lectures will be held for interested groups, enterprises or scientists.
TV-documentary to be aired.
Participation at the boat fair in Stockholm

AUTHORITIES
Contact will be established with the authorities concerned in countries en route.

A formal invitation from authorities concerned in all countries to be visited.

Information to be disseminated to customs, police and military along the route to facilitate the passage of boarders for the ship, its crew and escort car.

Driver with a car to accompany the ship is crucial as well as assistance of translators.

There is a need for an extensive network of individuals to facilitate for the ship to pass boarders.

THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE BOAT AND ITS CREW MEMBERS

A lorry will be engaged to enhance a more flexible route of transportation of the boat from Sweden to Gammalsvenskby and from Baku to Sweden. The Lorry will carry the Boat when needed.

It will most likely be possible to engage a long distance truck for transport to Ukraine.

The return could take place by train from Baku to Poti and by ferry to Cherson and then by long distance truck.
Possibly a Russian barge could take the ship up the Volga on the return to Sweden.

The travels of the crewmember to their destinations will be financed by the association. At least, the association will supply all with information on alternative routes, timetables, visas etc.

New crew members will be picked up by the escort car to be transported to the boat. The return will be likewise.

ESCORT CAR
There is a need for an escort car to follow the expedition on land from Gammalsvenskby to the Abkhazian boarder as well as from the boarder of Abkhazia through Georgia and onwards to Baku.
The escort car facilitates the purchase of everyday goods needed.
The escort car will take six, seven persons as well as driver/drivers and load. The car must be easily maintained and repaired.
We hope to have help from the contact persons along the route.

SECURITY
Security at sea must be at the highest possible level.
Information about waters and local weather conditions must be obtained.

The route will follow land as much as possible for a quick landing on shore.

Also, a correct technique to get the boat quickly and safely on shore on shallow waters must be practised.
Security and navigation equipment for sailing on shallow waters shall be onboard.

Any possible threats against the expedition in general will be identified as the political situation in some regions may be less stable. Fights and kidnappings are not uncommon where we will pass. The crew on board and in the escorting car may be subject to problems. But with a high attention from media, the risks should be minimised. A positive attitude from authorities is also important in this respect. The translator and drivers should have some military or police training to be able to avert unwelcome interest. They shall also have good knowledge about culture and traditions in the region where we pass.

END OF THE PROJECT

The Vittfarne association will, following the successful return from Baku to Sweden, carry on with its aims - to support and encourage the public to learn more about the Vikings fascinating travels on the rivers in the East.