The Norse exploration during the Viking Age was primarily characterized by a trade-based economic system, often referred to as a "tributary economy." Norse societies engaged in extensive trade networks facilitating the exchange of goods like furs, slaves, amber, and iron for silver and other valuables. The Vikings established trade routes that stretched from the North Atlantic to the Mediterranean and even into Asia. Their expeditions were not solely for conquest; many were aimed at establishing trade outposts, contributing to the spread of commerce and cultural exchange. This economic system played a vital role in the Vikings’ expansion and their historical legacy.