Economy
Next to sailing, the Narentines were proficient in trading, growing olives, figs and vineyards. On the outskirts of Biokovo and Mosor and on the islands, they herded cattle and also tilled the fields to some extent. In the later medieval ages, Merania imported wheat and exported wine, salted fish, dry fruits, etc.
The Narentines were experts at piracy, which was their main source of income. The loot was split traditionally as was the catch of fish - one half goes to the provider of the ships and/or the organizer of the hunt (Prince or Archont) and the other half is split amongst the crewmembers. They were especially notorious for selling catives into slavery.
The main type of vessel the Narentines used was the Slavic Sagena (Latin: Sagitta, meaning arrow) from the beginning of the 9th century, a variation of the Scandinavian Viking Drakkar. It was a long, relatively shallow vessel that was specific for its high speed with a slender body, a sharp bow and a mast. It was manned by 40 crewmembers that were at the same time professional fighters. Other than this type of vessel, the Pagans used the Kondura; a ship similar to the Sagena, but a lot smaller, with a crew of 20 members. The Marians also used other types of vessels and barges.
Read more about this topic: Neretva Pirates
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