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Thread: Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

  1. #1
    Teutonic's Avatar Ordinarius
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    Default Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

    Just saw on the news that they've discovered a brand new Viking burial in Adnamurchan, on Scotland's west coast. It's from the 10 century, of a important warrior. Among the stuff with him were a sword (!), an axe head, and very well preserved bronze pin (the thing with which he fastened his cloac on).

    Check it out!


    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...lands-15333852

  2. #2
    Celtichugs123's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

    Cool! Though nothing surprising, tbh! Given the huge Norse influence in the Highlands - many towns were founded by the Vikings such as Dingwall and Wick. On the Orkney and Shetland Islands they still retain a Norse identiy, infact on Shetland they practice a festival knwon as Up Helly Aa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_Helly_Aa). We need to remember Orkney wasn't part of Scotland untill 1472, up untill then it still belonged to the Norweigen crown.

    A photo from an Up Helly Aa, taken from Wikipedia.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Then, if we look at the Western Isles, the heart of the Kingdom of the Isles and the Gall-Ghaidheil people, archiologists have found many, many Norse & Viking items - including the famous Lewis Chessmen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Chessmen). Infact, Clans MacLoed and MacDonald were founded - or their cheifs decent from - Vikings.

    Just going to check out that link now! ... Cool! First 'fully intact' in UK!
    Last edited by Celtichugs123; October 20, 2011 at 06:34 AM.
    Vikingr

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    “For myself, I find I become less cynical rather than more--remembering my own sins and follies; and realize that men's hearts are not often as bad as their acts, and very seldom as bad as their words.”
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    Ubermomo's Avatar Libertus
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    Default Re: Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

    It would be nice if there was a short video of a ship burning on land or at sea when a viking family memeber or general dies

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    Celtichugs123's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

    Yeah, would be nice. But, what I think is cool is quite often the ships where burried, I mean think of logistics in doing something like that!
    Vikingr

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    “For myself, I find I become less cynical rather than more--remembering my own sins and follies; and realize that men's hearts are not often as bad as their acts, and very seldom as bad as their words.”
    - J.R.R Tolkien

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    Teutonic's Avatar Ordinarius
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    Default Re: Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

    Celtichugs, I know it's not surpising in the sense that it's well known that the Vikings were well established in the area. But the quality of the site and relics found are very notable. Plus, unless I'm mistaken, the archeological Viking finds in Scotland are from later dates and on the islands and Caithness, usually.

    To sum up, what we have here is an intact boat burial of an important chief with all his crap in the boat with him. I also think it's interesting the relatively early date and how far south the western coast of mainland Scotland it was found.

    I think this discovery is well worth noting in this forum.

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    Celtichugs123's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

    Teutonic, I never said it wasn't worth noting. I never once implied your ignorance to Viking influance in Scotland, which you seem to think I have. You are seeming to take offence where it is not due, or are reading a flavour from my post which is not there.

    Please read carefully before retorting to an attack which isn't there.

    To continue, though,
    Quote Originally Posted by Teutonic View Post
    the archeological Viking finds in Scotland are from later dates.
    They usually are, yes.
    Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they find other such sites further North in the Hebridies.
    Last edited by Celtichugs123; October 20, 2011 at 08:14 AM.
    Vikingr

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    “For myself, I find I become less cynical rather than more--remembering my own sins and follies; and realize that men's hearts are not often as bad as their acts, and very seldom as bad as their words.”
    - J.R.R Tolkien

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    Teutonic's Avatar Ordinarius
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    Default Re: Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

    Quote Originally Posted by Celtichugs123 View Post
    Teutonic, I never said it wasn't worth noting. I never once implied your ignorance to Viking influance in Scotland, which you seem to think I have. You are seeming to take offence where it is not due, or are reading a flavour from my post which is not there.

    Please read carefully before retorting to an attack which isn't there.

    To continue, though,


    They usually are, yes.
    Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they find other such sites further North in the Hebridies.
    If my last post gave the impression of being defensive, hostile, or both, I didn't mean it to be!
    Usually, I am not particularly active on this forum so I underlined that I am aware of the historical context of the discovery. For all you know I may not be, but saw the news and thought to post it here imagining it to be more important than it is .

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    Celtichugs123's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

    No, no! You misunderstand. My post was in no way to distract from the importance of the news, your post anything like that. My post was merely highlighting the Viking influance in Scotland, which tied into your post - I was merely excentuating the topic at hand in the hopes this Thread could turn into a good ol' discussion about the said topic.

    The drouble, though, with these Forums is that tone and meaning are often mis-read due to the lack of a vocal sound! It seems this has been especially true now! I apologise, then, for misreading your post as you did mine!

    Lets move on. It is really interesting where it is found, actually! It was found on the mainland, where the Kingdom of the Isles did not control, but across the water from the Isle of Mull which was in Norse control. It begs the question, why is it there where it could be burried in a more Norse controlled aread? Perhaps those burring him were in a rush? But, then, he has alot of high quality items with him...
    Vikingr

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    “For myself, I find I become less cynical rather than more--remembering my own sins and follies; and realize that men's hearts are not often as bad as their acts, and very seldom as bad as their words.”
    - J.R.R Tolkien

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    Teutonic's Avatar Ordinarius
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    Default Re: Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

    I got distracted and forgot to add in my last post that I didn't think that you meant that the discovery wasn't important or interesting, Celtichugs. A bit of a mess, indeed!

    Not only he was burried in a formal manner with all of his possesions but in a boat. This suggests a couple of things. It was pretty major burrial which took some time, to arrange and practically perform- lots of digging! Also, I guess the Vikings didn't carry boats in their longships. I.e. the probable chief and his people were already settled in Adnamurchan and had small boats for casual use and plenty of time to perform the ceremony. And the valuable grave wasn't disturbed afterwards. So the area was secure for the Vikings. They were in total control.
    On the other hand it could mean that in a Viking raid all of the locals were killed and enslaved but a renown norse warrior was killed. His comrades burried him with honour and the area was left unpolulated for years and the people who came later didn't know about the grave.

    Hopefully they will discover other artifacts or graves in the area and shed more light in to it.

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    Celtichugs123's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

    Quote Originally Posted by Teutonic View Post
    On the other hand it could mean that in a Viking raid all of the locals were killed and enslaved but a renown norse warrior was killed. His comrades burried him with honour and the area was left unpolulated for years and the people who came later didn't know about the grave.
    I think this is probably the most correct theory!

    Or, maybe, he died at sea on their way to Dublin, or from Dublin Northward? He was so important, though, they deemed it worthy to sacrifice one of their boats for this man - maybe his boat, his 'flagship'?

    There are burrials in Stornoway or Lewis of well off Vikings but not cheifs or the such, where they believe they were burried in such a way. That they died during voyage and wished to burry them on land, instead of taking his body to somewhere eltes, or what have you.
    Vikingr

    The Last Kingdom


    “For myself, I find I become less cynical rather than more--remembering my own sins and follies; and realize that men's hearts are not often as bad as their acts, and very seldom as bad as their words.”
    - J.R.R Tolkien

  11. #11
    Teutonic's Avatar Ordinarius
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    Default Re: Viking boat burial just uncovered in Scotland!

    Yes, could be something random like that. But looking at the geography of the Adnamurchan peninsula, it's almost like an island with mountains cutting it off from the mainland. For all purposes it was a Hebridean island like the ones on which the Vikings lived. Small Norse community could've lived there. Who knows. Keep digging!

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