The ship has functioned as the centerpiece of Scandinavian culture for millennia, serving both pragmatic and religious purposes and its importance was already deeply rooted in the Scandinavian culture when the Viking Age began. Scandinavia is a region with relatively high inland mountain ranges, dense forests and easy access to the sea with many natural ports. Consequently, trade routes was primarily operated via shipping, as inland travel was both more hazardous and cumbersome.