It was not necessary to be literate to be able to access rune carvings in the 11th century. At the same time those who could read were able to glean much more information from a rune stone than merely what was written in runes. This is shown in new research from Uppsala University in Sweden.
Rune stones are an important part of the Swedish cultural environment. Many of them are still standing in their original places and still bear witness about the inhabitants of the area from a thousand years ago. They thereby represent a unique source of knowledge about the Viking Age, providing us with glimpses of a period we otherwise would have known very little about. Among other themes, they tell us about family relations, travels, or matters of faith, and all of it in a language that scholars can understand fairly readily.
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Monday, 31 May 2010
Friday, 21 May 2010
National Museums Scotland Exhibition
Medieval ivory chess pieces from north and south of the border have been reunited for a major exhibition in the Scottish capital.
Background:
The Lewis Chessmen (or Uig Chessmen, named after their find-site) are a group of 78 chess pieces from the 12th century most of which are carved in walrus ivory, discovered in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. They may constitute some of the few complete medieval chess sets that have survived until today, although it is not clear if any full set as originally made can be made up from the varied pieces. They are currently owned and exhibited by the British Museum in London, which has 67 of them and the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, which has the rest. There has been recent controversy about the most appropriate place for the main display of the pieces.
Read the rest of this article...
Background:
The Lewis Chessmen (or Uig Chessmen, named after their find-site) are a group of 78 chess pieces from the 12th century most of which are carved in walrus ivory, discovered in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. They may constitute some of the few complete medieval chess sets that have survived until today, although it is not clear if any full set as originally made can be made up from the varied pieces. They are currently owned and exhibited by the British Museum in London, which has 67 of them and the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, which has the rest. There has been recent controversy about the most appropriate place for the main display of the pieces.
Read the rest of this article...
Thursday, 13 May 2010
Vikings invade for the return of Dublinia
A DISPLAY of more than 700 years of Irish history, beginning with the Scandinavian raiders' settlement in Dublin, has been re-opened to the public after briefly closing its doors during a €2m redevelopment.
Those involved with the relaunch of the 'Dublinia' exhibition at Christchurch in Dublin got into the full medieval spirit yesterday as they donned the traditional clothing and the odd horned Viking helmet.
To help them fully get into the swing of things, music of the time was provided by medieval group Seanma, consisting of five Dun Laoghaire women with instruments such as a Renaissance flute, stringed viols and recorders.
Read the rest of this article...
Those involved with the relaunch of the 'Dublinia' exhibition at Christchurch in Dublin got into the full medieval spirit yesterday as they donned the traditional clothing and the odd horned Viking helmet.
To help them fully get into the swing of things, music of the time was provided by medieval group Seanma, consisting of five Dun Laoghaire women with instruments such as a Renaissance flute, stringed viols and recorders.
Read the rest of this article...
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Uncovering the Truth About Viking Men
Vikings are associated with weapons and warfare, machismo and mayhem.
But many of them had the same concerns about choosing their children's names as we do, says a researcher from the University of Leicester who delivered his paper at a Viking conference on April 24.
The sixth Midlands Viking Symposium offered a variety of talks by Viking experts from the Universities of Leicester, Nottingham and Birmingham. The symposium took place at the University of Nottingham, and was open to all Viking enthusiasts.
Read the rest of this article...
But many of them had the same concerns about choosing their children's names as we do, says a researcher from the University of Leicester who delivered his paper at a Viking conference on April 24.
The sixth Midlands Viking Symposium offered a variety of talks by Viking experts from the Universities of Leicester, Nottingham and Birmingham. The symposium took place at the University of Nottingham, and was open to all Viking enthusiasts.
Read the rest of this article...
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Remains of 1,100-year-old drinking pot help pinpoint Wallingford's history
A BUILDER’S drinking pot which was smashed more than 1,100 years ago could help archaeologists accurately date the birth of Wallingford for the first time.
Leicester University experts say tiny pottery fragments uncovered in the town’s Anglo-Saxon ramparts could prove Wallingford was first fortified during the reign of Alfred the Great to protect his kingdom from Viking invasion.
Dozens of local volunteers helped sieve a tonne of earth last month during two weeks of excavations in Castle Meadows, where the archaeologists uncovered the ramparts beneath later medieval construction.
Read the rest of this article...
Leicester University experts say tiny pottery fragments uncovered in the town’s Anglo-Saxon ramparts could prove Wallingford was first fortified during the reign of Alfred the Great to protect his kingdom from Viking invasion.
Dozens of local volunteers helped sieve a tonne of earth last month during two weeks of excavations in Castle Meadows, where the archaeologists uncovered the ramparts beneath later medieval construction.
Read the rest of this article...
Thursday, 29 April 2010
Archaeologists baffled over ‘bizarre’ Viking discovery
A TEAM of Irish archaeologists is puzzled by the "bizarre" discovery of a 1,150-year-old Viking necklace in a cave in the Burren.
Besides being the largest by far – up to 12 times longer than previous finds – the team is puzzled by how such a "high-status" Viking treasure came to lie in the Burren, an area never settled by the Norsemen.
The site where the necklace was found at Glencurran Cave was described by team leader Dr Marion Dowd of Sligo IT as a "treasure trove" for archaeologists.
Read the rest of this article...
Besides being the largest by far – up to 12 times longer than previous finds – the team is puzzled by how such a "high-status" Viking treasure came to lie in the Burren, an area never settled by the Norsemen.
The site where the necklace was found at Glencurran Cave was described by team leader Dr Marion Dowd of Sligo IT as a "treasure trove" for archaeologists.
Read the rest of this article...
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Viking treasure found in cave baffles experts
IRISH archaeologists have been left baffled by the 'bizarre' discovery of a 1,150-year-old Viking necklace in a Burren cave.
The necklace is the largest Viking necklace to be discovered in Ireland.
Dr Marion Dowd, of Sligo IT, is leading the excavation of Glencurran Cave in the Burren National Park, which she described as a "treasure trove" for archaeologists.
The necklace was one of the major items discovered in the dig and is described as a "stunning piece of jewellery" by Dr Dowd.
Read the rest of this article...
The necklace is the largest Viking necklace to be discovered in Ireland.
Dr Marion Dowd, of Sligo IT, is leading the excavation of Glencurran Cave in the Burren National Park, which she described as a "treasure trove" for archaeologists.
The necklace was one of the major items discovered in the dig and is described as a "stunning piece of jewellery" by Dr Dowd.
Read the rest of this article...
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Runic Seminar at Aberdeen
There will be a one-day seminar on Runes in Context: Runes, Runic Inscriptions, Early Scandinavian Society and Early Germanic Languages at the University of Aberdeen on 3 May. I don’t have very much information about it, but the speakers have been confirmed–assuming the volcano stops doing its dirty work–as:
Read the rest of this article...
Read the rest of this article...
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Social Networks for Archaeology
The power and importance of social networks are growing all the time, not least in the field of archaeology.
I thought that it would be useful to compile a list of these sites for archaeology. The list as it stands at the moment can be found here….
Obviously, this list is very incomplete at the moment, so if you know of any archaeological social network site that should be added, please give details on the form here…
I thought that it would be useful to compile a list of these sites for archaeology. The list as it stands at the moment can be found here….
Obviously, this list is very incomplete at the moment, so if you know of any archaeological social network site that should be added, please give details on the form here…
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Ireland promotes the Viking Triangle of Waterford as a tourist destination
Ireland's government has announced that funding of almost €9 million has been provisionally allocated under Fáilte Ireland's Tourism Capital Investment Programme for the development of museums and other tourist attractions in the centre of Waterford, known collectively as the Viking Triangle.
The objective of Waterford City Council is to create within the Viking Triangle an iconic heritage based tourist attraction to be titled ‘The Viking Triangle - A Thousand Years of History in a Thousand Paces’. The Viking Triangle forms one part of a larger overall project, the other being the development of the new Waterford Crystal Experience. This significant investment reflects the Government's determination to support tourism which the Government has identified as a vital export-oriented service industry.
Read the rest of this article...
The objective of Waterford City Council is to create within the Viking Triangle an iconic heritage based tourist attraction to be titled ‘The Viking Triangle - A Thousand Years of History in a Thousand Paces’. The Viking Triangle forms one part of a larger overall project, the other being the development of the new Waterford Crystal Experience. This significant investment reflects the Government's determination to support tourism which the Government has identified as a vital export-oriented service industry.
Read the rest of this article...
Tuesday, 6 April 2010
Archeology: When did the First Settlers Come to Iceland?
One of the things that makes Iceland unique in Europe is the fact that Icelanders know the year the first settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, came to Iceland from Norway. The Icelandic script, Íslendingabók (Book of Icelanders), written by Ari the wise, tells of the first men coming to Iceland on explorations.
Three expeditions came to Iceland, but the first men who came to Iceland to live there permanently were Ingólfur and Hjörleifur. The two came to Iceland in 874. Hjörleifur was killed by his slaves, which only left Ingólfur and his wife Hallgerdur Fródadóttir. They settled in Reykjavík, now the capital of Iceland. An excavation in the center of Reykjavík seems to indicate that this story might be true. It shows that the remnants of building stem from the year 871+/-2 years. That website is worth examining. It has a number of interactive features and recreates the 871 environment.
Read the rest of this article...
Three expeditions came to Iceland, but the first men who came to Iceland to live there permanently were Ingólfur and Hjörleifur. The two came to Iceland in 874. Hjörleifur was killed by his slaves, which only left Ingólfur and his wife Hallgerdur Fródadóttir. They settled in Reykjavík, now the capital of Iceland. An excavation in the center of Reykjavík seems to indicate that this story might be true. It shows that the remnants of building stem from the year 871+/-2 years. That website is worth examining. It has a number of interactive features and recreates the 871 environment.
Read the rest of this article...
Monday, 22 March 2010
Ridgeway Vikings exhibition attracts huge crowds
THOUSANDS gathered at an exhibition in Weymouth to see the archaeological treasures unearthed during building of the town’s Relief Road.
The Pavilion Ocean Room was transformed into an Aladdin’s Cave of ancient bones, Iron Age pottery, jewellery and other finds.
Crowds filled the hall keen to learn more about the discoveries, including the Viking remains found in a mass grave at the top of Ridgeway.
Read the rest of this article...
The Pavilion Ocean Room was transformed into an Aladdin’s Cave of ancient bones, Iron Age pottery, jewellery and other finds.
Crowds filled the hall keen to learn more about the discoveries, including the Viking remains found in a mass grave at the top of Ridgeway.
Read the rest of this article...
Friday, 19 March 2010
Greenland Vikings ‘had Celtic blood’
Greenland Vikings ‘had Celtic blood’
Norsemen who settled in southern Greenland carried more Celtic than Nordic blood – but they were still decidedly Scandinavian
An analysis of DNA from a Viking gravesite near a 1000 year-old church in southern Greenland shows that those buried there had strong Celtic bloodlines, reported science website Videnskab.dk.
The analysis – performed by Danish researchers on bones from skeletons found during excavations in south Greenland – revealed that the settlers’ Nordic blood was mixed with Celtic blood, probably originating from the British Isles.
Read the rest of this article...
See also Vikinger havde keltisk blod i årerne
Norsemen who settled in southern Greenland carried more Celtic than Nordic blood – but they were still decidedly Scandinavian
An analysis of DNA from a Viking gravesite near a 1000 year-old church in southern Greenland shows that those buried there had strong Celtic bloodlines, reported science website Videnskab.dk.
The analysis – performed by Danish researchers on bones from skeletons found during excavations in south Greenland – revealed that the settlers’ Nordic blood was mixed with Celtic blood, probably originating from the British Isles.
Read the rest of this article...
See also Vikinger havde keltisk blod i årerne
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Weymouth ridgeway skeletons 'Scandinavian Vikings'
Fifty-one decapitated skeletons found in a burial pit in Dorset were those of Scandinavian Vikings, scientists say.
Mystery has surrounded the identity of the group since they were discovered at Ridgeway Hill, near Weymouth, in June.
Analysis of teeth from 10 of the men revealed they had grown up in countries with a colder climate than Britain's.
Watch the video...
Mystery has surrounded the identity of the group since they were discovered at Ridgeway Hill, near Weymouth, in June.
Analysis of teeth from 10 of the men revealed they had grown up in countries with a colder climate than Britain's.
Watch the video...
Illegal metal detecting crackdown
Archaeologists are to team up with police in a bid to crack down on illegal metal detecting in Norfolk.
Norfolk has the highest number of recovered artefacts in the country declared treasure and a successful long-established working relationship with legitimate metal- detecting enthusiasts.
There were 109 cases of items found in Norfolk being declared treasure in 2008-09. Recent finds include a hoard of 24 Henry III short-cross pennies in Breckland, and an early Saxon gold spangle from south Norfolk.
Read the rest of this article...
Norfolk has the highest number of recovered artefacts in the country declared treasure and a successful long-established working relationship with legitimate metal- detecting enthusiasts.
There were 109 cases of items found in Norfolk being declared treasure in 2008-09. Recent finds include a hoard of 24 Henry III short-cross pennies in Breckland, and an early Saxon gold spangle from south Norfolk.
Read the rest of this article...
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
51 Headless Vikings in English Execution Pit Confirmed
Naked, beheaded, and tangled, the bodies of 51 young males found in the United Kingdom have been identified as brutally slain Vikings, archaeologists announced Friday.
The decapitated skeletons—their heads stacked neatly to the side—were uncovered in June 2009 in a thousand-year-old execution pit near the southern seaside town of Weymouth (United Kingdom map).
Already radio-carbon dating results released in July had shown the men lived between A.D. 910 and 1030, a period when the English fought—and often lost—battles against Viking invaders. (Related: "Viking Weapon-Recycling Site Found in England?")
Read the rest of this article...
The decapitated skeletons—their heads stacked neatly to the side—were uncovered in June 2009 in a thousand-year-old execution pit near the southern seaside town of Weymouth (United Kingdom map).
Already radio-carbon dating results released in July had shown the men lived between A.D. 910 and 1030, a period when the English fought—and often lost—battles against Viking invaders. (Related: "Viking Weapon-Recycling Site Found in England?")
Read the rest of this article...
Teeth tests show victims from mass war grave in Weymouth pit could have been Swedish
"Painstaking" analysis of teeth from ten of the executed corpses found in a mass grave on the Weymouth Olympic Relief Road last summer has revealed the slaughtered remains may have belonged to Vikings from Scandinavia and the Polar regions.
Isotope tests showed the men had grown up in a cold, non-chalk climate with a predominantly protein-based diet, nodding to research collected on bodies from Swedish and Arctic Circle sites.
Strontium and oxygen samples were used to determine the local geology and climate of their native countries, supported by carbon and nitrogen investigations reflecting their likely eating patterns.
Read the rest of this article...
Isotope tests showed the men had grown up in a cold, non-chalk climate with a predominantly protein-based diet, nodding to research collected on bodies from Swedish and Arctic Circle sites.
Strontium and oxygen samples were used to determine the local geology and climate of their native countries, supported by carbon and nitrogen investigations reflecting their likely eating patterns.
Read the rest of this article...
Weymouth Relief Road archaeology day school
Spaces are still available on the Weymouth Relief Road archaeology day school this Saturday, 20 March.
Tickets cost £12, and the day includes presentations by Oxford Archaeology, Wessex Archaeology and Dorset County Museum, as well as having access to the exhibition.
To book a space call Dorset County Council senior archaeologist Claire Pinder on 01305 224921, you will then be able to pick your ticket up on the door.
Limited space – over 200 tickets sold so far!
If you don’t book, you can’t come in!
Read the rest of this article...
Tickets cost £12, and the day includes presentations by Oxford Archaeology, Wessex Archaeology and Dorset County Museum, as well as having access to the exhibition.
To book a space call Dorset County Council senior archaeologist Claire Pinder on 01305 224921, you will then be able to pick your ticket up on the door.
Limited space – over 200 tickets sold so far!
If you don’t book, you can’t come in!
Read the rest of this article...
Sunday, 14 March 2010
Decapitated Viking Skeletons found near Weymouth
The archaeological news recently has been full of articles concerning the decapitated skeletons found during the excavations for the Weymouth Relief Road.
With so many news reports it is often difficult to separate the journalistic hyperbole from the facts, and one often has to look at several reports even to begin to get the full picture.
This website draws together the important facts and gives links to informative press releases. The last page contains links to a video and collections of pictures of the excavations.
You can find the website here…
With so many news reports it is often difficult to separate the journalistic hyperbole from the facts, and one often has to look at several reports even to begin to get the full picture.
This website draws together the important facts and gives links to informative press releases. The last page contains links to a video and collections of pictures of the excavations.
You can find the website here…
Dig may find signs of Viking town in Thetford
Archaeologists hope to find signs of an old Viking town during excavations in Norfolk.
The dig at the Anchor Hotel in Bridge Street, Thetford, is being carried out ahead of a possible redevelopment of the area.
The proximity of the Little Ouse river means there is every likelihood of well preserved remains under the car park, Breckland District Council said.
It is expected the work will take up to six weeks, depending on what is found.
Read the rest of this article...
The dig at the Anchor Hotel in Bridge Street, Thetford, is being carried out ahead of a possible redevelopment of the area.
The proximity of the Little Ouse river means there is every likelihood of well preserved remains under the car park, Breckland District Council said.
It is expected the work will take up to six weeks, depending on what is found.
Read the rest of this article...
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Ridgeway Viking grave: Historian's hope
HISTORIAN Stuart Morris is hoping the bones will shed more light on when Vikings were first believed to have arrived on the British Isles at Portland in 787.
He said Anglo Saxon chronicles have shown that on their arrival the Shire Reeve, or sheriff of Dorchester, travelled to Portland to meet and trade with the Vikings but was killed.
And Mr Morris is hoping the discovery of the bones on the Ridgeway might reveal what happened when the Shire Reeve met them.
Read the rest of this article...
He said Anglo Saxon chronicles have shown that on their arrival the Shire Reeve, or sheriff of Dorchester, travelled to Portland to meet and trade with the Vikings but was killed.
And Mr Morris is hoping the discovery of the bones on the Ridgeway might reveal what happened when the Shire Reeve met them.
Read the rest of this article...
Ridgeway Viking grave: Finds to go on display
FINDS from the Viking grave and other archaeological sites unearthed along the route of the Weymouth Relief Road are going on display later this month.
The Pavilion Ocean Room will be turning into an Aladdin’s cave of archaeological treasure as exhibits are laid out.
During the free event, ancient bones, Iron Age pottery, shale jewellery and many other finds will be on display.
Read the rest of this article...
The Pavilion Ocean Room will be turning into an Aladdin’s cave of archaeological treasure as exhibits are laid out.
During the free event, ancient bones, Iron Age pottery, shale jewellery and many other finds will be on display.
Read the rest of this article...
1,000-Year-Old Massacre Uncovered in England
A macabre and forgotten episode from the Dark Ages has been uncovered by British researchers after they examined dozens of beheaded skeletons.
Mystery surrounded the identity of the victims since they were discovered by accident last June near Weymouth, Dorset, England, when workers at a 2012 building site, stumbled across a burial pit.
The grave contained a mass of bones and 51 skulls neatly stacked in a pile.
Read the rest of this article...
Mystery surrounded the identity of the victims since they were discovered by accident last June near Weymouth, Dorset, England, when workers at a 2012 building site, stumbled across a burial pit.
The grave contained a mass of bones and 51 skulls neatly stacked in a pile.
Read the rest of this article...
Beheaded Vikings found at Olympic site
They were 51 young men who met a grisly death far from home, their heads chopped off and their bodies thrown into a mass grave.
Their resting place was unknown until last year, when workers excavating for a road near the London 2012 Olympic sailing venue in Weymouth, England, unearthed the grave. But questions remained about who the men were, how long they had been there and why they had been decapitated.
On Friday, officials revealed that analysis of the men's teeth shows they were Vikings, executed with sharp blows to the head around a thousand years ago. They were killed during the Dark Ages, when Vikings frequently invaded the region.
Read the rest of this article...
Their resting place was unknown until last year, when workers excavating for a road near the London 2012 Olympic sailing venue in Weymouth, England, unearthed the grave. But questions remained about who the men were, how long they had been there and why they had been decapitated.
On Friday, officials revealed that analysis of the men's teeth shows they were Vikings, executed with sharp blows to the head around a thousand years ago. They were killed during the Dark Ages, when Vikings frequently invaded the region.
Read the rest of this article...
Friday, 12 March 2010
University of Oxford Online Courses in Archaeology
Exploring Roman Britain (starts April 2010)
Origins of Human Behaviour (starts April 2010)
Pompeii and the Cities of the Roman World (starts May 2010)
Ritual and Religion in Prehistory (starts April 2010)
Vikings: Raiders, Traders and Settlers (starts May 2010)
Click on the course title for further details.
Origins of Human Behaviour (starts April 2010)
Pompeii and the Cities of the Roman World (starts May 2010)
Ritual and Religion in Prehistory (starts April 2010)
Vikings: Raiders, Traders and Settlers (starts May 2010)
Click on the course title for further details.
Scottish MP demands return of the Lewis Chessmen
A Scottish Member of Parliament is demanding that the entire collection of Lewis Chessmen be permanently kept in Scotland. He is upset that the British Museum, which houses some of these medieval figures, is now saying that the chessmen were created in Norway instead of northern Scotland.
Western Isles SNP MP Angus MacNeil said “The British Museum’s treatment of this link raises real questions about where the chessmen should be displayed permanently.
Read the rest of this article...
Western Isles SNP MP Angus MacNeil said “The British Museum’s treatment of this link raises real questions about where the chessmen should be displayed permanently.
Read the rest of this article...
Wolfson Foundation grant will help Jorvik Viking Centre put baffling remains on show
THE Jorvik Viking Centre is celebrating a huge cash boost only weeks after the completion of a £1million upgrade.
Bosses at York Archaeological Trust said they hoped the £150,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation would enable them to find a home at Coppergate for some of the region’s most significant archaeological finds of recent years.
John Walker, head of the trust, said he would like to bring to Jorvik the ancient remains of ten Roman York residents which were unearthed at a dig in The Mount area in 2004.
Read the rest of this article...
Bosses at York Archaeological Trust said they hoped the £150,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation would enable them to find a home at Coppergate for some of the region’s most significant archaeological finds of recent years.
John Walker, head of the trust, said he would like to bring to Jorvik the ancient remains of ten Roman York residents which were unearthed at a dig in The Mount area in 2004.
Read the rest of this article...
Decapitated bodies found in Dorset burial pit were executed Vikings
Fifty beheaded young men found in a burial pit last year were probably executed Vikings, archaeologists revealed today.
Teeth samples from 10 of the decapitated warriors discovered in Weymouth, in Dorset, show that they were Scandinavian invaders who fell into the hands of Anglo Saxons.
Dating back to between AD910 and AD1030, the mass war grave is among the largest examples ever found of executed foreigners buried in one spot.
Read the rest of this article...
Teeth samples from 10 of the decapitated warriors discovered in Weymouth, in Dorset, show that they were Scandinavian invaders who fell into the hands of Anglo Saxons.
Dating back to between AD910 and AD1030, the mass war grave is among the largest examples ever found of executed foreigners buried in one spot.
Read the rest of this article...
Weymouth ridgeway skeletons 'Scandinavian Vikings'
Fifty-one decapitated skeletons found in a burial pit in Dorset were those of Scandinavian Vikings, scientists say.
Mystery has surrounded the identity of the group since they were discovered at Ridgeway Hill, near Weymouth, in June.
Analysis of teeth from 10 of the men revealed they had grown up in countries with a colder climate than Britain's.
Read the rest of this article...
See also In pictures: Burial pit (BBC)
Mystery has surrounded the identity of the group since they were discovered at Ridgeway Hill, near Weymouth, in June.
Analysis of teeth from 10 of the men revealed they had grown up in countries with a colder climate than Britain's.
Read the rest of this article...
See also In pictures: Burial pit (BBC)
Archaeologists uncover headless corpses of 51 Vikings executed by Saxons in Dorset killing field
They knelt and cowered together - a once proud and fearless band of raiders stripped and humiliated by their Saxon captors.
One by one, their executioners stepped forward, uttered a prayer and brought their axes and swords crashing down on the necks of the Viking prisoners.
The axes fell until the roadside was sticky with blood from the decapitated corpses of the 51 men, most barely in their twenties.
Read the rest of this article...
One by one, their executioners stepped forward, uttered a prayer and brought their axes and swords crashing down on the necks of the Viking prisoners.
The axes fell until the roadside was sticky with blood from the decapitated corpses of the 51 men, most barely in their twenties.
Read the rest of this article...
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Ancient Norse Settlements Hit Cold Spell
A long cooling period may have led to famine in Greenland and Iceland more than 1,000 years ago.
New research reveals just how bad an idea it was to colonize Greenland and Iceland more than a millennium ago: average temperatures in Iceland plummeted nearly 6 degrees Celsius in the century that followed the island's Norse settlement in about A.D. 870, a climate record gleaned from mollusk shells shows.
The record is the most precise year-by-year chronology yet of temperatures experienced by the northern Norse colonies, says William Patterson, an isotope geochemist at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada, who led the new work. The study will appear online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Read the rest of this article...
New research reveals just how bad an idea it was to colonize Greenland and Iceland more than a millennium ago: average temperatures in Iceland plummeted nearly 6 degrees Celsius in the century that followed the island's Norse settlement in about A.D. 870, a climate record gleaned from mollusk shells shows.
The record is the most precise year-by-year chronology yet of temperatures experienced by the northern Norse colonies, says William Patterson, an isotope geochemist at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada, who led the new work. The study will appear online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Read the rest of this article...
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Ancient Norse colonies hit bad climate times
Temperatures in Iceland plummeted soon after settlers arrived
New research reveals just how bad an idea it was to colonize Greenland and Iceland more than a millennium ago: average temperatures in Iceland plummeted nearly 6°Celsius in the century that followed the island’s Norse settlement in about A.D. 870, a climate record gleaned from mollusk shells shows.
The record is the most precise year-by-year chronology yet of temperatures experienced by the northern Norse colonies, says William Patterson, an isotope geochemist at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada, who led the new work. The study will appear online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Read the rest of this article...
New research reveals just how bad an idea it was to colonize Greenland and Iceland more than a millennium ago: average temperatures in Iceland plummeted nearly 6°Celsius in the century that followed the island’s Norse settlement in about A.D. 870, a climate record gleaned from mollusk shells shows.
The record is the most precise year-by-year chronology yet of temperatures experienced by the northern Norse colonies, says William Patterson, an isotope geochemist at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada, who led the new work. The study will appear online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Read the rest of this article...
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
Pipeline Engineers Find Historic Shipwrecks in Baltic Sea
Engineers surveying the Baltic Sea for a pipeline project have discovered several historic shipwrecks on the seabed, including an ancient Viking longboat and several ships from the 16th to 18th centuries.
Engineers building a pipeline under the Baltic Sea have discovered a number of old shipwrecks on the seabed near the Swedish island of Gotland, including a 1,000-year-old Viking longboat.
The vessels were discovered during a survey of the seabed being conducted by Nord Stream, a consortium building a 1,200 kilometer (746 mile) pipeline to pump Russian gas from the port of Vyborg in Russia to Greifswald on the German Baltic coast.
Read the rest of this article...
Engineers building a pipeline under the Baltic Sea have discovered a number of old shipwrecks on the seabed near the Swedish island of Gotland, including a 1,000-year-old Viking longboat.
The vessels were discovered during a survey of the seabed being conducted by Nord Stream, a consortium building a 1,200 kilometer (746 mile) pipeline to pump Russian gas from the port of Vyborg in Russia to Greifswald on the German Baltic coast.
Read the rest of this article...
Life of Vikings seen through soil
A scientist and a composer are working together to explore a thousand years of human history through soil samples.
The pair have built an installation in Dundee which tells the story of Viking settlers in Greenland going back to the year 900.
Images of soil samples gathered by Dr Paul Adderley have been set to audio by Dr Michael Young.
Dr Young said: "Hidden in the soil is this story about people and the environment. We explore that."
Read the rest of this article...
The pair have built an installation in Dundee which tells the story of Viking settlers in Greenland going back to the year 900.
Images of soil samples gathered by Dr Paul Adderley have been set to audio by Dr Michael Young.
Dr Young said: "Hidden in the soil is this story about people and the environment. We explore that."
Read the rest of this article...
Dozen shipwrecks found off the coast of Sweden
A dozen previously unknown shipwrecks, some of them believed to be up to 1,000 years old, were discovered in the Baltic Sea during a probe of the sea bed to prepare for the installation of a large gas pipeline, the Swedish National Heritage Board said Monday.
"It's an important find," said Peter Norman from The Swedish National Heritage Board. "Three of them are three whole hulls. They are standing straight up, 100 metres down on the bottom of the seabed. They are now sealed off and are really of great historical value."
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"It's an important find," said Peter Norman from The Swedish National Heritage Board. "Three of them are three whole hulls. They are standing straight up, 100 metres down on the bottom of the seabed. They are now sealed off and are really of great historical value."
Read the rest of this article...
Trove of shipwrecks found in Baltic Sea
A dozen previously unknown shipwrecks have been found on the bed of the Baltic Sea; some of them are thought to up to 1,000 years old, the Swedish National Heritage Board said on Monday.
The underwater treasure trove of nautical antiquities was discovered during a probe of the sea bed to prepare for the installation of a large gas pipeline.
"We have managed to identify 12 shipwrecks, and nine of them are considered to be fairly old," Peter Norman, a senior advisor with the heritage board, told AFP.
Read the rest of this article...
The underwater treasure trove of nautical antiquities was discovered during a probe of the sea bed to prepare for the installation of a large gas pipeline.
"We have managed to identify 12 shipwrecks, and nine of them are considered to be fairly old," Peter Norman, a senior advisor with the heritage board, told AFP.
Read the rest of this article...
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Change in Blog Address
As you will have noticed, the address for this blog has changed.
This is because Blogger are phasing out their FTP service.
If you have been using an RSS feed for this blog, then you will need to change the address. Simply click on the “Subscribe to Posts [Atom]” at the bottom of the right-hand sidebar.
Similarly, if you have been receiving email notifications, you will have to register again using the form in the right-hand sidebar.
Sorry for the inconvenience,
David Beard
This is because Blogger are phasing out their FTP service.
If you have been using an RSS feed for this blog, then you will need to change the address. Simply click on the “Subscribe to Posts [Atom]” at the bottom of the right-hand sidebar.
Similarly, if you have been receiving email notifications, you will have to register again using the form in the right-hand sidebar.
Sorry for the inconvenience,
David Beard
Friday, 5 March 2010
The Northern World, AD 900-1400 - new book examines the arctic region in the Middle Ages
Idaho State University anthropology Research Professor Herbert Maschner has co-edited the book The Northern World, AD 900-1400, released in December 2009.
The Northern World, AD 900-1400 examines rapid and catastrophic climate changes and social networks in the region of the Arctic from the Bering Straits to Greenland from A.D. 900 through 1400. Maschner and his colleagues acknowledge scientists see the region of the Arctic as a critical modern laboratory for investigating the long-term impact of global warming. The cultures and lives of indigenous people during this time span are examined to understand historical and modern climate and social impacts.
Read the rest of this article...
The Northern World, AD 900-1400 examines rapid and catastrophic climate changes and social networks in the region of the Arctic from the Bering Straits to Greenland from A.D. 900 through 1400. Maschner and his colleagues acknowledge scientists see the region of the Arctic as a critical modern laboratory for investigating the long-term impact of global warming. The cultures and lives of indigenous people during this time span are examined to understand historical and modern climate and social impacts.
Read the rest of this article...
This blog has moved
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Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Treasures from Orkney Viking burial grave to go on show at York Jorvik
An iron sword, gaming pieces and an arsenal of arrows from a set of antler bone carvings found next to corpses in Viking graves will be revealed by archaeologists in York this May.
The Jorvik Viking Centre has obtained the burial hoard from The Orkney Museum, which has held the remains since they were discovered alongside the bodies of an elderly woman, middle-aged man and a child on the island town of Scar in 1991.
Designed to follow the souls of the dead into the afterlife in a Viking boat grave, they were almost lost forever.
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The Jorvik Viking Centre has obtained the burial hoard from The Orkney Museum, which has held the remains since they were discovered alongside the bodies of an elderly woman, middle-aged man and a child on the island town of Scar in 1991.
Designed to follow the souls of the dead into the afterlife in a Viking boat grave, they were almost lost forever.
Read the rest of this article...
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Vikings show their cultured side at open day
The more cultured side of the marauding Vikings was on show at Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes on Sunday.
The museum staged one of its popular family days and some 430 people enjoyed meeting members of the Temesvikings re-enactment group from London.
Museum education officer Ali Rushent said: “They set up a fur-lined tent and did a series of mini talks with members of the public who came along.
Read the rest of this article...
The museum staged one of its popular family days and some 430 people enjoyed meeting members of the Temesvikings re-enactment group from London.
Museum education officer Ali Rushent said: “They set up a fur-lined tent and did a series of mini talks with members of the public who came along.
Read the rest of this article...
A heritage to treasure
For the first time, a regional museum is showing its medieval and Viking treasures at the British Museum. Steve Pratt discovers the story of England’s capital of the North and unearths an unusual recipient of a Blue Peter badge.
THE gallery at the British Museum is crammed with extraordinary objects of national and worldwide significance, as keeper of prehistory and Europe Jonathan Williams calls them.
There’s the York Helmet, the most outstanding Anglo-Saxon find to survive in Europe, and the Middleham Jewel, regarded as one of the finest pieces of Gothic jewellery found in this country. In another display case is the 1,000-year-old Gilling sword, one of the best preserved Viking swords ever found.
Read the rest of this article...
THE gallery at the British Museum is crammed with extraordinary objects of national and worldwide significance, as keeper of prehistory and Europe Jonathan Williams calls them.
There’s the York Helmet, the most outstanding Anglo-Saxon find to survive in Europe, and the Middleham Jewel, regarded as one of the finest pieces of Gothic jewellery found in this country. In another display case is the 1,000-year-old Gilling sword, one of the best preserved Viking swords ever found.
Read the rest of this article...
Monday, 22 February 2010
Jorvik centre reopens
The Jorvik Viking Centre in York has reopened to the public following a £1m refurbishment.
An entirely new gallery has been added and the replica of a Viking-age village has been upgraded. A number of new artefacts, discovered during diggings at the city's Coppergate district, have also gone on show.
Sarah Maltby, director of attractions at York Archaeological Trust, which operates the site, said: "The main thrust of the refurbishment this time is to make a reassessment of the archaeology at Coppergate from which the centre grew over 25 years ago.
Read the rest of this article...
An entirely new gallery has been added and the replica of a Viking-age village has been upgraded. A number of new artefacts, discovered during diggings at the city's Coppergate district, have also gone on show.
Sarah Maltby, director of attractions at York Archaeological Trust, which operates the site, said: "The main thrust of the refurbishment this time is to make a reassessment of the archaeology at Coppergate from which the centre grew over 25 years ago.
Read the rest of this article...
Saturday, 13 February 2010
Anglo-Saxon and Viking Summer School Courses at Oxford
The Oxford Experience Summer School, which is held at Christ Church, Oxford offers over 50 different courses during the five weeks from 4 July to 7 August 2010.
These courses include:
The Golden Age of Anglo-Saxon England - 25 to 31 July 2010
(see further details)
King Alfred and the Vikings - 1 to 7 August
(see further details)
You can find out about other Summer School courses in archaeology and history at the University of Oxford’s website.
These courses include:
The Golden Age of Anglo-Saxon England - 25 to 31 July 2010
(see further details)
King Alfred and the Vikings - 1 to 7 August
(see further details)
You can find out about other Summer School courses in archaeology and history at the University of Oxford’s website.
Metal detectorist finds Viking brooch
A METAL detectorist who had only recently taken up the hobby made a lucky find when he uncovered a Viking brooch, which is going on display at Salisbury Museum.
Sidney Boyce was using his metal detector near Longbridge Deverill when he found the bronze trefoil brooch, which he then took to the museum to be identified.
The find was reported to Katie Hinds, the finds liaison officer for Wiltshire, based at Salisbury Museum, who immediately recognised its significance.
Read the rest of this article...
Sidney Boyce was using his metal detector near Longbridge Deverill when he found the bronze trefoil brooch, which he then took to the museum to be identified.
The find was reported to Katie Hinds, the finds liaison officer for Wiltshire, based at Salisbury Museum, who immediately recognised its significance.
Read the rest of this article...
Experts Gather to Celebrate York's Viking History
Academics from around the Viking world will gather in York on Saturday 13th February 2010 for an entertaining and illuminating look at the past, present and future of Viking studies.
The two-day conference - “A celebration of Iconic Collections and Excavations from the Viking World” - will open the 2010 JORVIK Viking Festival and forms part of JORVIK Viking Centre's 25th anniversary celebrations. It will celebrate some of the most important developments and iconic artefacts uncovered in the last quarter-century of research into the Viking era.
Read the rest of this article...
The two-day conference - “A celebration of Iconic Collections and Excavations from the Viking World” - will open the 2010 JORVIK Viking Festival and forms part of JORVIK Viking Centre's 25th anniversary celebrations. It will celebrate some of the most important developments and iconic artefacts uncovered in the last quarter-century of research into the Viking era.
Read the rest of this article...
Viking brooch found in Longbridge Deverill, 3 miles south of Warminster.
A Viking brooch discovered in Longbridge Deverill, three miles south of Warminster, has gone on display in Salisbury Museum. The bronze trefoil brooch was discovered at the end of last year by Sidney Boyce from Salisbury using a metal detector.
The find is extremely rare for this part of England. It dates from between 850 and 1050 AD and is in the Viking Borre style, each arm being decorated with a cat-like animal head.
Katie Hinds, finds liaison officer for Wiltshire, said “It is very unusual to find a brooch like this - similar items have been found in East Anglia but they are copies."
Read the rest of this article...
The find is extremely rare for this part of England. It dates from between 850 and 1050 AD and is in the Viking Borre style, each arm being decorated with a cat-like animal head.
Katie Hinds, finds liaison officer for Wiltshire, said “It is very unusual to find a brooch like this - similar items have been found in East Anglia but they are copies."
Read the rest of this article...
York Jorvik Viking Centre re-opens with annual festival after £1 million revamp
A Nordic animatronic community made by Disneyworld designers in Ohio, a capsule ride around Viking York and a ferocious battle between axe-wielding warriors will form the opening highlights of the third incarnation of the Jorvik Viking Centre when it opens tomorrow following a £1 million refurbishment.
An antler worker called Sigurd who severed his finger in a saw, two rugged builders, a feuding Viking couple and a rat are among the robotic figures created by US specialists Life Formation, based on archaeological evidence from digs around the grounds of the Centre. They will address visitors in Old Norse, voiced by students from York University.
Read the rest of this article...
An antler worker called Sigurd who severed his finger in a saw, two rugged builders, a feuding Viking couple and a rat are among the robotic figures created by US specialists Life Formation, based on archaeological evidence from digs around the grounds of the Centre. They will address visitors in Old Norse, voiced by students from York University.
Read the rest of this article...
‘Time Team’ star Tony Robinson hails revamped Jorvik Centre as Viking Festival gets under way in York
BLACKADDER actor Tony Robinson has officially opened the new-look Jorvik Viking Centre in York after a £1 million refit.
The showpiece of the nine-month renovation is the glass-floor gallery where visitors can marvel at a recreation of the Viking relics that were found on the Coppergate site, excavated between 1976 and 1981.
The exhibition, which charts the history of Norse colonies in the city, also features seven new life-like Viking animatronics which have been shipped in from specialists in the US.
Read the rest of this article...
The showpiece of the nine-month renovation is the glass-floor gallery where visitors can marvel at a recreation of the Viking relics that were found on the Coppergate site, excavated between 1976 and 1981.
The exhibition, which charts the history of Norse colonies in the city, also features seven new life-like Viking animatronics which have been shipped in from specialists in the US.
Read the rest of this article...
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Book your place at 'Portable Antiquities: Archaeology, Collecting, Metal Detecting' Conference
Registration is now open for the ‘Portable Antiquities: Archaeology, Collecting, Metal Detecting’ conference on 13th and 14th March 2010. This event is co-organised by the CBA and Newcastle University’s International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies, and takes place at Newcastle University and the Great North Museum: Hancock.
The papers at this conference offer perspectives from a range of different interest groups, look at recent research, present case studies from around the UK and beyond, and ultimately offer views about what the future may hold for portable antiquities management. Much debate is anticipated at this timely event.
Read the rest of this article...
The papers at this conference offer perspectives from a range of different interest groups, look at recent research, present case studies from around the UK and beyond, and ultimately offer views about what the future may hold for portable antiquities management. Much debate is anticipated at this timely event.
Read the rest of this article...
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