Arctic Viking Food: Preserving

Skrei, Gadus morhua, drying on "Fiskehjell"  Røst, Lofoten

Preserving food has always been important for survival. In Norway, it has been a tradition to dry food. Fish in general and Skrei, Gadus morhua, especially because of the huge quantity arriving every winter. 
From January to April, the Skrei from the Barents Sea came to spawn along the coast of North Norway. 

Skrei: Gadus morhua

We do not know exactly when drying fish, meat and herbs. But we certainly know that The Arctic Vikings brought it with them when they went on expeditions.
Both as food and as trading goods.
The Arctic Viking had its trade routes mostly to the east. The Gardarik was the name of the geographical area. Russia and Ukraine with the cities of Novgorod and Kiev. 
The Arctic Vikings did not only go east. The Basque arrived the North Norwegian coast year 700 hunting for whales, Eubalaena glacialis was preferred. They brought something to the Vikings of crucial importance for preserving foods. 
The Salt. It changed everything. And the combination of salting and drying the Skrei on the rocks created a new amazing food: Klippfisk, clipfish.
The Arctic Vikings taught the Basque how to build ships in exchange. This made the Basque able to cross the oceans and they discovered New Foundland and America. In fact they hunted whales as far as Brazil. 

The Arctic Viking connection with the Basque remained for several centuries. Their commen interest for fishing and building boats was the main links, but also trading other goods was part of this cooperate.
Preserving fish, meat and fruits in the more modern way by glass and heating became an important part of the North Norwegian kitchen. 
In 1882 the preserving company, Bjelland, was established in Stavanger. It became the leading preserving company in Scandinavia in the end of 1800

It was established preserving factories all along the coastline of Norway. And became one of the leading industries during 1900. With a lot of people working in this factories.

It is time to give new birth to the Norwegian preserving industry. Not only for the food from sea but also Norwegian fruit, berry, vegetables and not to forget meat. 

It is just a matter of new packaging, design, and marketing. Looking to the market in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France this is a huge market.

And it is a question of cooperation with partners in the preserving industries in one or several of this countries.

Curiosity
Preserve eggs, especially from seagulls, in marshes was also very common in North of Norway

Lingonberry, Vaccinium Vitis-idea, was preserved because of the natural content of preservation.
It was stored in wooden buckets in the cranny which was common in every household by the farmers and fishermen.

Multer, Rubus chamaemorus, was also stored in wooden buckets in the cranny.