A digital map of premodern transport and mobility
Geography is a central factor in the study of premodern exchange, economically also expressed in information asymmetry and transaction costs. Patterns of trade are to a large degree determined by geography and the visualisation of market exchange is an important tool in economic history. In the last decades, the interaction of markets has received a lot of attention. Trade networks and market integration are research topics of lasting popularity. The underlying methodology has profited immensely from computerization and digitization.
The project contributes to the study of the premodern economy and society by creating a digital infrastructure for individual research projects. The digital map of premodern overland trade routes in northern Europe will be accessible online as an Open Access Resource (date to be announced). Printed atlases like Bruns/Weczercka’s ‘Hanseatic Trade Roads’ (Hansische Handelsstraßen, 1962–1968) and research literature on trade routes provide the basic data for this digital research tool, supplemented by archival research. Next to digitized road systems, the map and the accompanying database will also cover spatiotemporal data, such as fairs, tolls, etc. Moreover, routes will be added that were not part of Bruns and Weczerka's work to widen the use of the dataset to encompass non-Hanseatic research.
Viabundus is designed as a ‘living dataset’, which is continuously corrected and expanded. The first version was released on 19 April 2021 (see below). Updates follow regularly: the last version 2.0 dates from 25 April 2025. The data can be explored as a digital map with simple routing functionality, and be downloaded for advanced geospatial analysis.
Read up on the project and the progress we made on the Project Blog and on Bluesky, Mastodon, and X.
Project partners
The Viabundus project is carried out in cooperation with the IHLF (Institute for Historical Regional Studies) at the University of Göttingen and is maintained by FGHO and IHLF. Initial funding was supplied by Pro*Niedersachsen for the development of the data system and the data for the current German state Lower Saxony.
The project consists of various regional sub-projects:
- Denmark: Aarhus University and Moesgaard Museum
- Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia: Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg, funded by the Friedrich-Christian-Lesser-Stiftung
- Netherlands: Radboud University
- Finland: Tampere University, funded by the Kone foundation
Further regional projects are in planning.
Launch
The Viabundus platform was digitally presented to all interested parties at its official launch on 19th April 2021. The launch was recorded, and you can watch the individual presentations on YouTube:
- ‘Opening Remarks’
Dr. Angela Huang, director of the FGHO - ‘Introduction’
Dr. Niels Petersen, research associate at the University of Göttingen - ‘Elements of the Map’
Nina Dengg, research associate at the University of Magdeburg - ‘How to use the Map’
Dr. Bart Holterman, (at that time) research associate at the University of Göttingen