Vikings. In the early Middle Ages, when the agricultural sphere was dominated by the manor system, there was little chance for local producers to have contact with people outside their village. There were, nonetheless, examples of fine craftsmanship both within and without the European rural economy. The Vikings provide perhaps the best example of early European medieval craftsmanship. They made many beautiful objects from gold, silver, and stone, such as bracelets, sword hilts, and even ship decorations. Not until the Vikings became the sedentary peoples of Britain, Normandy, and part of present-day Russia, however, were these products more than fleetingly glimpsed by the continental peoples.

Non-European Goods. Of course, foreign-trade goods made their way into the growing trade centers of medieval Europe. Despite their efforts, the guilds were frequently not well enough integrated to place total limits...