A team of archaeologists investigating Ardnamurchan's transition over 6,000 years unearthed the Viking boat burial, complete with sword, axe and other high status possessions. The boat, and the artefacts found around the Viking chieftain's remains, are strong evidence of Viking colonisation of Britain along its west coast a thousand years ago.
Ardnamurchan Transitions Project, which has been working for six years, is led by experts from the Universities of Manchester, Leicester, CFA Archaeology Ltd and Archaeology Scotland, funded this year by the University of Manchester, Newcastle University and The Leverhulme Trust. The announcement of their finds by the University of Manchester on 19 October 2011 has caused a great deal of excitement, as this is the most complete Viking burial in a boat so far discovered on the British mainland.
Viking Sword with Decorated Hilt
The team, who are drawn from staff and students at several universities, are most excited about the find of a sword with a richly decorated hilt, and an axe, which are now in specialist storage with CFA Archaeology Ltd. They will go to conservators for full analysis by scanning and other forensic examination, and cleaning and stabilisation to prevent deterioration. Other artefacts discovered at the site are a spear and a shield boss, a knife and the bronze tip of a drinking horn, a Norwegian whetstone and an Irish bronze ring pin.
In a video for BBC Highlands & Islands, Dr Oliver Harris from the University of Leicester says that the burial artefacts belonged to a high-status individual, and states that the find "is absolutely enormously significant." Dr Hannah Cobb, co-Director of the project and archaeology Teaching Fellow ,, said the "artefacts and preservation make this one of the most important Norse graves ever excavated in Britain".
Irish links with Other Viking Boat Burials
The international nature of the artefacts already identified at the Ardnamurchan boat grave also suggests further evidence for strong links between the Vikings that occupied Ireland, Scotland and north west England at that time. In a British Archaeology article on boat burials demonstrating Irish and Scottish connections at the Isle of Man Balladoole site, Mark Redknap revisited a WWII boat burial excavation in Issue 59, June 2001.
Though sword and axe were missing from that site, bridle metalwork linked the Isle of Man Viking colonisation with Dublin, Colonsay and Lewis. Viking occupation of west coast of Britain dated as late 9th and early 10th century, as is suggested for date of the new site at Ardnamurchan. With many metal finds as yet unidentified, the new site yet has much to reveal.
Valerie Williamson - Dr. Val Williamson is a freelance journalist and academic specialising in historical and popular culture topics.
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