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zendevil Posted Sep 6, 2006
Ooh, i've been there, many moons back! Love IOW. We camped at Compton Bay, did the Blackgang Chine stuff, Ventnor, all that, walked over the hills hoping for a host of golden daffodils, got lost instead & the pub at the other end was closed!
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bobstafford Posted Dec 7, 2006
When Vikings moved on to the British Isles and the continent, they carried on their pagan burial traditions with them, as seen in this boat burial from Westness in the Orkney Islands. The deceased lies with his weapons and tools inside the remains of a small boat, whose outline archeologists traced by carefully following the rows of iron boat rivets in the soil.
Viking burialsThe number and distribution of Norse graves is an important indicator of Viking activity in the Western Isles. Viking men from Norway and Denmark were usually buried in individual graves with all their weapons and finery, occassionally in or beneath a boat. Several impressive Viking-style boat graves have been found in the Orkneys, Shetlands, Hebrides, and Scotland. Other richly furnished Viking graves from these areas and the Isle of Man indicate some Vikings who settled in these areas accumulated great wealth, either by the sword or as traders or middlemen. In the cemeteries associated with the early Viking trading center established in Dublin the graves were those of men and include weapons and other valuable goods indicating that these were honored military commanders. However, burials are only reliable for early Viking activity in the Western Isles. Norsemen who converted to Christianity would receive a simple inhumation without the inclusion of grave goods, making them indistinguishable from graves of the English, Picts, or Scots
(For more information and high quality pictures: http://www.oxfordarch.co.uk/vikingburial
For high quality images for publication contact [email protected])
The burial site of six Viking men and women, complete with swords and spears, jewellery, firemaking materials and riding equipment, has been discovered near Cumwhitton, Cumbria.
The site, which is believed to date from the early tenth century, was unearthed following the discovery by a local metal detectorist of two Viking Age copper brooches. The grave of a Viking woman was found beneath the brooches. She had been buried with a wooden chest at her feet, which x-rays may determine holds weaving equipment. Further excavation led to the discovery of the graves of another woman and four men 10 metres away from the first grave, all buried with their grave goods. The four men were buried with weaponry, two had firemaking materials, and one was buried with spurs, a possible bridle and what is thought to be the remains of a drinking horn. The female Viking was buried wearing a magnificent jet bracelet on her left wrist and with a copper alloy belt fitting, amongst other goods.
The sandy soil of the area means that while the bodies have decomposed, their equipment had remained exactly where it was buried over a thousand years ago, providing a unique opportunity to excavate a Viking Age cemetery under twenty first century conditions.
Local metal detectorist Peter Adams reported his find via the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), the UK’s largest community archaeology project, which identifies, records and advises on archaeological objects found by the public. The site was subsequently excavated by Oxford Archaeology North with English Heritage, which is now working on the conservation of the finds to ensure that information about the objects recovered is preserved for further study.
Describing the site, local PAS representative Faye Simpson said: “This was a haunting find. When I first saw the excavated graves, complete with artefacts but the bodies of those buried long decomposed, it seemed as though the people buried there had indeed followed in the footsteps of their ancestors and gone to Valhalla – the Viking afterlife.”
Arts Minister Estelle Morris said: "We should all be grateful to Mr Adams who recorded his find so promptly. As a result, the experts have been able to learn more about this fascinating site, and uncover the secrets of a time capsule more than a thousand years old.
"Community projects like the Portable Antiquities Scheme help people throughout the country get involved in archaeology and local history. And museums benefit too, through this direct engagement with local experts.”
Mark Wood, Chair of the Museums, Libraries and Archive Council which manages the Portable Antiquities Scheme said: “This is tremendous news: a unique discovery which will improve people’s understanding of the area and its history. The museum community relies on members of the public to report archaeological treasures to our network of Finds Liaison Officers, and you can imagine how pleased we are when important finds of this nature are unearthed.”
Sir Neil Cossons, Chairman of English Heritage, said: “This incredible find provides rare archaeological evidence of the Vikings as settlers who integrated themselves into English life. This exciting find reveals the presence of the Vikings as a community group including woman and challenges the war-lords stereotype as depicted by Hollywood.
“English Heritage is delighted to have been able to support this momentous discovery by funding the archaeological dig. Treasure hunting for its own sake can be damaging and can lead to the loss of valuable objects. We have been able to discover the secrets of this important site thanks to the responsible detective work of Peter Adams who reported the find to the Portable Antiquities Scheme. It is vital that the many other amateur archaeologists across the country continue to help us uncover new evidence of our archaeological past by following Peter’s admirable lead.”
Rachel Newman of Oxford Archaeology North said, ‘We could not have expected more from the excavation of the site. We knew the brooches found by Mr Adams came from a burial of a Viking Age woman, which was exciting and of great importance in itself, but we did not expect to find five other graves complete with such a splendid array of artefacts. It truly has been an amazing few months excavating this extremely important Viking Age site’.
Finder Peter Adams said, “Finding the brooches was just the beginning. By detecting alongside the archaeologists I was also able to locate a sword hilt which led to the second, and main, excavation and the discovery of all six graves. Faye Simpson, our Finds Liaison Officer, did a fantastic job pulling all the resources together to make this excavation possible. Her dedication, together with the archaeologists on site, enabled us all to learn so much from what is the find of a lifetime for me.”
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http://cma.soton.ac.uk/histship/shlect63.htm#BL195
http://www.arkikon.no/eng/baatgravside.htm
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0014570.html
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