Learnings: Dividing the Spoils

The stone of Nylarsker 1, Denmark / 1075-1125

The biggest piece of the pie went to the owner of the boat; sometimes this was the captain, or styrmaðr (steersman), but not always. If several people had helped to pay for the expedition, the wealth would be distributed according to the scale of their investment. The more money an investor had put in at the start of the voyage, the more they would receive at its end.

Unfortunately, not all voyages had a happy ending. This runestone was erected by a son to honour his father and his crew, all of whom were lost at sea.