CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH THE BYZANTINE BORDER ZONES: On the Eastern Connections of the Birka Warrior Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson National Historical Museum, Stockholm The town-like settlement of Birka was a major center of trade and crafts in the Eastern region of Viking-Age Scandinavia. The inhabitants constituted a cultural and social mix including people of various origins and with influences from a vast region of different cultures. This diverse mix of material culture and social practices is particularly noticeable in the context of the warriors. Perhaps more than others, these men were accustomed to the practices and traits of other groups of people and were impressed by foreign weaponry and warfare techniques. They combined high mobility with a tight-knit social structure and openness to new techniques and ideas. Their objective to serve the functions and people of the town, rather than a regional chieftain or petty king, made them stand out as a group, even compared to contemporary groups of warriors from nearby places. The strong presence of influences from the regions east and southeast of Scandinavia is predominantly evident. So what can be said about the evident Eastern connections of the Birka warriors? East in focus It is a well-known fact that the Viking Age was a period of intensified contacts with other cultures in an ever-expanding geographical area. These contacts were varied in character and took place on a number of levels. A foreign object could be an item of display, signaling far-reaching networks of contact, wealth, situation, etc., but without actually being used in the way it was originally intended. For that to occur, a more advanced form of interaction must take place. 1 Trade forged cultural contacts, as it required a certain level of trust, possibly acquired by a common terminology or even language or some other form of mutual agreement on terms. 2 But even military activities could form in-depth cultural contacts through alliances, joint preparations, training and campaigning. The high level of mobility resulted in material wealth as well as in contacts, adaptation, learning and development. 1 Hedenstierna-Jonson, 2013. 2 See Gustin, 2004.